The Sun.
London, England, 1831-06-08 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS AT WEST

LAVINUTON.

About fifty able-bodied labourers, in the employ
of four fanners of the parish of West Lavington,
refused to work on Monday last, in consequence of
their employers, on the previous Saturday, reducing
their wages from 9s. to ha. per week. The men
came in a body to Devizes on Monday morning, for
the purpose of appealing to the magistrates; but,
unfortunately, every magistrate of the division (with
the exception of one) was from home. On Tuesday
the men were again at Devizes, at an early hour in
the morning; at noon the magistrates (Mr. Scott
and Mr. Ludlow,) who had been sitting in petty
sessions, sent for one of them, and, accordingly, a
stout brawny man (who conducted himself with the
greatest propriety) soon made his appearance. He
stated that his master, arid other farmers in West
Lavington, had for some time past paid their la-
bourers 9s. a week; but that on Saturday last with-
out any previous notice, they refused to give more
than Bs. for that week's work, which they said was
to be the future rate of wages—that the labourers,
in consequence, felt dissatisfied, and refused to work.
For himself, he said that he had a wife and seven
children, and that a reduction of Is. out of 9s. was
a hardship not easily to be borne. He spoke of the
general kindness of his master (Mr. Sainsbury),
and also of the overseer ; but he would leave it to
any labourer with whom, or to any master for whom,
he had ever worked, whether he did not labour
hard, and fare harder. " From the beginning to
the end of the year (said the poor fellow), I never
take into the field more than a bit of dry bread for my
dinner, and at this moment there is not the smallest
quantity of victuals in my house." Notwithstand-
ing he and his fellow labourers Nv eic greatly dissatis-
fied, he said they wished to act peaceably. They
would be content with 9s. a week, and he trusted
that, through t he Magistrates, the farmers would be
induced to continue that rate of wages. Nothing
could excel the conduct of this man ; and the Ma-
gistrates themselves appeared to enter into his feel-
ings, and to think that 9s. a week was not a farthing
too much for the labour of an able-bodied man ; they,
however, justly observed that they had no power
whatever to interfere; they recommended the men
to return to their work, and take task-work in-
stead of day-work. This, however, the man
with seven children said would not be better,
for all descriptions of work were lowered.
A gentleman present observed, that the farmers
complained of, were obliged to lower the wages
of their labourers in consequence of their landlord
advancing their rents. The Magistrates could
scarcely credit the assertion that any landlord would,
in times like the present, advance his rents ; and
were perfectly astounded when k was positively
stated that Lord Churchill, at his recent audit, ad-
vanced the rents of his tenants at West Lavington
ten per cent. It was further stated the produce of
the farms of these tenants, during the last year, did
not, by some considerable sum, pay the rental; and
that they expected a reduction instead of an advance.
The man with seven children observed—the fact
was, that Lord Churchill took off ten per cent., at
a former audit, in order that his tenants might raise
the wages of their labourers from 7s. to 104. per
per week ; but as the tenants had not done this, his
Lordship again laid on the ten per cent. We have
been informed, however, by a very respectable
farmer, that the advance the tenants did make in
wages of their labours far more than counter-
balancedtle
l the reduction his Lordship made in his
rentals ; arid that it is impossible the farmers can,
for ally length of time, pay even 83. a week without
some considerable abatement in rent. We are happy
to state that the labourers yesterday morning quietly
returned to their work.—Devizes Gazette.

SIR THOMAS MUNRO.—Mr. GLEIG'S Life
of this distinguished character, of which a new and cheaper
edition in two volumes has just appeared, still continues its
career of popularity. To the value and merits of this
publication almost every critical journal in the kingdom
has borne ample testimony. The Literary Gazette calls
it " an ornament to our literature."—The Edinburgh
Review says " this memoir has attractions of all kinds ;"
and the Quarterly Review observes " the letters and pi-
pers here given to the world abound with the opinions of
this high authority on every matter of importance relating
to our Eastern Empire, and they stand recorded for the
instruction of all who choose to benefit by them, at a tune
when the Ea.t India Cotnpany attracts an ❑nusual share of
the public attention."