The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-18 00:00:00

TINE TRADES UNIONS L. 1.1.1.,

An influential deputation from a conference of em-
ployers in engineering, shipping, and other trades
waited on the Home Secretary on Thursday in reference
to the Trades Unions Bill, now before the House
of Commons. The following gentlemen were
amongst the members of the deputation : Mr.
John Hick, M.P., Mr. Hugh Birley, Hon. Frederick
Stanley, M.P., Mr. Laird, M.P., Mr. Sidebottom,
M.P., Mr. J. Legh, M.P., Colonel Gray, M.P., Mr.
Henderson, ILP., Mr. E. Potter, M.P., Mr. Pease,
M.P., Mr. Brassey, M.P., &c. _ .

Mr. SADIUDA, M.P., in introducing the deputation,'said
the members of the deputation felt that while the Trades
Unions Bill was a subject:of the greatest importance in the
interests of the country generally, it ought to be dealt
with upon a comprehensive and substantial basis ; and that
there was some danger of legislation drifting into a channel
which would not be satisfactory to them or the public.
The deputation thought that if further legislation was
advisable, the Government themselves ought to take the
initiative, and should not allow the employers of labour
to be placed in the false position which they would occupy
if they were compelled to oppose the bill now before
Parliament. They considered that the present measure
was put forward in one interest only.
Mr. BRUCE said he assumed, by the date at which the
promoters of this bill had put it for the second reading,
that they had no serious intention of pressing it this session,
but had rather introduced it for the purpose of securing
discussion in the House of Commons on the general merits
of the bill, without hoping to give it any legislative effect.
He quite agreed with what Mr. Samuda had said, that,
considering the great difference of opinion amongst the
commissioners, and that this bill was founded upon the
opinions of those who, although gentlemen of
great ability and great zeal upon t his subject,
were a numerical minority of the commission,
it would be impossible for the Government to accept a
measure wikhout•giving the most serious consideration to
the counter arguments. Still it had been quite
impossible for the Government to undertake a bill
upon this matter themselves ; and he would say,
with regard to bills brought forward by the Home
Office, the pressure of business had been such that, much
against his own inclination, they were very much in arrear.
There was already a bill affecting the Mines Inspection
Act which they had had no opportunity of
bringing under the notice of the House ; there was the
Habitual Criminal Offenders Bill, and the County
Finance Bill, all measures of general interest which it
had been impossible to press forward. Therefore he felt
that it would be useless in the midst of the pressure

of a session like this to attempt to go thoroughly
into the report of the commissioners, and the manner in
which he proposed, on the part of the Government, to
meet this bill, was to carefully avoid the expression of
any opinion upon the moot points, but during the recess
to consider the recommendations of the report. And he
should like then, on the part of the Government, to be
able to bring forward some measure founded on the re-
port, which would deal justly with all the interests con-
cerned. Mr. Bruce, in answer to questions, declined to
promise to bring in a bill next session, or that the
Government would consider the subject with a view to

framing a measure.
Mr. Bruce was then still further pressed to give his
opinion, and was asked whether he would repeat in the
House of Commons what he had sail there.
The HOME SECRETARY said he had no objectio nto
answering any questions which might be asked him in the
House. The question ought not to be discussed till there
had been ample time for considering both sides, but he
should be careful not to express any opinion as
to what Government would do. It had been utterly im•
possible, not only for himself, but for his colleagues, to
consider this question ; and he could not, without consi-
deration with the rest of the Cabinet, on a matter of such
extreme importance state the views of the Government
thereon.

Amongst the persons arrested in Paris during the
late riots were six Englishmen. All these Lave been set at
liberty through the intervention of the British Ambassador.
The inquest on the body of Robert Ilodgkinson, the
engine tenter of the boiler which exploded at Bingley, was
resumed on Wednesday. A verdict of accidental death
was returned.

A farmer in Massachusetts has tried steaming his
stable food for five years. He says it costs a third less to
winter his cows, and they give a fourth more than when
he fed them on raw hay and grain.

AN AMUSING COMPOSITOR'S BLUNDER. —Under
the heading " Erratum," the Times publishes the follow-
ing:—" In our account of the Apposition at St. Paul's,
the word 'malefactors' should have been 'male actors.'"

A. singular story is told about Wythington
Church, Shropshire. On Sunday week it was observed
that a woman named Williams, instead of entering her
own pew, took her place in one in front of it. In less
than five minutes afterwards a stove pipe broke, and fell
endways on the spot where Mrs. Williams would have
been sitting if she had taken her regular place.—Osu•estry
Adratiser.