The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-05 00:00:00

LABOUR.

We aro in the midst of a renowned and more widely
spread struggle between the workmen and employers for
the extension of the eight-hours' system, and for other and
perhaps more immediate advantages to the former. Men
of different trades are out on strike for the eight hours in
its integrity. The masons on the northern line of railway
determined to leave their work unless Messrs. Cornish and
Bruce would discharge all masons who did not belong to
the Union of their trade, and as this demand was not
complied with, they are out on strike too ; and the brick-
layers, on some portions of the same works, are out on
strike for an advance of wages to the extent of 2s. a day.
Tradesmen are still banging about town in considerable
numbers, complaining that they cannot obtain anything to
do, and yet men who have employment throw it up thus
foolishly in the hope of compelling masters to accept the
very unreasonable terms dictated by the agitators at head-
quarters, who are mostly men with other means of living
than by the trades to which they nominally belong. The
bad feeling against the contractors has been increased by
the importation of masons and labourers from Germany
under engagement at lower rates of wages than are current
here, and the renewed agitation of the eight-hours' ques-
tion has been fostered and extended by the lately-formed
Eight-Hours' Labour League. The avowed objects of this
association are to secure a peaceable enjoyment of the ad-
vantages of the system to the trades now experiencing
them, to extend these to every class of labour, and to sup-
port the members of any class which may be engaged in a
struggle with employers, to disseminate information, and
to assist in the formation of branch leagues through all the
colonies ; and finally, to procure a legal enactment defining
a day's labour to consist of eight hours. What amount of
support the league is likely to receive, either pecuniary or
otherwise, we cannot yet foresee, but the first fruits of its
formation are to be found in a great increase to the ranks of
the unemployed, previously and for a long time past. by
far too numerous among us.

" Mechanics, as well as tradesmen, still complain of a
difficulty in obtaining employment. In town the only de-
mand is for useful married couples without children, and
competent house servants, who are readily engaged in any
number that offer. Thus the shipload of immigrants, con-
sisting mostly of married couples and single woman of a
desirable class, were all hired within a ♦ery few days, at
the highest quoted rates of wages ; although hundreds of
young women, unfit for housework, and married mon with
large families, spend day after day and week after week at
the labour offices in vain. tip the country shearing has
employed many extra hands during the last month or two,
and harvest is now commencing to afford occupation to a
still greater number for a time. As it was last year, so it
promises to be this—the farmers had then no trouble in
obtaining as many men as they required, even without
leaving home in search of them, and this season thmre is
every probability of mowers and reapers offering their ser-
vices in fully as great, if not greater, numbers.