The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-30 00:00:00

The latest from rreston is that the operatives on strike
are as determined as ever to resist a reduction of 10 per
cent. in their wages. The masters shew no sign whatever
of rescinding their proposition. On the 7th of next month,
when the longest notices will (x2ire, about thirty mills
will be closed and upwards of 16,000 hands on strike. On
Saturday the operatives at another mill (Mr. Maynard's)
struck. work, their fortnight's notice having terminated.
The operative weavers, who are hy far the largest
section of factory hands in the town, continue to
express their willingness to submit to a reduction of
5 per cent„ which will bring them down to the standard
list—a minimum scale of remuneration, agreed to nine
li years since, and based upon the average wages paid
throughout the town at that time. But they will strike
rather than make a further concession. The entire num.
ber of weavers an strike is about 1,500, exclusive of depen-
dents, who will swell the ranks into more than 2,000.
Within the past few days meetings in support of the
Preston weavers have been held at Chorley, Black-
burn, Darwen, Clitheroe, Clayton-le-Moors, Accring-
ton, ITaslineen, Ramsbottem, and Padiham. They
have 1 eon addressed by deputies from Preston, who
attended in acc.rdance with requests from the carious
di-tricts mentioned, and at each of them resolutions in
sup) opt of the Preston operatives were carried. Levie
s
amount:lm on the average to about 2d. per loom we're
aLreed fled n at a 1 of them, and the money wir, in the
course of the neat few days, Ue forwarded to-T'reston.,The
I operatives persist in saying that the notice for a reduction
has been withdrawn at the five mills of Messrs. Daw-
kins ; but that firm has not done so, and it is certain
that the notice has been tom down. The spinners
and minders, upon whose will depends the employment
of the great majority of the operatives, will accept
no seduction. They are being paid in accordance
with the standard list, and insist upon either its strict
:ecognition or an appeal to arbitration. They have good
promises of support, and will be able to maintain their posi-
tion for a long time. The addition made to the bands on
strike during the week has been about 200 ; the number of
mills at which strikes have occurred is seven ; and there
are now nearly 3,000 operatives out of work. The card-
room hands, who number about 2,000, are more strongly
opposed to the 10 per cent. reduction than the spinners,
for they allege that they are now being paid 20 per cent.
below the generality of similar operatives in Lancashire,
Cheshire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire. The delegates
• .out out by this body to lay their. case before the
.peratives of surrounding districts returned on Saturday
with very favourable reports as to the support which
would be given to them if no arrangement is come to
aefore the general notices expire. There are sixty of the
card-room hands now on strike. These operatives have
two associations and an " institute," and the women, who
have a union among themEe:ves, are very fiercelyopposed
to any reduction. The card-room bands on strike receive
Ss. per week—a sum amounting to more than some of
them got when working short time at the wages now paid.
Throughout the entire operative community of Preston
there is a determination to resist the 10 per cent.
reduction. The masters, on the other hand, say that it
must be submitted to, and some of them are prepared to
keep their mills standing twelve months, presuming that
there is no change in the markets, rather than give way to
the claims of the operatives.
Another large meeting of delegates from various towns in
~ancashire was held at the Weavers' Institute, Preston,
ms Sunday. The early portion of the meeting was taken
up with the reading of reports as to grants made in
different places for the weavers on strike. The best
reports—those announcing the most money in comparison
with the number of operatives—came from Darwen,
Chorley, Haslingden, and Padibans. It is stated that
Blackburn has yet done nothing worth mentioning in the
s matter of contributions, the political excitement there
going the alleged reason ;
but the cotton trade of Black-
burn is very depressed, and if there were no " political
excitement" many operatives would not be able to give
money to aid the Preston hands. The delegates have
resolved that 4s. per bead should be given this week to
all operative weavers on strike, whether they be in or out
of the Union.
A meeting of delegates representing the card-room opera.
tives has also been held in Preston. There were represen-
tatives from twenty districts present. At the commencement
of the proceedings the local secretary made a statement
explanatory of the present dispute, and contended that the
Preston card-room hands were now, without auy further
reduction, paid lower than operatives similarly em-
ployed in 107 places in Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire,
and Derbyshire. The delegates were very decided in their
opinions as to the unfairness of the proposed reduction,
and unanimously resolved "that all the districts in the
association support by every legitimate means in their
power the card-room hands of Preston when they come out
on strike, by putting on levies and making subscriptions;
the card-rooms of all the mills in Lancashire."

The practice of advertising by stencilling on the
foot pavements and parish posts, &C., in 'Wandsworth and
Clapham has become such a nuisance that the District
Board of Works has found it necessary (says the South
London Press) to undertake the prosecution of one person
caught in the act, as a warning to others.
THE SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE ELECTION rETI-
TION.—The petition against the return of Mr. John
Hardy, one of the Conservative members for South
Warwickshire, will be tried at the Shire Hail, Warwick,
on the sth May, and subsequent days. It is not yet
known which of the judges will try the petition, but it is
surmised it will be taken by Mr. Baron Martin, as Mr.
Justice Blackburn will be engaged with the Stafford
petitions. The petition, which is presented by four
Lramington tradesmen, alleges that Mr. Hardy, by
himself and others on his behalf, was guilty of bribery,
treating, and undue influence, whereby he is incapacitated
to serve in Parliament, and therefore that the election its,
null and void. The fai....:.s.2lty±:t.._.niedfassall of
alb`