The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-09 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—In the spring of last year the workmen in
the building trades presented an united memorial
to the master builders, asking for a reduction in
their hours of labour. This year, for various reasons,
they have decided to send a memorial from each of
the five branches of the building trade. I beg to
enclose you a copy of the one sent by the carpenters
and joiners, and shall feel obliged if you will kindly
insert it in your next impression.—I am,
GEO. POTTER, Secretary.
96, Denbigh-street, Pimlico, S.W,, March 7.

"TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION

OF MASTER BIJILDERS.
" Gentlemen,—ln the spring of last year we
approached you respectfully, in the hope that you
would favour with your assent our request that our
hours of labour should be reduced without decreas-
ing our daily earnings.
" We would submit to you that the manner in
which this was presented should not have done less
than have favourably recommended it to your notice,
inasmuch as it might have demonstrated to you that
our desire was entirely in accord with the efforts of
the wise and good, who are seeking by every legiti-
mate means to bring the working classes under the
influence of educational enlightenment ; for which,
it must be admitted, the time we seek for that pur-
pose is an inevitable condition.

" You, gentlemen, however, considered our re-
quest as only a demand for an increase of 10 percent.
on our wages ; taking this view we consider it quite
unnecessary that any apology should be offered, in
our character of "sellers," for endeavouring to en-
hance the value of the article we have to offer, find-
ing as we do our justification in the first principles
of " political economy."
" Upon the occasion referred to you did not deem
it consistent with your interest to accede to our
proposition, and we were ultimately obliged to
accept your own terms for our laboilr.
" The time has now arrived at which we, the
carpenters and joiners, feel it necessary to renew
the request then made for nine hours as a day's
work, and we desire to do so, no less respectfully
than before, assuring you that in our belief, by ac-
ceding to our wishes, the health and intelligence
of the workman will be improved, and a more
friendly feeling between employer and employed
will be established.

" An answer td this memorial, by the sth of
April, is solicited.
"Yours, very respectfully, the carpenters and
joiners of London. " GEO. POTTER, Secretary.
"96, Denbigh street, Pimlico, S.W., March 7.

THE NINE HOURS MOVEMENT IN EDINEURGH.
—On Thursday night, a meeting of the master
builders of Edinburgh was held in George-street
Hall, to consider the present position of the trade
caused by the strike of the operative masons and
joiners in support of the nine hours movement.
The hall was filled with master builders, and the
chair was occupied by Mr. John Watherston. Mr.
James Paterson, builder, moved, and Mr. Alexander
seconded, a resolution, to the effect that considering
the usual working time of operatives in the build-
ing trades to be neither oppressive nor assisted to
any extent by machinery, or by their own increased
skill—considering also that the wages of the ope-
ratives are not such as to warrant the proposed re-
duction, and that an increased rate, if given just
now, would seriously check the prosperity of the
building trade in Edinburgh—the meeting was
strongly of opinion that the demand of the opera-
tives for shorter hours was uncalled for, and that it
ought still to be refused. This resolution was car-
ried 2zon. con. The chairman intimated that they
had been successful in getting the support of the
architects; and they had also succeeded in getting
some important works stopped for a season till the
result of this movement was known. The directors
of the Railway Station Access Company had agreed
to allow buildings in Cockburn-street to stand for
a time, and the builders were liable to no penalty
if they were not finished at any stated period. The
number of operative masons on the strike roll was
on Monday reduced by 30, several having succeeded
in obtaining employment in town, while others
have gone to jobs in the country. There are still
upwards of 400 on strike, and the men show as
little inclination to yield as the employers.