The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-25 00:00:00

FACTORY ACTS.

This subject was introduced by Mr. Goss, who moved,
on behalf of the Wolverhampton Chamber :—" That the
Factory Acts and Hours of Labour Acts ought to be assi-
milated, and placed under the same authorities ; that the
payment of surgeons under the Factory Acts ought to be
made in the same way and from the same sources as the
factory inspectors ; and that the Home Secretary be memo-
rialised to move for a committee of the House of Commons
to consider the working of the two Acts, and to obtain
returns of the payments made by manufacturers to medical
men under their authority. This was seconded by Mr.
Richards, of Exeter, but after several amendments were
oroposed the resolution was withdrawn.
An amendment was immediately proposed by the
President of the Birmingham Chamber, who said the
Workshops Act in the district he represented was practi-
cal:y a dead letter. Other gentlemen of large commercial
experience expressed a like opinion, and some arguments
were adduced against the interference with adult female
labour which this factory and workshop legislation
involved. The hon. member for Halifax (Colonel Akroyd,
M.P.) agreed with the proposal to assimilate the two
Acts, but thought legislation on the subject had been too
recent to afford any grounds for hoping that the House of
Commons would do anything further at present. The
member for the North-West Riding (Lord F. Cavendish),
who avowed himself a staunch supporter of the principle
of the Factory Act, pointed out that if the resolution
were carried, the number of inspectors that would have

. -
to he appointed would make the whole systt m extremely
unpopular. Other speakers urged that th. 3 Workshops
Regulation Act had not been sufficiently long in operation
to warrant the conference in giving a decisive opinion
upon its merits. A letter from Mr. Redgrave, the Factory
Inspector, was read, shewing that the writer held a similar
opinion. Several large employers of labour doubted whether
the educational effects expected of the half-time system
had been produced, and a letter was read from a Birming-
ham working man, contending that the Workshops Act
was nothing better than a farce, Mr. Mundella, M. P., adding
that though it was impossible to assimilate the Factory and
Workshops Act, it might be beneficial to bring about an
assimilation between the Factory and Factory Extensions
Act. The Hours of Labour Bills he would leave to die a
natural death, which he thought they would soon do. He
denounced, as oppressive, the provision which compelled
employers to pay for medical inspection in their factories.
He knew some medical men, not particularly distinguished
in other respects, who made incomes of from £l,OOO to
£3,000 a year from this source. The discussion was pro.
longed for an hour or two, and at the close the "%Vol% erhamp-
ton resolution was withdrawn, and an amendment was
passed recommending the equal application of the Factory
Extensions Act to all districts. The voting, however, was
so close that, by a rule of the association, the resolution
will be inoperative.
The rest of the time of the meeting was occupied in the
discussion of a resolution, requiring that all commercial
vessels should be considered neutral in time of war. The
resolution was lost.

IMITATE THE Moox.—lf you are a wise man you
will treat the world as the moon treats it. Shew it only
one side of yourself, seldom shew yourself too much at a
time, and let what you shew be calm, cool, and polished.
But look at every side of the world.—Shirley Brooks.
A free pardon has, it is understood, been granted
to Frederick Augustus Farrar, who, with John Hallett,
was, at the November Sessions of the Central Criminal
Court, sentenced to ten years' penal servitude for forging
a bill of exchange, which purported to be accepted by Earl
Dudley.

THE PROPOSED REDUCTION OF WAGES IN THE
COTTONTRADE. —Although the depression in the cotton trade
is so very great, the recent proposition from the committee
of the Blackburn Masters' Association, has been aban-
doned. Out of 150 manufacturers, within Blackburn, who
have been waited upon by deputations of their hands, not
more than 12 have expressed themselves in favour of a
reduction. The Blackburn Standard list is considered harsh
and unequal in a few instances, but any serious departure
therefrom would create an impassable gulf between masters
and operatives.

THE LABOUR MARKET AND MATRIMONY IN
VicTonrA.—The TimeB correspondent has some interesting
remarks on work and marriage in Victoria. He says:
" The wages both of skilled and unskilled labourers are
now some 30 or 40 per cent. higher than they have been
for years past, and the cost of living is cheaper than in
England. Carpenters are making their 12s. a day; plas-
terers, masons, and others in the building trade nearly as
much. Common labourers are paid proportionately high.
Farming men have been commonly receiving during the
late harvesting as much as 6s. a day and rations ; and

they may count on steady work at good wages all the year
round, owing to the large quantities of fresh sail being
Inow constantly broken up for cultivation. As to domestic
servants, their wages will ever be high in a coun'ry where
every servant girl naturally considers that service is only
a keeping a sort of terms preparatory to being called to
the altar by some appreciative swain who hopes soon to
give her servants of her own. Strange to say, some of
the most attractive of these girls—of good and steady
character, too—are snapped up by well-to-do Chinamen.
This at first sight appears more surprising when, accord-
ing to M. Hue's account of the Chinese in their own
country, women there are little better than slaves, and
are deemed by the men to have no souls. Here, on the
contrary, it is the Chinese bridegroom who (if he 'have a
soul at all) certainly has not a soul he can call his own in
the presence of his bfght-eyed and voluble Tippe-
rary wife. She breaks him in thoroughly, and makes
him turn a good Catholic: before phe will look on big:
at I%IJ,

.~. ~.~

,td. .73=HT Qlf CO MM=

A large number of members of Pamament were ester
Noahchief Wednesday night by the Chamber of Comree,h
chief amongst whom was Mr. Bright. Sir Stafford
ere
cote and the Attorney-General were amongst the sPe3kub,
but Mr. Bright made the speech of the evening, his Sold
ject being commerce and the position the chambers sb;
ra
take in discussing commercial questions. Sir Sta..fig
Isrorthcote expressed himself in favour of incorP°ll,l4
the Associated Chambers, but told the members that btb-t
must shew themselves worthy of incorporation, and ,tse
they they must so constitute themselves as to represen"
commercial interest fully. Bo
Taking up the same subject the PRESIDENT of the
)f TRADE thought good would accrue to the commereis'l3k.
[laments—as the chambers of agriculture had been °newt
if they would give themselves what has been givens°°_,ll,
Parliament—a more extended suffrage and a wider rePl7,O,
Cation, so as to make the chambers more really reer*r,
Latices of commerce, and their voice, therefore, rod
potent in the offices of Ministers and the Chambers °fi to
Legislature. He should like to make one suggest°,-tho
this end. Their discussions did not appear to attraP
attention they deserved. If the Associated Cbtlet
hers met in some large commercial town ;De
than London—if they met sometimes at Leeds' ,nd of
shester, or Birmingham—and at some other Per' °•
the year, when the newspapers are not so full ofPale
mentary debates, they would exercise through the Pr.osla
greater influence upon public opinion than they wer°,o
to do meeting at this place, and at this season of the Jo
Mr. Bright went on to speak of ocean postage.
not originally intended," said he, " and it is only toot
Lice that has grown up with our vast extravaganee'lo
Parliament should look to the Post Office for a
eel
revenue. There is no doubt whatever that as hetnse
here and the United States, and between here 011:"
Australian Colonies, and probably between this and slot
every other country, it would be possible for the :too
Office to negotiate a system by which letters Mould liut
the ocean for a penny. I speak disinterestedly, alp
know who suffers more from the penny postage than ,seo
I think I never did an act of such entire disinterestlo
in my life as when I sent a subscription to Birraingo
towards the erection of a monument to Sir Ji4 to
Hill ; for the Post Office makes my life a burde°6o,
me. I think that the demand upon the Gllge
ment for the establishment of an ocean penny Os Les,
particularly between this country and the United Stf`bet
is one of those things every member of a cli3/2101
ought to consider, one of the first things he ought 0,00
for and obtain. Now I believe it is objected 11 tios
persons that great questions are for the Legiels"oo
And not for Chambers of Commerce. I h
ssoulciss,
s
'.o ask Sir Stafford Northcote what would rufr
tiament be if it were not for that public oPip
which not only instructs it, but impels it forward? lui
;,he two greatest questions settlel in our time. In o
leo
er 1840 the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, after
...„0
days' solemn debate, passed resolutions condo 0,
the law which prohibited the importation (If 100
The Manchester Chamber of Commerce might fe-gir
gone on discussing some question like tile ',l" of
tration of partnerships, and the great fluesti:;olo,
the repeal of the corn laws, and all the vast nes
that have followed it might have been P°5',,,,e0
for years or for generations. And on this very last b
question of two years ago, what would have been cif:tls• 0
it had not been for public opinion? When I went let
[louse of Commons, twenty-five years ago, there Werehoo
lo hundred men in it who could have been induced to Dort
voted for the repeal of the corn laws. Within 1‘
period you could not have had but a very small c°;-0• 1
the House of Commons in favour of such an extensi-, Uo
the franchise as we now have. Therefore, unless therr"o.
to outside influence that can fill the sails, svlo,ll,l'sitly
ment is no better than a ship without a stern an"Dettef
out canvas, waterlogged, and floating helpless—n° e•
than a wreck on what I may call the ocean 01 icier
Then (Mr. Bright continued) let these chambers c°l3ooo
questions of national interest. The one of Custl3%
duties for example. We lesve got free trade so far
abolition of the laws which, under the pretence ()f DO/
the exchequer, filled the pockets of monopolists. 1',,,
got rid of that description of Custom-house duty`, vv"),sl
some things our Custom-house duties are just as heAjoest
ver, and they raise just as much money at this 113. Ago
'.s they did when we began our labours thirty Yea'. do
What the Chambers of Commerce ought • 00l
is this—they ought to follow the . exer°P
thirty years ago by the Manchester Chamber' eat
solemnly consider the question whether it Dews.
oossible, not to abolish protective duties, beesuseltest
are gone, but to reduce or to abolish to a great„bso,
remaining Custom-house duties, which if you Jo
you will find in the future just as grand results as lt:gOtit
now." Mr. Bright went onto speak of pauperism, aris`-righ/
of the subject of local taxation, on which subject h-lr'lin- ,3hst:
complained that ho was not able to say what ought :rgtlec:
been said because of his position. Mr. Bright n°W
that the local rating must be decreased by the dare"- •
e 9
pauperism. "If you cannot diminish jauPeristilit :011
cannot diminish the poor rate, and those who bear eo'
must bear it still, or some one else must bear it fur t
Lich
that will probably only extend the discontent illey
now exists. Well, then the question comes, and it if; °i,g 0°
important question for all of us, why is it there 004
much pauperism in this country? Why does it inci
the country gentlemen on both sides of the 1-Duse'
Aid
'
If
her Majesty's Ministers, and everybody else,. tried 0°
„noor
that question, it will be about the most important em:i per
ment men can put their minds to, and the result Pl' t of
baps bring out something that may change the asp v Jibe
the country. Is it not surprising that in a poPulg't`° cool'
this of 30 millions of people, crowding upon
thee°
partitively small islands—with all the laws 10°1 111010
tars.
f
land a monopoly—with near £70,000,000 sterling ° ,Alll
Lion, without including local taxation, being anise 10
raised from these 30 millions, one-half of whom, ha fel°
property—the great mass of the working classes°we,
country have been left, in addition to bearing their goitly
or more than their share, of these enormous burdePls, aid
out the means by which they could be instructeu
ere,
civilised ? Why should members of Chambers of Cclrcles
in manufacturing and commercial towns shut their e'grest
questions like this? Why should they, who are thed
employers of labour, and who come constantly au 010
and hourly into contact with the labouring classes, !rid, sot
know the evils which I have but faintly descril'eotor/
discuss them in their local legislatures, their local croro
of
of opinion, and ultimately the creators and directo elves
Parliament ? Why should they not expand thei:covie:
to the greatness of these great questions, and %sr'
as they may become, truly the saviours of their e°l3igbt,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, who followed grii
took up the subject of bankruptcy. They We'll"
to make the lives of the law officers a burden to tbeg, tb°
they had a good Act of Bankruptcy. Ilith
heh re
vie4°,
Govezument bad been most anxious to ascertain vial"
of commercial men upon the subject, because lavde vior°
had most to do with the settling of such bills, vie
or less prejudiced in favour of keeping things °-
were. With a view to correct [eanie:
the Lord Chancellor had recently receive' "-ect
of
rous deputations from commercial men on the enbi oof '
bankruptcy. It would be scarcely respectful to the 1:1071:0 of
Commons if he described at length the principal P greet
the Bill, but he might be allowed to say that he It wag
with a gentleman who had recently spoken thi",,tirelf
necessary the bankruptcy broom should be an la pot
new broom, and give a clean sweep. The law c_tst tit
be reformed by any alteration of details ; bad
reformed altogether. Our neighbours in Scotian
substantially succeeded. It had been the anxious t more
your of the Lord Chancellor and himself to ad° scotell
than had hitherto been the case our system to the thesystem. They proposed as far as possible to leave
administration of bankruptcy in the hands of the ere
and to separate it from the judicial function :oov

PARLIAMENTARYBILLS —Two bills have J- t •
4,ig bee''
printed among the parliamentary papers which are neloicog
able for their extreme brevity. In place of tb* ~,eift
tedious formulas which used to occupy two or three !.71110'
we have now important measures stated briefly bad It
half a page. It is evident that this new fashion n;ry
special recommendation for the leaders of Parriarnenillti
warfare, since the fewer the clauses the fewer the 0.,
of battle, and the less tedious the progress through °he
mittee. One of these bills proposes the rep eela
eal a t
Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, celebrated the other t 3
f th•
to remove the electoral disabilities of the officers 0
_at
Inland Revenue department. It seems that the f°lo,
billl; with this object retained sothe exceptional restrictiotta
w l'ch it is thought desirable should be remove(/' /Ito
accordingly it is now proposed that the en3ctllced,
contained in the schedule to that Act should be MO
,ere
THIEVES OF NEW YORK.—The extremely Os on
sentences
which Recorder Hackett has been Passing' tilPoll;
thieves and bur lass will have an effect if l'ef't " dote
enough. He was interrupted yesterday in his Prce„,wll
by the adjournment of the court on account of gr. Dr"' -00.
death ; but on the previous day he had a busy and s_dticrrir
ful time. He gave Pat Martin ten years for bn`b,"llnre
and for being a professional burglar; he gave rat Al();
20 years at hard labour for robbery, and for having
"very bad reputation ;" he ' e and Johnson
five years each for grandy elaarsc:nnyd,
.and
gave Maguire
gave schiv- _
and Crawford each four
offence. In passing one of ther sentencess months for the sal;
he was determined to endeavour, as far as in his 1/19vnve
puutdar stop to crime in this city. If we could get five
lockedhned or a thousand of the worst of these criratimasej
ix°he remarked
rtilto
uP, the crimes of the city would be deleigty
during the year by five or ten thousancl.—New Yorli 1
Fcb. 10.