The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-14 00:00:00

THE NINE HOURS MOVEMENT.

The following memorial, on behalf of the opera•
tive bouse-psinters of London, has been addressed to the
members of the Central Association of Master Builders:

"Spread Eagle, (.rhalles-street, 3fiddleeer Hoepital..

" Gentlemen,—ln the spring of last year we were parties
to the joint memorial then presented to you, soliciting s
settlement of the question then and still known as tiA
' Nine Hours Movement.' From the many sacrinies made,
and the great sufferings endured to sustain this movement,
by the great body of the building operatives of this metro-
polis, we were willing to persuade ourselves you would ha
given to it a courteous answer, if not a generous Assn
That memorial, gentlemen, you did not acknowledge
even a reply. Since then, the came we now *Wares' y
upon has not lost in its hold upon the minds of the masses
from being a mere local affair it has swollen into t
dimensions of a national concern. That suffering endured
begets keen remembrances, and the repulses we have met
with has the more firmly impressed us with the resolve
never to give up in our efforts to obtain a settlement 'ad
and favourable to ourselves. _ _

" The time has now arrived at which we feel it necesmry
to renew the demand previously made on our behalf udi
as a separate branch of the bumbling trades we might arts
upon our peculiar claims to reduced working hours, from
the noxious and unhealthy nature of our business, so veil
as from the vicissitudes consequent upon irregular einploY•
meet. But these are matters we do not deem necessary II
our cause. We take our stand with our colabourers .be
have been longer in the field, and simply deal with tbs
question as affecting our material and intellectual well-knit
in its relation to ourselves. Gentlemen, it is but an etlert
to advan.ro the pm ices of our labour ten per cent. Our right to
seek to obtain a higher rate of remuneration for that Istria
is conceded on all Lands, even to obtain eleven or tartw
hours' pay for the present ten hours' work. Such hem;
the case, we tombola we have an equal and just right to
obtain the advance now sought, taking out the equivalal
in reduced time. More time we require for out miml• si
well as for our bodies. Spread over this huge and choked
metropolis with long and toil: onie journeys to perbM
turnwe even rat each the scene of our day's tod,
turning thence evening to uur homes jaded as
worn out, we feel we do not ask you to os'
cede too much, remembering, as we cannot fia
to do, that the fortunes of the few has been made by lobar
of the many. With an earnest wish that a ealmnress sad
wisdom may reign in the councils that decides the fate d
this, and that your decision may he such as may heal ill
irritation and dissatisfaction that has been allowed to foie
and divide the employer atd the euiplovoil, hoping to b.',"
au affirmative reply from you by at limas& the end of
ee
month, and pledging ourselves in return that nothing OA
be wantmg en our parts to promoto that I.4rinsf
and good feeling that ought to exist between us, we ais
gentlemen, yours faithfully and respectfully,
" J. H. \\'Rll /IT, Chairman.
" J. BOYCE, Secretary.
" On behalf of the OE ive House Painters of Local:
" Committee-room, read Eagle. Charles street,
diesel Hospital, 117, 1ill."