The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-20 00:00:00

TH PRESTON STRIKE.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEDIATION
•• CO4LAIITTEE:
PRESTON, APRIL 19.
The Mediation Committee appointed at the recent
middle class meeting has closed its labours and pre-
pared a report-of„its proceedings, a copy of which has
been furnished to us:prior to publication ; .it is as fol.
-
" REPORT FORYTARDED BY ME. W. CORLESR TO MR. T.
MILLER.
"The Mediation. Committee, which was nominated at
the public meeting held in the Theatre on the 29th of last
March, met for the first time on Tuesday evening, the 4th
of April. It 'will be proper hero to. remark, that two or. three persons who were nominated at the meeting declined
to act as members of the committee.
"At its first meeting the committee resolved' that pro- ,
.posals should be obtained from the Operatives-as. to the
terms on which they would resume work; and that the
Res,— J. 0. Parr, the vicar (who officiated as chairman of
the committee), :should endeavour to ascertain the views
of the employerain respect to the proffered mediation.
" The second meeting of the committee was held on Tues-
day evening, the 11th of April, when the report of theAlicar
and the proposals of the operative's were received. The
operative' spinners prop4ed to accept an average rate of
wages, high and low, paid in the principal manufacturing
districts of Lancashire. The weavers were willing to
abide by any one of the four following conditions :-1.
They would resume work at the prices that were paid
when the mills were closed. 2. They would resume work
at the prices now offered by the employers-, protided that
within a certain Specified and reasonable period, say a
fortnight, the empipiets.would give them 'the same wages
they were receiving when the mills were shutnik 3. They
_would, likethe_operative spinners, accept an average rats
of wages, high and low, paid in the principal manufactur-
ing districts of Lancashire. 4c Tsherwettkl-agree to arbi-
tration, anti would pledge themselves, that in the event of-
the arbitration' deciding in Alio& of the prices at present
offered by the employers,•they Would'ithinediately return
to work.
" The vicar, on behalf of the employers,-intimated that
' from inquiries-I have made," am convinced of the inuti-
lity of any attempt at mediation on the factory question.'
Winckley-square, April 15.

"ANSWER OF MR. T. Baum.
" Prestonc-Aprill7.
" Dear Sir,-:-The note sent-by you and Mr. Shaw,
along with the report, will be laid before the codmitteis
of the Associated Masters, at their next meeting, on Mon-
day morning.—I am, dear sir, yoars faithfully,
" Mr. W. Corless. " T. MILLER.

"REPLY OF THE ASSOCIATED MASTERS' COMMITTEE.
"Gentlemen,--I am directed, by the Committee of the
Associated Masters to say, that they have had a letter
placed before-them •signed by Messrs. W. Corless and G.
Shaw, enclosing a report from. a Media thou -Co *tte
ippointed at the Theatre on the 29th ult. The commullittee
believe that the gentlemen who have undertaken this task
are actuated,bythe most disinterested motives and a sin-
cere desire to effect the object for which they were ap-
pointed.
"The only matter now in dispute between the masters
and the operatives is the amount of wages to be paid. It
is simply the offer of certain wages by one party, and the
refusal of them by the other.
" This same difference might, and no doubt daily does,-
exist between master and servant in all other trades, an
well as in domestic circles.
"Rates of wages cannot be settled by mediation, but
must be left to the free operation of supply and demand.
"The committee cannot, therefore, recommend the As-
sociated Masters to accede to any mediation in such a case,
as it would be the acknowledgment of a principle most
dangerous and mischievous in its tendency, a principle
alike subversive of the rights of the working man in the
disposal of his labour, and of the rights of the waster in
the employment of his capital.
"The committee, entertaining these views, respectfully'
decline, on the part of the Associated Masters, the proposed
mediation.
" I am, gentlemen, your obedient 'servant,
J. A. EWAN, Secretary.
"Messrs. W. Corless and G. Shaw, hon. secretaries
to a Mediation Committee, 326, North-road,
Preston."