The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-28 00:00:00

ioners, he should be .Vappy to advance, without seeking
any interest for it.
On the motion of Mr. CUNLIYFE,
R,ck and Mr. Flight were re-elected Church-
wardens for the ensuing year.
th 4 motion of Mr. FLIGHT,
Mr. Henry Rock and Mr. Williams were elected over-
seers for the ensuing year.
Mr. CROSBY, the vestry-clerk, then detailed the law
proceedings between the parishioners and Mr. Gibbs.
They had not been able, in consequence of the impedi-
menta thrown in their way, to g, t on so rapidly as they
would wish, but he had no doubt that in the next tern
he could give more satisfactory intelligence.
1)r. CROLY then, in a lengthened and effective speech,
adverted to the position of affairs, but the facts of it are
all umbodied in the statement by Mr. Flight.
After some further discussion the meeting adjourned
till the Bth of May.

TRADES' DELEGATES CON-
FERENCE.
The delegates assembled at half-pa,t nine yester-
day, at the Parthenium Club Rooms, and proceeded to
discuss the recommendations in the report of the Com-
mittee on General Purposes.
In the Conference yesterday a resolution was agreed
to ler the formation of "A Society, to be called the
Association of United Trades for the Protection of In-
dustry." The following recommendations of the Com-
mittee were also adopted this morning:-
2 A Central Committee to carry out the cbjects of
the said Association, and the formation of a fund to de-
fray the necessary expenses.
3. The leading objects of the Association may be
divisible into two departments—the first external, hav-
ing reference to the influence of the Legislature on the
condition of the industrious classes; the second internal,
or to efforts made by the trades to improve their own
condition.
The delegates then proceeded to discuss " the esta-
blishment of local boards of trade, similar to those
which have so long existed in France and
Belgium, composed of masters and operatives,
to whom all matters affecting the regulation of
wages, duration of labour, disputes, &c., shall
he referred, and their decisions have the authority
of law." A very favourable opinion was expressed by
the Committee as to the effect of the adoption of such a
system ; but considerable difference of opinion prevailed
among the delegates. It was objected to by some as
likely to place the operative classes under the tyranny of
masters, and to make their condition worse than it is at
present. Other delegates considered that nothing but
an arrangement of this nature could remove the existing
evils, and thought that both masters and men would be-
nefit by it.
A DELEGATE, a working man in the coal-mines of North
Cheshire, spoke at considerable length, and in a strain of
eloquence that proved him to be a man of great intelli-
gence, of the very many hardships which his peculiar de-
scription of labour subjected the working miners to. He
described the different gasses existing in the coal mines
and their deleterious effects on the human constitution.
He gave an instance of the destructive consequences of
explosive gasses, by which he said 17 men lost their
lives, yet their employers refused to pay the expense of
removing the dead bodies. This statement was followed
by loud cries of " Shame." These, he said, were his rea-
sons for agreeing in the opinion that local boards of trade
would act as a protection to the working classes.
A DELEGATE, who represented the tailors, expressed
his apprehensions for the stability of the proposition even
if it should be carried out ; and he thought it would be
well if each trade could place itself in a position to assist
itself in the first instance before it turned its attention to
the support of others.
A DELEGATE from the linen-weavers of Beverley
highly approved of the proposition, and gave instances
of the hardships the linen-weavers suffered by the ab-
senee of it.
A DELEGATE from Hull cited cases where shipowners
in that town were also magistrates ,• and in consequence
the most monstrous decisions had often been made when
poor men made appeals to those parties for their wages.
But that could never occur if a local board of trade
existed in that town.
A DELEGATE from the block-printers of Bent said he
was rather in favour than against the proposition ; but
he asked, if those local boards were of so much benefit in
France and in Belgium, how did it happen that so little
was known in this country of their co-operation ?
Mr. CHRISTOPHER, on the part of the London shoe-
makers, expressed his surprise at the sentiments he had
been listening to, which he said would be calculated
to lead people to believe that the working men had
ever found sympathy from their employers ; but
he would like to know when and where that had ever
been experienced. He would ask, what did' the work-
ing man mean by asking to be placed upon equal terms
with their employers in courts of Justice ? Did they
think that, if even there were an equal number of masters
and men in a court that would be placing them on equal
terms? If they did, they never were more mistaken,
for when were the masters present that they did not
carry the day ?—(Hear.) He feared the project would
not be found productive of the good anticipated.
Here the debate concluded, and
Mr. FLEMING, Chairman of the Committee, then rose,
and said that as it was not likely that anything new
could be offered in favour of the proposition, he
would take a short review of the objections raised to it.
This he did at great length, liSad then described the
reodus operandi of the proposed boards of trade, which
hould consist of six persons—three masters, and three
working men, and all questions referred to them for
their decision were determined by a majority of votes,
and, therefore, an unfair or unjust decision could hardly
be made ; and, if any peculiar difficulty arose, the board
had the power to. call in an umpire.
Mr. WAIN, block printer, corroborated Mr.. Fleming's
statement as to fixing the rates of prices for manu-
facturing articles on the continent for certain periods of
the year. He said he had worked five years in Belgium,
and found such to be the fact. He knew men to work
in that country from sun-rise to sun-set fur 10d.; but
there that sum went further than 2s. 6d. in this country.
A DELEGATE from the wool- combers of Bradford was
in favour of the boards of trade, if for no other purpose
than to prevent the workman from approaching his
employer in too humiliating a position, or being the
victims of their long purses.—(Hear, hear.) But the
working men could never be respected by their em-
ployers so long as they did not respect themselves, or
esteem themselves something better than mere machines
created to make fortunes for their masters, and then die,
worn out, miserable paupers.—(Hear, hear.)
After some few other observations,
The CHAIRMAN suggested an alteration in the fourth
proposition, which he contended would have the effect of
keeping the acts of the boards free from the consequences
of " constructive conspiracy and decision."—(Hear.)
The alteration was in substance that an application
should be made to Parliament for an Act to legalise the
decision of those local boards.
The meeting then adjourned for an hour.
At two o'clock the Delegates re-assembled, and re-
sumed the discussion on the amended form of the fourth
proposition.
A DELEGATE, from Sheffield, said he was opposed to
the local boards, on the ground that the masters would
buy off the working men associated with them by a sum
of money, in the same way as Members of Parliament
bought votes at an election.
The DELEGATE from the framework-knitters of Not-
tingham stated the many grievances of which the trade
had to complain, amongst others, that some of them
could not earn 6s. a week. He was of opinion that the
boards of trade should consist of journeymen and men
not in any way connected with manufactures or manu-
facturers. He then read some statistical statements, to
illustrate the impoverished state of the trade in Italy.
Another hardship these men had to complain of was,
that they were subject to deductions to the amount of
10s. a week by the masters, which left them but ss. or
6s. for their support; and those deductions were made
for the whole week, even if the workman worked
but one day that week, or was taken ill, &c.
On these grounds he called for some measure by which
to better their condition, and would support the pro-
position.
The REPRESENTATIVE of the Manchester makers-up
said that his trade had had little or nothing to com-
plain of.
The DELEgITO from the calico-printers was in favour
a the proposition, as he conceived it was very much
wanted to protect the workmen, who were totally at the
mercy of the masters, and were liable to be called up at
any hour of the night, though they might have been idle
for weeks before.
The discussion continued until the usual hour for
closing, fire o'clock, when the meeting adjourned till to-
I morning (this day).
T
lted

It may serve as an useful caution connect. wit
foreign railways, to mention a circumstance which has
just occurred with regard to one proposed to be formed
in the State of Sardinia, the name of which need not
be specified. The circular issued states, that subscrip-
tions are received by the London Joint-stock Bank, in
London, by a banking-house at Vienna, and by Messrs.
Morro, Alberti, and Co., and Mr. Bartolomeo Parodi' at
Genoa. The latter, by a letter of the 18th inst., de-
clares that his name has been used without his know-
ledge or consent, and that he is is no way concerned in
the project in question.—Times.
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.—There is a com-
plete clearance of the houses from Holborn to Lily-
street, Saffron-hill, comprising more than three-fourths
of the distance to Clerkenwell, and the road is nearly
formed to its proper level, the whole open remnant of
the old Fleet ditch having been covered over. No an-
nouncement, however, has yet been made for the sale of
the remainder. The road now complete from White-
chapel to Spitalfield's Church ha 3 been formed and paved
on each side, the gas lamps having been erected, and the
whole line to the docks will be ready for traffic in the
course of the summer.
DIFFICULTIES Or DIFFERENTIAL DUT lES.—The
new sugar duties, which were intended to come into
operation on Friday, the 14th inst., through some blunder
in the wording of the resolutions, were not permitted to
take effect until Saturday; upon which day several par-
cels were taken out of bond in this town. The work of
legislation, however, seems to have been somewhat fragile;
—Sir Robert Peel and his colleagues being evidently no
grocers. So mysterious are the definitions and descrip-
tions of the different qualities of clayed, muscovado,
raw and refined, that nor a Custom-house officer in
the town was capable of saying what amount of
duty was required to be paid upon the samples pre-
sented to them ; and, on packets being forwarded
to Liverpool, with a request for aid and counsel,
the answer returned was that the authorities there were
in precisely the same predicament, and had been com-
pelled to send off to London for instructions. This ap-
pears to us to be but a commencement of difficulties.
The question that has arisen, and which has been set at
rest for the moment by directions to take the lowest rate
on the particular sorts submitted for decision, is a mere
trifle to some that are likely to be mooted.—Preston
Chronicle.