The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-09 00:00:00

THE DISPUTE IN THE BUILDING TRADES.

(From the Daily Neim.)

A month after the satisfactory termination of
this unhappy dispute was authoritatively announced it is
still as virt.lent as ever. Week by week the same tranquil-
lising assurances are received, but as regularly in company
with warnings, mimes, and entreaties, which expose their
insincerity. After events had proved that these reports were
am-sided and thoroughly unreliable, we admitted into our
columns accounts of the state of things as they are seen
by the men, informing our madam of their origin.
This seemed fairer both to the men and the public
than the practice of listening only to one party, and reject-
ing the communications of the other. It appears, however,
that this plan interfered with some design which we do not
profess to understand, and for the suocess of which it was
neoessary to have it believed that the controversy bad ter-
minated. Sincerely desiring that result, and convinced that
the system of payment —not eogagement— by the hour, which
we were the first to recommend, and is that which is the most
equitable, must in the end prevail, we nevertheless do not see
bow that is tobeadvanced by the transparent trickof making
thing pleasant. In • dispute to which there are so many par-
ties, acting in varying and not always distinguishable combine-
thins, and in which, therefore, the authority for much that
Is done must be uncertain, there is the liability to contra-
diction which attends all unsuccessful diplomacy. The pre-
tended denial which Masan. Lucas gave is yesterday's Tines
to a statement which bad appeared in the Daily Peace dose
not however need this explication, lissom when slimly ex-
amined it is seen to be so denial at all The original Mate-
meut of the Tina was that dolomites from the Trude?
Unions had waited on Mears. Belk and Lucas and made
a most tempting offer, being nothing less than a guarantee
that no strike should take place for a year in their yards
on condition that they would give up the hour system.
This was the statement which the workmen's committee
damned se untrue, declaring that no deputation whatever
has waited upon these gentlemen, nor was or is there any
such movement contemplated. And this statement, which
Messrs. Lucas profess to have found "in an article of the
Daily Pons," remains wholly untouched by their letter.
Messrs. Lucas know better than anybody else whether they
were waited on, as they now say, by some operatives; but as
to the anahoeity of these persona to represent the Trades
Union, their 'eidetic./ is worth nothing at all. We should
not have discovered the importance of the fact either way
bad not Mesas. Lucas made it the subject of a needlessly

letter in the Times.

The following is from • correspondent :—" No further
action has been taken by the master builders during the peat
week. A rumour had been current in the early part of this
week that • compromise between the masters and men was
likely to take place. This unfortunately turps out not to
be the came. The report probably arose from the following
circumstance. On Saturday last, Mr. Radford, the foreman
of plasterers at Mr. Belles, 'waited on the worltmeo's com-
mittee, advising them to send • deputation to Mr. Belk,
with • view of putting aa end to the dispute by some corn-
This, however, the delegates declined to do.
rYicthsr Mr. Kelk was cognisant of this proceeding on the
part of his foreman is unknown, but it not unnaturally gave
nee to a rumour of a compromise.
Notwithstanding the assertion made by the recognised
organ of the masters, that the firm where the dispute
exists have their full complement of men, and the works
are proceeding. eatidsetonly, such appears riot to be the
case. On inquay at the works of the Exhibition and Horti-
cultural Gardens yesterday, for which Messrs. Kelk and
Lucas are the contractors, it was found that the number of
skilled workmen stated to be employed there last week
was substantially correct ; in fact, that they had decreased
instead of increased, although at the same time it
is tree that • large body of workmen are employed
on the works, but these are chiefly excavators and
' labourers. Owing to the scanty supply of skilled labour
the contractors for the buildings in the Horticultural Gar-
' dens are using all their available fares to complete one nor-
', Mon, the larger part being left far the present. Many bun-
dred loads of bricks are lying on the spot, and if laid by the
somber of bricklayers at present employed, it is said it
would be impossible they could finish them for some months
after the penod ansounced far the opening of the Exhibi-
tion. At the Grosvenor Hotel, Pimlico (Mr. Kelk, cosi-
tractor), the work is also at • standstill. From 100 to 400
plasterers are required, and last week there were but 14 on
the premises; of this number six were discharged by the
foreman, Mr. Radford, on Saturday last, for incompetency,
and four hare since quitted the employment, these latter
being placed on the foods of the society.
The number of men on the funds of the societies hu been
greatly reduced in the last few days by being taken into
yards and shops where the old system of payment is adhered
to. About 200 am now in receipt of the " luck-out " allow-
nee, averaging 255. per week per man, viz. : 56 carpenters,
60 bricklayers, 40 plasterers, and • few painters ; and these,
it is expected, will be absorbed on the various works in
progress during the ensuing week. Within the last few
days district meetings have been held, as also at Green-
wich and Woolwich, at all of which the determination to
. .

resist the hour system has been unanimous.
On inquiry at the Masons committee-room last night we
heard that their men are still determined against the new
system, sad that they have resolved to make no overtures
to the masters. They have 35 men on the lock-out fund,
12 of whom are going to a sew job this day.