The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-27 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE LONDON CARPENTERS.

A numerously attended meeting of delegates from the
various carpenters' societies and shops in the metropolis was
held last night at the Dr. Johnson Music-hall, Bolt-court,
Fleet-street, to take into consideration the present position
of the strike in the Midland Counties. Mr. Price, a dele-
gate from the Birmingham Committee, was present ; Mr.
Manders occupied the chair.
Mr. G. Porrxn, in giving in the report from the sub-
committee, said that since the last meetingmuch excitement
had prevailed in the trade owing to the reported withdrawal
of the discharge-note by the masters ; but according to tele-
grams received only that evening from the towns on strike
it appeared that not the slightest intimation had been given
by the Masters' Association to the men of such withdrawal.
On the contrary, the men, on application to the masters'
secretaries in the various towns, could get no definite
answers. Under these circumstances the men at Birming-
ham, Coventry, Walsall, Nottingham, and other towns had
not resumed work, nor would they do until the masters
had withdrawn the note in the same official way as they
had given notice of its introduction, and met the men to
draw up rules which would prevent the introduction of
the discharge-note at any future time. About the same
number of men were still on strike this week as last—
viz., nearly 2,000, and he had no doubt but they
would be as well supported as they had hitherto
been. A man named Baines had been discharged
from Douglas's shop at Kensington for collecting the
weekly levy on Saturday last. Mr. Greenmith, the fore-
man, had written a letter to the Times stating that the man
had been discharged for intimidation and abuse. Baines
had replied to this letter, reiterating that his collecting was
the solo cause of his discharge. The men were quite will-
ing to meet the masters in conference to discuss rules, with
the view of having all disputes settled by arbitration, when-
ever the masters thought proper to meet them.
Mr. MERIFIELD reported the receipt of upwards of £4OO
by the London Committee. Every man on 'strike had re-
ceived his fair dividend, and would do so again this week.
Mr. PRICE, the delegate from Birmingham, reported that
the carpenters of Birmingham on strike, to the number of
700, were determined not to resume work until official in-
timation was given to their committee that the note was not
only withdrawn, but would not again be introduced.

After some discussion :a resolution was moved and unani-
mously adopted as follows :
"That this meeting of delegates approve the course
taken by the operatives on strike in the Midland Counties
in not resuming work until they receive an official intima-
tion from the Masters' Association of the entire and un-
conditional withdrawal of the obnoxious discharge note,
and pledge themselves to continue their support so long as
the men may thus remain out."
It was also resloved _ _ _

" That in the opinion of this meeting it would be advis-
able to convene a conference of the whole of the building
trade throughout the country as early as possible for the
adoption of a code of rules for regulating the trade and
the appointment of a committee to lay those rules before
the representatives of the Masters' Associations for mutual

discussion, and with the object of having all future dis-
putes settled by arbitration."
It was further resolved that the delegates should, prior
to their next meeting, take the opinion of their various
societies upon the above resolution, with the view to im-
mediate action.