Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-29 00:00:00

THE LAW AS TO STRIKES

Lord St. Leonard's has contributed the following
concise summary of the present laws .as to workmen's
strikes and combinations :

The masters consider the proceedings of the Building
les' Unions wholly inconsistent with the law, which
framed with a jealous regard to the interests of the
working man. The Act of Parliament (6 Geo. IV., cap.
129) which repealed all the former laws relative to the
combination of workmen, states that combinations in-
terfering with the free employment of capital and labour
are injurious to trade and commerce, dangerous to the
tranquillity of the country, and especially to the in-
terests of all who are concerned in them. The object
of the act is then declared to be to make provision as
well for the security. and personal freedom of individual
workmen in the disposal of their skill and labour, as
for the security of property and persons of masters and

employers.
" The Act then makes the following offences punish
able by imprisonment not exceeding three months, with
or without hard labour, viz. :—Where any person shall,
by violence to the person or property, or by threats, or
by intimidation, or by molesting, or in any way ob-
structing another,—

" 1. Force or endeavour to force any journeyman,
manufacturer, or workman, or other person to depart
from his hiring, employment, or work, or to return his
work before it is finished ;
•

2. Or prevent, or endeavour to prevent, any jour-
neyman, manufacturer, workman, or other person not
being hired or employed, from hiring himself to, or
from accepting, work or employment from any person
or persons;

" 3. Or for the purpose of forcing or inducing any
other person to b2long to any club or association, or to
contribute to any common fund, or to pay any fine or
penalty, or on account of his not belonging to any club or
association, or not having contributed or having refused-
to contribute to any common fund ; or to pay any fine
or penalty; or on account of his not havin€, complied,
or his refusing to comply with any rules, orders, resolu-
tions, or regulations made to obtain an advance or to,
reduce the rate of wages, or to lessen or alter the hours
of working, or to decrease or alter the quantity of work,,
or to regulate the mode of carrying on any manufacture,
trade, or business, or the management thereof;
"4. Or shall force or endeavour to force any manu-
facturer or person carrying on any trade or business to
make any alterations in his mode of regulating, manag-
ing, or carrying on such trade, manufacture, or business,
or to limit his number of apprentices or the number or
description of his journeymen, workmen, or servants."
But the Act provides—

" 1. That any persons may meet together for the sole
purpose of consulting upon and determining the rate of
wages or prices upon which the persons present at such
meeting, or any of them, shall require or demand
for his or their work, or the hours or time for which
he or they shall work in any manufacture, trade, or
business; or may enter into any agreement, verbal or
written, among themselves for the parposes of fixing
the rate of wages or prices which the parties entering
into such agreement, or any of them, shall require or
demand for his or their work, or the hour or time for
which he or they will work in any manufacture, trade,
or business."
This relates to the men.

"2. The like powers are conferred upon the master
in regard to consulting upon and fixing the rate of
wages or price, and the hours or time of working—
each class, masters and men, are subject to the same
law.

"By a later Act, 22nd Victoria, cap. 34, passed to pro-
tect the working man, it is provided that no one,
whether in actual employment or not, shall by
reason merely of his entering into any agreement
with any workmen, or other person or persons, for
the purpose of fixing, or endeavouring to fix the
rate of wages or remuneration at which they,_
_or

any of them, shall work, or by reason merely of his
endeavouring peaceably, and in a reasonable manner,
and without threats or intimidation, direct or in-
direct, to persuade others to cease or abstain from work,
in order to obtain the rate of wages or the altered hours
of labour so fixed or agreed upon, shall be deemed or
taken to be guilty of ' molestation or obstruction' within

be subject to prosecution or indictment for conspiracy.
But it is provided that nothing contained in tins later
act shall authorise any workman to break or depart from.
any contract, or authorise any attempt to induce any
workman to break or depart from any contract."

2parting *ltcifigt

NEWMARKET RACES

;WEDNESDAY

HANDICAP SWEEPSTAKES

Parmesin

ANDICAP

Gamester
Sir Hercu

ST. LEGEI. STAKES

FIFTY POUND PLATE

GRAIsI'BY STAKES

TRIENNIAL PRODUCE

THE ENSUING '..&IUNICIPAL ELECTION

REQUIS,ITION TO MIL '-SHIMMIN,

A number of the electors of Vaaihall Ward waitfil
on Mr. John -,:Shiminon last evening, at his residence,]
for the purpose of presenting him with an address, and
a requisition that he should continue his services as
a councillor for the---ward. Amongthose present were

Mr. Cole, who aeteil'as ehairman:ut the occasion,,,and
Messrs. Lafoltte, Kitchen, Barton, Matunev, Hill,

Martin, Breeze, Blundell, Riding, Collard, Moore, &c.
The CHAIRMAN, :addressing Atr. Shimmin said—Mr
the request of a numerous and respectable body of the:;
electors of Vauxhall Ward, I have the honour to present:'
you with a requisition that you will allow yourself to'
be nominated as their candidate at the .approaching::
election. They have observed youT public conduct -for!,
a length of time, with the greatest satisfaction, :and theyi"
are most anxious to secure the-services of so honest and,
devoted a representative. • They are determined net'
t) allow their interests to be the sport of ,ri<vali
politicians, and •to.zput down •any attempt tointerfere.
with the freedom of the ward. You have proved yourself
to be a man of great business •capacity,.and of liberal,
social views; and they are determined to use every effort
to secure your- triumphant return. (Applause.).
The address was beautifully lithographed, and was as ,
follows, 160 names being appended-to it.

)lIN silimmxi, ESC

DEAR Six,—As the time is now fast aPProaching whenit will
be necessary for.the burgesses of: this ward to select a repre-
sentative of their interests in our local parliament, we deemiit
a bounden right to setter" you sincerely our heartfelt thanks
for the highly creditable:manner in which you have discharged
the onerous duties imposed upon you, and feeling that from
the assiduity, the energY, and skilful perseverance, you hove
manifested in council and in committee, in keeping inviolate
the rights and privileges of your townsmen, we venture to
request that you will again allow us to re-elect you as repre-
sentative of this district, in full confidence that you will, as
you have hitherto done, strain every nerve to conserve where
obtained, and to redeem where withheld; the important vest-
ments of the burgesses of the borough. Should you consent
to this our earnest requisition, we pledge ourselves fully and
faithfully to aid, by every legitimate means, your return to
council.

who was greeted With applause, replied
utlemen,—l am free to confess that the
requisition, so respeetabky and So-nunieronsly signed by
gentlemen who appear to me to kaVe merged their poli-
tical opinions, from the wealthikt merchant prince down
to the poorest artisan, and the Veryiliiiid and flattering
manner in which the same have-been presented to me
this evening rather unnerves me, and :I feel at a loss how
to express to you in suitable terms the pleasure it affords
me to be informed by you that the course of procedure
adopted by me as your representative, during the time
which I have had the honour of a seat in the most im-
portant local parliament in the kingdom, has given not
only you gentlemen present, but, as it appears, the
whole of my constituents, entire satisfaction. This,
gentlemen, has been my ambition through life, from my
boyhood, "to do justice' to. love mercy, and to walk
uprightly," and strive, so far as in me lay, to discharge
every duty imposed upon me with assiduity, strict in-
tegrity, and sterling honesty, so as to merit the approval
and secure the esteem of all my fellow-citizens.. It has

Mr. SHIMMIN,
as follows :—Ge;

been my good, fortune, on various occasions, to r

s.of their goo -

£ll6 ; Mr. Oln

-one had. been d

last week w

•eek there w

338 belonged to the Tosteth-park
week of last year, the

if funds for con-

ENTERTAINMENT OF PRESCOT SCHOOL
CHILDREN-AT-KNOWSLEY HALL.

One of the most interesting entertainments that it is
the privilege orthe-spectator to witness, came off.in-the
alfternoon of Tuesday, at Knowsley Hall, the princely
'seat of the :Earl of Derby; the principal originator 4
which vas La Emma Stanley. As is-customary, when
the season of -London life is over, and all our wealthy
nobility arid gentry repair from the busy scenes and
%ustle that• characterise the metropolis, they generally
-hie to their country seats to meet old faces, and oom-

mence those social and happy testivinet; LVIA van
'forth the :yearning wish from the rural -inhabitants—
that my lord this and my lord that were at home.
An exhibition of this was fully verified en the -day in
question. 'Lady- Emma Stanley had determ)ined, as is
'herwont; to T...ssemble the school children of Present in
iher noble -parent's lawn, at the rear of -the man-
sidn ; and having perfected her arrangements,lhe chil-
dran arrived at two •o'clock, under the superintendence
of Messrs Sampson and Baines. The good people of
Prescot, 'deeply appreciating the honourable mark of
respect that was about to be paid to their .ehildren,
directed 'thd the brass band of the town should head
the procession, which gave a zest and b_
the proceddings which otherwise would not have
connected '.with them. Some pieces ,of exqUisite music
were perfOrnied by the band, during which the children
amused themselves in running in sacks, playing football,

Indoor to
seen

running races on foot, and other pastimes. In fact, the
whole of the entertainments, in the recreative way, were
such as to -call forth the most marked pleasure and satis-
' faction from 'the Earl of Derby and his noble countess,
together with Lady Stanley, Lady Emma Stanley, and
a host of distinguished visitors at the Hall, the invited
guests of Lord and Lady Derby.
The amusements were carried on until the children
were nearly "weary of the sport," during which loud
'laughter burst repeatedly from the distinguished visitors,
and'repeated cheers, which made " the welkin ring:"
About the hour of five o'clock, a sumptuous repast
had been laid out in the servants' hall for the children,
who, being 'summoned, formed into procession, and
marched thereto, headed by the band, playing "On,
Stanley, on," "The Conquering Hero," "Sweet Home,"
and Other favourite airs. Nothing could exceed the
attention paid ,to the children by Lady Emma, Lady
Stanley, and -the noble Earl and Countess. In fact,
Lord Derby and his amiable Countess were evidently
proud of this " numerous and happy family ;" and the
children themselves, whilst partaking heartly of the
good fliings prepared, showed by their pleasant counte-
nances', how deeply they appreciated the kindness ,of
their noble benefactors._
After the entertainment was over, the children were
conveyed home in omnibuses ; and previous to their
leaving, they cheered lustily for Lady Emma Stanley
and Lord and Lady Derby. It may not be out of place
here to mention, that the Earl and Countess of Derby,
with Lady Stanley and Lady Emma, take the most
lively interest in everything that can benefit the rising
generation of Prescot, spending annually a large sum in
endeavouring to have them taught a sound and secular
education ; at the same time, making it a particular
object, above all things, that they shall be carefully
instructed in that worsd of truth which " maketh wise
unto salvation."---Froin t Correspowlent.

EXPERIMENT IN THE MERSEY WITH
THE NEW LIFE-BUOY.

Yesterday, the ^trial of the new life-buoy took place

Queen (steamer) arrived as was fully expected, that the
trial should have been made from her decks. She, how-
ever, having been detained, it was determined that the
experiment should proceed ; and, with this intent, a boat
having been hired to be in readiness for any emergency,
a man.. vested with the new life-buoy (which is
nothing more nor less than a sailor's hammock bed,

slips of the. Prince.

s-pier, abreast 'of the great

He immediately rose to the surface, where he
remained with the greatest ease, alternately floating and
standing upright for a quarter of an hem ; and in proof
of the absolute buoyancy of the bed, with his hands at
liberty, he drank a glass of ale, and also smoked a pipe.
After such decided evidence of the life-preserving pro-
pOtics of this bed, there are few intelligent sailors or
emigrants who will not provide themselves with a mat-
trass of this eltseription, which, whilst it is invaluable
against the casualties, attending a shipwreck, is a
;cheap, wholesome, = and comfortable bed, the price we
'are told not exceeding ordinary, flock. -.lt has also
most of the advantages of hair, in being elastic and
never matting or knotting, however long in use, and is

moreover
valuable after the voyage as when first. used. it is
moreover remarkable for its cleanliness,, never harbour-
iv. vermin of any kind. The agent for the patentee,
Mr. E. Marsden, 16, Union-street, also informs us that
the bed is prepared in various forms for domestic use—
for the hospital, for the - camp or the field, for
workhouses, schools, and other public establishments,
where its properties for repelling damp and cold,
preventing contagion, aiding the siek in recovery,
warmth, electricity, and vitality of the

preserving the

system,_ curing rheumatism and 'cramp, ought.' to co

ports of if from the Horse Guards, the Director-General
of the Army Medical Department, the Emigration
Commissioners, &c., &c.. All the ships sailing with
_. _

trom Birkenhead have been,
lurincr tt past year, supplied with these beds, and we
giVe the utmost satisfaction,
spects superior to the flock beds in use—" they
take up less room, remain in a gootl

.overnmeni

sear they r

as they are in

more el

anly, and less likely to

vermin