The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-29 00:00:00

the aftersesh It shall be evidence that sink panne were
then employed In that money, satins the contrary be
proved." That seethe bad IttifalMN Way to evidence of
the tut of itpierrinent at the time a penes wee seen in the
homy. erg did not relate to the mode in which the hours
of hie angler meat ware to be reckoned. By the 10 &11
..-Me hours of labour in (eateries were reduced
to W per dam. be growing perms seder 18 inn St Ogg.
Illbgagme *dos of great importeessos they Bested
Meng Mem, hadag arisen as to the wanelineden ei them
einheMeellhe hofats wan embodied tae' mbien *dr pen ant Wm,leaned
br
the m s the Itali el Ike
harem.poe It appeared*Mam ba
the Milletwarn (who WO* the amid.
bus 1a this ow) untended they had a right to week
" yenzispreens," and "females nadir 18 years of age,"
was known as the " shift " system, by which
were enabled to keep the machinery going con
Mandy for more than 10 hours a day. The impostors of
factories (the respondents), on the other hand, contended
that this was an istriagement of the acts, although it was
admitted that acne of the persons so treioed had ever
worked more than 10 hours • day. They insisted that the
mill-owners were bound to reckon the hours of labour from
the earliest time mistimed in the notion directed
by the statute is be posted in the factory.
TM appellants sad other millowners who 'dented the
" shift "system did net adhere to the firm of netici given in
the effielslide, se they bad there stated that all the growing
poem under 18 yeas% sad famalas, accept certain perms
where mew mews emeilled, had worked for certain stated
=net big enationmes. In the excepted cases the
waked by emit penes were so arranged that certain
intervals anneend, se that, allimpagh each individual worked
only tea " Mel home" pre day, their labour was made to
cover a greats, portion of the day than tem hours, and thus
the machiaery was hap ametantly going. By the 63rd section
of the net a pawky eta wasimposed for every departure from
its provisions. Weneedeuelinaist posting up notion in com-
liaises with the est Were laid amine the appellants by the
iaspeetore &Nth* pewee M having the validity of the system
submitted te the opiaisn Odds emit. Open those informs-
dons the magicerenes convicted the millowners, and, as
already stated, their moped was, under the provisions of the
statute referred t% tamed lino the present "cute."
The Attorney. Geweal (with whom were Mr. M. D. Hill,
Q.C. sad Kr. Webby) now appeared for the respondents.
AIM; referring to mks provisions of the variant statutes, and
oemmesting upon them, he contended that they would be corn.
Liddy Ashdod UM* system adopted by the appellants wow
The mein, person and children for whose spe-
ar ps7teL etion the asts-kad been paned might be worked at
cede= uneartain holes, and at such intervals, as to render
It impassible they could receive any advantage, either is the
shims el dimation or otherwise. The object of the legisla-
ting, nee le plaids for the increase of their comforts, to
eased their parents and friends opportunities to attend to
Me heal* swan, and education of the poor children thus
ed ; but the system adopted by =eer' rendered
it Wim
impassible that say of those objects could be at-
tained. It was quite plain that the hours of labour
for those chimes ought to be continuous, and that the only
interruption should be the time allowed for meals. Half an
hour for breakfast ' • the same time for dinner, and another
half hour for tea. Any other mode of calculating the time
for labour would not only frustrate the object of the legisla-
ture, but render it impossible to detect offences against the
acts. The question was one of the very first importance,
and it was moat desirable to have the decision of the court
before the caning quarter soodons, for the guidance of the
justices and others more Immediately concerned.
Mr. Martin, Q.C., on behalf of the millownen, contended
that the acts in question were of a penal character, as they
infringed on the labourer's right to do as he thought fit with
his Latour and time, which were his only property. They
ought, therefore, to be strictly construed. The question in
reality did not affect children and young persons under 18
years of age, as it did adults and fall-grown women who
had been most arbitrarily dealt with by the legisla.
lure. Women wen classed as persons under 18,"
and were, therefore, restricted in their labour. The
Interests affected by these acts were extremely large.
The Attorney-General having replied at some length,
Sir F. Pollock, C. 8., intimated that the court would take
time to consider the ease. He should say that he had
never heard • more able or elaborate argument during kis
experience.
The Attornry-Gsneral said that he appeared on behalf rif
the crown and the inspectors of factories, but there was
another cam between other parties, raising precisely the
same questions, and perhaps their lordships would think it
necessary to hear further arguments from the learned coun-
sel is that cue (Mr. John Cobbett and Mr. Cowling), who
were then present.
The Lord Chief Baron said the court were of opinion that
the case had been most elaborately argued. In fact they
could not see what could be added. The subject was ex.
hausted. The court would now take time to consider, and
if any doubts they entertained were not removed by next
Tuesday (Feb. 6), they would then intimate whether
further argument would be necessary, or at once pronounce
their indgment.
Judgment deferred accordingly.

POLICE.-YESTERDAL

CLERKEN WELL.

ARTTUL ATTEMPT' TO COMMIT A RuBBIRT.— C. Thomp-
son, alias C. Thomas, alias C. Barber, and Mary TAMMY.
son, alias Thomas, alias Parish, were charged with having
been concerned in a daring and extensive robbery in the
house of Mr. C. E. Hyde, of No. 24, Guilford-street, Bruns-
wick square.
Margaret Davis, • servant in Mr. Hyde's house, stated
that ass met tits male prisoner secidentally is the street a
few evenings ago, dressed as a sailor, and, after a short con-
venation, he offered to marry her. She gave a conditional
consent, and the female prisoner soon after took occasion :o
call at the house, and rfave him such • high character that
the witness allowed him to visit her, and to enter the apart-
ments of the gentlemen lodging in the house. On lest
Sunday evening week the male prisoner paid her a visit,
and sent her out for some ale, when, daring her absence, he
must have admitted the female prisoner into the house. He
then forced her to take lame rum and water, which stupifled
her. Mr. Hyde went into the garden at the back part of
the house, when he perceived a light in sue of the rooms,
and made as alarm, on which the male prisoner and
witness came up stairs from the kitchen, and he made
hie escape. On proceeding to the various rooms above, the
whole of the drawers, &c. were forced open and plundered,
the plate, jewellery, with other property, were packed up,
and the place was in the utmost confusion. The police were
called in, and the female prisoner was found concealer: under
a bed in Mr. Hyda's chamber, on the third floor, when she
Was taken to the station-house. The male prisoner was sub
sequently apirehended.
The prisoners were ft lly committed, but will be brought
up again, when o.her charges of robbery, committed under
similar circumstances, will be preferred against them.