The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-27 00:00:00

THE CHAINMAKERS' STRIKE.

On Monday last, at the Borough Police Court,
Wolverhampton, five chainmakers, in the employ
of Messrs. Bayliss and Co., of Monmore Green,
named Watts, Trowman, Talbot, Tipton, and
James, were summoned for having, on riday,
October 14, unlawfully neglected their work with-
out _lawful excuse, a2d before the expiration of their
contract.

The case had reference to the impending chain-
makers' strike, and had been adjourned from the
previous Monday, when another workman, named
Dunn, summoned on a similar charge, consented
to return to his work and pay expenses.
Mr. H. Underhill appeared for Messrs. Bayliss
and Co., and Mr. John Smith, of Birmingham, for
the defendants.

It appeared from Mr. Underhill's statement that
the men were engaged with the understanding that
before a separation took place between themselves
and their masters they should give or receive four-
teen days' notice. They were paid at so much per
cwt. for the chains they made, " best" work being
paid for a higher rate than " common" work. On
the day in question Dunn was engaged in doing
common work, but seeing " T.P.K. best" on the
iron h. was using he at once jumped to the conclu-
sion that he was entitled to the best price. His error
was explained to him, but not being satisfied' he.
" struck." However, he returned on Saturday and
found a summons out against him, and on Monday
consented to pay expenses and return to work, but
the others refused to pay expenses. They never-
theless returned to work. But the defendants could
hare no reason for striking, inasmuch as when Dunn
struck they were making common chains with iron
the mark on which could not have deceived them
into the notion that they were doing best work.
However, they struck work on Friday, and went
to Dudley to consult the secretary to the Trades
Union. They returned on Saturday, when they
found they had been summoned for their con-
duct. He (Mr. Underhill) would not ask the
bench to impose any punishment on the defen-
dants. the simple quocti nn being -ft-bother they
could neglect the service of their masters when they
chose, and to obtain an order for the payment of
the costs in the case,

Mr. Smith suggested that as the summonses had
been issued hastily against the defendants, and in
order that no breach might be opened between the
men and their masters, he should not ask for the
costs. •

Mr. Underhill replied that as the desire of the
men was to gain a victory over their masters, and
not simply to save half-a-crown each, he must de-
cline to accede to the suggestion.
Mr. Bayliss then deposed that he engaged the
defendants, and although nothing was said at the
time about notice, there was a general understand-
ing in the trade that notice to leave must be given
on the part of the master or servant desiring to se-
parate from the other. The men had once previous
to the time in question left his service on strike, but
had previously given 14 days notice. The defend-
ants neglected their work on Friday, leaving chains
unfinished that were required.
Cross-examined—The men were paid when the
chains they had made were weighed. He paid
them money on Saturday last. They were paid by
the piece, and worked when they liked. He had
discharged men without notice who had done their
work improperly.
Re-examined--The men said they could not stand
six days work a week, and they generally " played"
on Mondays. Witness did not allow them to dis-
continue working at any time, except when the
work on which they were engaged was not wanted.
Benjamin Whitmore, the prosecutors' foreman,
said that Trowman told him, in the presence of the
other defendants, on Friday week, that they had
agreed to strike; they (meaning the complainants)
had been trying to get Dunn to work best iron for
common ; and that they did not mean to work any
more till the matter was decided.
Mr. Smith contended that no contract had been
proved under -the statute, and said further that if
there had been an offence committed the complain-
ants had condoned it, by paying the men after the
committal of the alleged offence. Reverting to
the first point, Mr. Smith said that to bring the
offence within the meaning of the clause of the act
under which the proceedings were taken it must be
proved that the defendants were hired servants, for
a specified time, of the complainants, which was not
the fact in this case. •

The magistrates, after consulting a short time
said they were of opinion that the defendants were
legally bound to give notice before leaving their
service, and not having done so they were liable to
the consequences of their conduct.
Mr. Underhill hereupon said that the bench hav-
ing decided that the defendants,had neglected their
sei vice, and that the complainants were justified in
taking the course they had done, he did not ask
that the defendants should be saddled with any
costs.

Mr. Smith thanked, Mr. Underhill for the course
he had pursued, saying that it had saved him the
trouble of carrying the matter further. llowever,
a case embodying the same points was now before
the Court of Queen's Bench.
The parties then left the court.

THE COAL MINERS OF SOUTH LANCASHIRE.—
The coal miners of South Lancashire are holding
special delegate meetings ai stated periods, for the
purpos?, as they declare, of taking measures to im-
prove the miners' condition. They feel, they say,
that the want of education is not only a degradation
to them, but it is also a terrible accessory to the
sacrifice of their lives. They find the irregularity
of the hours of labour is detrimental to them, the
lon4 day at one time and the short day at another
having a tendency to establish irregularity in their
characters and pursuits. This system is therefore
to be repudiated, as the certain precursor of lament.
able results: They also find the great disparity
in the measuring of their coal to be an evil, giving
dissatisfaction to their employers, being.tho stum-
hliug-biock to the establishment of an equality of
wages, without which broils, conflicts, and destitu-
tion must ever exist. To obviate the evils
,that
spring out of ignorance, they ask, in the forthpom-
_ Ak O t for n Ileuolatio4 of Collieriesasfor Qom-
-9

pulsory measure of education ; and to thwart the
effects of the irregular and long-hour system
they ask for an Eight Hours Bill. They seek to
have their material weighed, instead of being regu-
lated. by unjust measures as at present. They pur-
pose preparing petitions to Parliament to have these
point introduced into the new act.

- THE STRIKE OF LOOMERS AND TWISTERS AT
BLACKBURN.---Duringlhe past week Messrs. Hop-
wood
and Sons arranged to give their loomers,
twisters, "&c., at Nova Scotia, who were out on
strike, the advance sought, and consequently they
have resumed work. The same class of operatives
lately in the employ of the same firm, at the Prop-
fiela Mill, •Grimshaw-park, are still out on
strike, as also arc those of Messrs. Harrison and
Co., at Highfield Mill, the respective manufacturers
refusing to pay them at the advanced rate. At a
meeting of the operatives, held on Monday night at
the Montague Arms Inn, King-street, it was re-
ported that upwards of £l2 had been collected in
support of the turn-outs during the week. It was
also stated that to-morrow the operatives in the
employ of Mr. Carr, Cleaver-street, whose notice
would expire that day, will come out on strike if
Mr. Carr refuses to give the advance of 7 per cent.
solicited. A deputation from Captain Graham's
Mill, Livesey, reported that the notice would ex-
pire this week, and that as their employer declined
to giVe them the advance they should come out on
strike. The meeting urged them to do so. A levy
wds then made in support of the operatives on
strike, and the meeting separated. Mr. Jacob Pea-
cock, the secretary to the Blackburn Operative
Power-loom Weavers' Association, has tendered his
resignation to the board of directors, who have
accepted it.—Manchester Guardian.