The Sun.
London, England, 1834-04-14 00:00:00

TRADES' UNIONS.

On the sth instant, at the borough of Higham Fer-
rers, Thomas Denton, a person licensed to sell beer,
was convicted before S. Allen, Esq., Mayor, and
J. Shelton, Esq:, Justice of the Peace for the said
borough, for permitting a meeting of the Trades'
Union Society, being an unlawful combination and
confederacy within the meaning of an Act of Parlia-
ment passed in the 57th year of the reign of his late
Majesty George 111., to be held at his house, and his
license was adjudged to be forfeited for such offence.

Considerable interest was excited in the neighbour-
hood of Wakefield on Monday amongst the working
classes, in consequence of a charge having been pre-
ferred against Francis Robinson for having sent a
threatening letter to a workman in the employ of
Messrs. Thomas and John Foster, machine-makers, of
Horbury. The letter was worded as follows :—" This
is to request that you and your children will join the
National Association, or you must take the conse-
quences." This document bore the official seal, and
was marked " Horbury District." The Court was of
opinion that the case was made out against Robinson,
and sentenced him to three months' imprisonment and
hard labour in the House of Correction. Mr. Holds-
worth, the Magistrate, said that Robinson had informed
him that on his entry into the Union he was taken into
the lodge-room, with his eyes covered, and ordered to
kneel, when the following oath was administered to
him :—" I do declare before Almighty God, that I will
not divulge the secrets of the lodge ; and if I do, may
that sword be plunged through my body, and my soul
sent to hell." The handkerchief was then taken from
his eyes, when he beheld a transparency of a death's
head and a skeleton; there was likewise a man in a
surplice, who had a sword, who read what he ( Robin-
son) called "a nomine." For a similar act the seven
labourers had been transported at the Dorchester As-
sizes ; and he hoped that the unionists would take
warning, and not by any acts of indiscretion permit
their liberty and the welfare of their families to be
placed in jeopardy. Mr. Armytage said that he had
received a communication from Lord Melbourne, who
regretted that the masters had conceded so much as
they had, and informed the Magistracy that Govern-
ment was willing to lend them every necessary assist-
ance.—Leeds Mercury.
_ _

Great numbers of the operatives have this week re-
nounced the Trades' Union, and have requested to be
taken back to their employment. Several have been
re-employed, and others who have not succeeded have
removed their families from the town. Some of the
mills are now full ; others are rapidly filling, and many
of the old hands are entirely shut out. There is now
every appearance of a speedy dissolution of the Trades'
Union in Derby.—Derby Mercury, _ _

STEAM v. THE TURN-OUTS.—The turn-out of the
Lancashire workmen in the building trade has intro-
duced a curious application of the steam-engine.
This machine is now employed instead of manual
labour in hoisting building materials to the top of the
edifice where they are intended to be used. The
magnificent design of the Liverpool Custom-house is
at the present moment rising into existence by the
assistance of a steam-engine, which raises 16,000
bricks per diem, with seven or eight tons of mortar,
and at the same time mixes the mortar below.
STRIKE OF THE WORKMEN AT THE NEW PALACE.—
On Friday morning the workmen at his Majesty's
New Palace, amounting to nearly forty men, struck
from their work, having joined the Trades' Union.
They were immediately paid all the wages due to
them, and every endeavour made to procure men to
supply their places.
THREATENED STRIKE OF THE EDINBURGH BAKERS.
—We understand that the journeymen bakers of this
city, haying formed themselves into a " Union," have
it in contemplation to try their, hands at a strike within
the space of a month. The terms they mean to pre-
scribe to their masters are similar to those extorted by
the Glasgow union. They propose that the best hands
shall have 20s. a-week, their working hours being re-
stricted within twelve hours a-day, with time for their
meals, and fourpence an hour for extra work ; that no
unionist (and all the men except about a dozen
have
joined) is to work to a cheap bread seller, meaning
thereby those masters who sell bread under the regular
price.—Scotch Paper.

There is now in the possession of Mr. L.
Bennett, surgeon, of Winterton, the egg of a goose,
which was produced a few days since in that neigh-
bourhood, measuring five inches in length, and eight
in circumference, and weighing upwards of a pc u
What is still more remarkable, in the substance of the
yolk was contained another egg of the common size
with shell, &c., quite perfect—Hull Packet.