The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-14 00:00:00

THE TEN HOURS FACTORY ACT AND THE

BELAY SYSTEM.
A public meeting convened by the mayor, in com-
pliance with a requisition previously presented to him. was
held in the Court House, at Leeds, on Touchy evening.
At the hour appointed, 7 o'clock, the Court House, which
will hold something over a thousand people, was not half
filled, but later on it was pretty
iia well occupied, but never
crowded. The operatives in appear to take compara-
tively little interest in the ten hours agitation. The regal-
shims presented to the mayor contained 60 signatures, nearly
one halt of them being thou of the clergy and dissenting
ministers, and about 20 more those of surgeons. Only two
enillowisne thought it worth while to append their names to
the document.
The R.v. James Fawcett, incumbent of Woodhouse,
occupied the choir during the early rut 'of the promedings,
but subsequently it mos tam by the Rev. Dr. Hook. the
Timer, the mayor haring seat a note signifying his inability
to aimed.
The CHAIRMAN having briefly pointed out the position
of the Ten Hours qevtien,
The Rev. W. SINCLATR said be had hoped this question
bad long since been settled, but unhappily it was not up, and
it would ill become such • town as Leeds, which bed been
honoured by the residence of the late Michael Thomas
Sadler, to be silent on au h a question, although Leeds had
not felt the evil, of the relay system at much as other towns.
At present the discussion was not in regard to the merits of
the subject, but to remedy the burgling of those who drew
their acts of parliament. (Hear.) B.r Robert Peel and
others had predicted all manner of evil as the result of this
restriction, contending that if the principle was admitted,
shopmen, domestic servants, and others would seek for similar
restriction., and thus a system of tyranny would be iodtt ed
which would rodeos m ny evils. Had any of the evils pre-
dicted befallen them 1 (N., no.) But if these evils had not
come to pass many of the promise-el advantages bad been
realised. Tee working man had obtaiced time to attend to
docustie duties, to mechanics' institutes, and to benefit by
the thowards of ways in which philanthropy was mani-
festing itself. At his own ward of the town garden allot.
meets had become so much in demand that they could not
fled sufficient ground for them. If parliament was just, as
he believed it to be, this blunder in the Ten Hours Act, to
which be bad referred, would, when his noble friend, Lord
Ashley, brought on the question on Thursday next, be at
once rectill.d. His experience induced him to believe that
the leisure thus sought to be secured would be spent in
moral and religious duties. He concluded by moving:
t' That the Ten Hours Act having been duly observed and
carried out in this town and neighbourhood, the most salu-
tary effects hays resulted from it, both to the emptoyere
and the employed ; and that this meeting rejects every pro-
peal to extend the work in factories for all young persons
and women beyond the limits of ten continuous hours for five
days in the we. k, and eight on the Saturday, with proper
time for meats for all at the Caine time."
Mr. 8 salmi, surgeon, in seconding the resolution,
contended that by the shortening the hours f hhour the
casts of d •formity from factory labour were very mach
fewer and milder in their severi.y than were found fifteen or
twenty years ego; and if the restriction to ten hours was
carried on for seven or tan years longer, extreme cases of in-
jury and deformity from Lenny labour would be very
rare. In conclusion, he referr,d to the consistent part he
had always taken in this case, and expressed the pleasure he
now had in striking what he believed to be the lest blow in
its favour. (Applause.)
Mr. It. CHURCH mov d the next resolution.—
" That this meeting is firmly convinced that the
Ten Hours' Ate, where tionte•tty unnerved, tea proved most
conducive to the interests of all concerned in factory I .bour,
and therefore pledges itself to the most determined efforts to
secure for all young persors and women the entire practi-
cal . fficiency and integrity ct that just and righteous law."
The Rev. Mr. LBAKE, Weelejan mii.ister of Holbeck,
seconded the resolution, urging that the restriction to ten
hours was nee .sury to protect women and young children
from excessive labour, and to give the former time to attend
to their domestic duties. li_ was a-s much interested in the
welfare of the working classes, that anythie g he could do, by
his presence, ii.fluence, or purse, he was realy to do it.
(Applause.)
Toe lt,v. THOMAS WILLIAMS, Wesleyan minister,
moved the next resolution. lid took a deep interest io this
qut stion, fir he had the honour of belonging to the air :Hang
classes, and had to w. rk twelve, fourteen, and sixteen hours
a day. He thought the argument involved in this qustion
had been fully discussed. The resolution he had to move was
" That this meting condemns, sad fs entirely opptsedto the
modes of work.ng in factories, by relays and shifts, which
compel young pi noes and women to sta to work very early
in the avower, and to remain occurned or employed until
a late hear in the evening, thus deprivi:g them of time for
the performance of their household duties. and that versa-
act' and maul improvement which the Ten Hours Act was
intended to ensure to th-

Mr. J. H UTTON, as old short time agitator, stem:led
the resolution.

Mr. hGOLESTON, a hook-keeper, af:er a short speech,
during which he said he had been connected with the move-
ment tor a half holiday at Manchester, moved—" That the
thank. of this meeting be given to Lord A.bley, :M.P., and
to all other public supporters of the Ten Hours Act ; and
that his lerdabio be requested to use his prat talents and
irfluenee to obtain a speedy removal of the modes of working
by shifts tad rel y, so u to secure to the factory w.rkere all
the benefits intended by the Ten Hours Act."
Mr. JOHN SMITH, a b.hmonger, seconded the lulu-
, tien, and argued that a restriction of the hours of lsbour
mur.:emult in the increas.d wealth of tits manufacturer as
well as in the happiness and comfort of the working elutes.
Mr. GEORG! BI:LNIZEt. surgeon, moved, anti tbo Rev.
GEOI.OE AWIFIELD, 01 Armley, seconded, the adorion of
petitions to both bouts of pediment.
Al the resolutions were carried unanitaon.ly ; and, after
a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting broke tip.
Not a sing e millowner or factory op.r.tive teak any psrt in
the proceeding..

PARLIAMENTARY AND FINANCIAL

REFORM.

MEETING AT BETHNAL GREEN.

----•
Last evt niog, the end public mee log for the
pres-nt year of the Tower Hamlets Parliamentary and
Finacci d Reform A,focistion was held at ;he Wooaman,
Bethnal-green. The chair was occupied on the occasion by
0110108 OFFOI,
Th. CliAlltalAN, in opening the priceedioge. aid the
meeting had to confider a matter cf:(l,:ep impertance affect-
ing their social welfare. Hill, ne, the lano lame had been
represented, very few of those of the working ea.t•,•, upon
whom the burden of taxation was imp...ed, having eon voice
in the 11 met of Commons. It seemed a singular, but it
was nevertheless an undeniable fact, that the poor man
who bought a pound of sugar, had to pay exactly the lame
amount of duty upon it as toe rich occupier at the soil. The
cousequence was, that the poor man, who had a rife and
live children, was paying seven times as much as the rich
bachelor. The only means the w, rkiug classes had of rve-
tifying this unfortunate state of thing, wee by extending the
j suffrage, sad empswerieg eves, m .n of adult age, untainted
by crime, to have a vote. He himself had seven votes,
sv.d he consider, d it most unjust that any individual should
have more than one, and that persons superia to t im in
industry should he disposees.ed altogether of the Fran. hiss.
Mr. J. B. MASK ALL proposed the first reslution. to the
effect that the meetiste was or upiei,n that the pea vat sys-
tem of fleeting members of parliament, based as it was upon
the exclusion of the people, and the predominance oi the
Sew, was radio:lly vicious; and in order to abolidi such
system, a full and tree representation in the Commor.s 11 Jun
of Parliament was of peramout.t importance, and should be
earnestly enforced.

-----
Mr. J. tumor seconded this resolutio, which WAS una-
nimously carried.
Upon the motion of Mr. DAVIS, the meeting, impressed
with the Illetigi,y for carrying cut the foreeo•ne resolu ion,
pledged itself to mist the Tower iteml.n Parlimentary
and Financial Reform Association.

The %mist ♦ote of thanks .wa7t.ten /mud to tho Chair-
man, and the meeting separated.

MEETING AT HALESWORTiI. SUFFOLK.
The largest public meeting ever held in Ilsleserorth
took place at the theatre there, on Tuesday maing, to hear
Mr. M'Enteer, as tl,putation from the National Council of the
Asa visei Tne chair was taken at seven o'clock,
Patrick Stead, EA., the stage and hose. lating filled with
tenant.farmere, aho had waited after market, in order, as
they stated, "to hear both sides of the question " The
chairman, after a speech referring to the present swoon of
taxation, and the position of the fartniog interest, iumatuced
Mr. M'Eo'eer to the meeting, who gave a full exposition of
our financial and representative conditien, and concluded by
an appeal to the tenet-farmers to join in • nr)vement which
would place them in a condition to get the benefits of a full
free trade, as they now suffered the disadvantaga s of a partial
measure. At the conclusion of his ipmeh enthusiastic cheer-
ing was repeated by the entire as'embly. Mr. U. Tenon,
trnant-farmer, then moved, and Mr. It. Halyard, tanaut.
firmer, athonded :
. . .

"That the priacip'es of the Natiotal Parham, n'ary and
Financial Room Association meet the critTo approval of
this meeting, and that to and in o Trying out its objecti an
association be n.or formed, t 3 be called The Habswlettt
Parliamen'ary and Financial fietvern !t.eociation.' "
The resolution was carried by acelamati n, and atter en-
rolling a lugs number of the farmers and others present. the
mastic', gave three cheers for parliamentary and tioaccial
reform, and then quietly separated.

ENTHRONEMENT or THE BISHOP OF LLANDAFF.—a
Ye sterday the Hight Rev. Dr. 011ivant wee enthroned in the
cathedral of Llandaff as successor to tho bite Dr. C.iplesten
in the bishop, c. A large number of distinguished visiton
were present. Dr. 011ivant will not succeed to a seat in the
House of Liras until a Toomey errors in any see save those
of Canterbury, York, London, Winchester, and Durham.
INHCEuT ON A CMOS En,—At Dolton, on Mon-
day an inque,t was held before Mr. Taylor, on the b:dy of
Mr. Joseph Hegelian, surgeon, and coroner of the borough
of %Vigan. It appeared Chat the affairs of the deceased
gentleman were e mberrassed, and he was stoking arcane*.
mints for their air dement. H. cants to Dolt ix in company
with two otti -ere of the bankruptcy court, to call upon Mr.
Vide'', a seFeitor. Oa returning to the railway station,
they were too late for the train to Wigan, and they cense-
qucnily went to the Clarence 11 trl yard Pr a conveyance.
Mr. 11 lemon, after drinking a gloss of brandy, joined the
otli.a vs in the yard, where he was seized instantaneously,
and never atterwarls recovered sensibility. Dr. Chadwick
ascribed the death to apoplexy and disease of the heart Ike
excitement under which Mr. Rion in was labo
lag caused an extravasation of blood to the
dkj wee returned aeoardlagly. ;
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