The New York herald., 1872-07-11

the shop alone there are generally from six hun
iobs there are usually three times that number II
you give an order to Cubitt Co. for mansion, a Ia
Of Sa9a c or cnS tney
six months without having to g0sbey0nd their own
yard for an article they put into it..
AN INTERVIEW WITH A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE
BUILDERS SOCIETY.
On telling Mr. Punkett that had called on him
for the NEW YORK HERALD the John Rullish reserve
peculiar to his nation and very marked among his
class disappeared In moment. He assured me OF
the pleasure It would give him to AFFORD me any
readers. Striking the iron while 1t was hot
asked him how long experinceer er he had had OF the
II have been in this establishment thirty-One years
altogether, and for twenty-five years have been a
CORREspoNDENr-How many strikes have you had
among your men in that timer
MAsTER-There was the big strike in 1852 which
you know about, and small one In 1885, which did
not come to anything. reckon this is the third
that has happened in London.
what way do you think they have been successfulf
MAsTER-I won't deny that they have tended to
raise wages; but then the men overlook this other
TACT that the increased wages have entailed re.
action In the trade and thrown many hands out OF
INSTRUMENTATION much might the cost of
building labor have advanced during the period
of these strikes, or say within the last twenty
MAsrER-Possiby fifteen per cent. another
large builder has given me considerably higher
tham tns put WITH an cas
the rise OF wages)
Observation-Disclosures are the men asking in the
MAsTER-They have two objects in view-one to
get their hours reduced from fftysix and half to
hfty-One per week, and the other to get ID more
money for the reduced quantity than they are re-
cevng now-that is, 1885, Sd. instead OF 37s. 3d. per
week.
CORREspoNDENT-which Of these demands do the
masters seem to have the greater difficulty In COM
plying with
as a question OF supply and demand, and had evil
dence that labor was to be obtained at existing
masters and individual workmen were not inter-
CoRRRspONDENT-You were chairman, were you
MAsTER-Not really that. Ipresded at the meet
ing Of the Builders Society," which resolved on con-
v0king general meeting of the trade, but have
not had much connection with the Builders Asso-
you must understand, is temporary body,
the same as in 1859, but the sOciety'is of long
you kd INFORM me
what has been the guiding policy Of the masters In
dealing with the mems memorials and from what
motives they have endeavOred to act?
MAsTER-Our position was always clear enough.
We held that the demands Of the memorial were not
warranted by the condition OF the trade, and told
CoRREsPoNDENT-The how did you relent so far
as to offer to submit the whole issue to arbitration
MASTERING reckoned OF course, on being able
to satisfy the arbtrators Of the reasonableness OF
our action.
were they not, to make sOme concessions
MAsTER-They have never said so or held out any
CoRREsPoNDENr-How do you account for the
miscarriage of the negotiations which preceded
NAsTER-These were not regarded as negotiations
but as conferences granted TO the men at their re-
quest They came and stated in 80 many words
what they wanted. We could not grant 1t and the
deputations had ID power to make any nr0dihca-
tlon Of their ultimatum, or the AFFAIR might have
Observation-Disclosures there much unanimity
among the masters in resolving on O lock out 7
MAsTER-There was considerable majority in IA
vor oft.
CoRREsPoNDENr-Do you think it has answered the
masters expectations
nesday, sixty-six of the largest firms in London
have locked out and no doubt others will follow as
they can arrange for it,
| good moral effect do you think on the men ?
MASTER don't suppose so. Lock-outs are quite
as bad strikes for producing Ill feeling between
employers and employed.
| CoRREsPONDENT-The may l ask what you think
THE SITUATION Nows
MAsTER-The two sides seem to me to be running
in parallel lines, with very little chance Of meeting
| until one OF them alters Its course.
CORRESPONDENT DO you suppose that the ma
jority of the masters are still indisposed to do any
MAsrER-They hold another committee meeting
to-day but have very little notion what turn the
| CORREspoSDENr-How many men do Messrs
Cubitt Il Co. employ on an average
MASTER-FrOm TWENTY-FIVE hundred TO three
thousand, including those in the shop and on vari-
GUS Jobs.
them
MAsTER-That is a matter take no cognizance
OF whatever: The men have as much right to COM
coerce or intimidate Others
CORREsPONDENT-Have uniOnists great influence
| over the rest OF the men
MASTERING doubt about 1t, and quite natural
! that they should. Wherever you have lot OF men
| together there few who will care to stand out
| ftn nrNtnr NJ fln hnh
| CORREsPoNDENT-As director of this large estab-
lishment would you say that builders have more
trouble in controlling their men than they had be-
| fore the introduction OF unionst principles
| MAsTER-There is no difference whatever that
know Of except in like this. Employers never
| hear anything about unOnism In their shops until
| the outbreak of trade disputes.
| HEARING or THE OTHER SIDE
| Within an hour after had thanked Mr. Punkett
| for his Information and wished him good morning
| was down at a small public house in back street
in Westminster, fitting on treble pair of mason's
| dogged Engishmen, fresh from the malet. They
had been working up to the day of the lockout,
| and 1t was no fault Of their own which trans
| formed them from inofensive artisans into
mutineers, with slightly soured tempers. The
| together so as to embrace the experience of all
three. Though not strictly personal in FORM they
are genuine In substance. For the reason already
stated withhold names.
CoRREsPoNDENr-How long have you been in Lon
! don working masonsS
| WoRKaAN-The eldest of the three had been
! twenty years.
CoRREspoNDENT-What was the rate of wages
| when you commenced work here
WoRKMAN-Up to the spring of 1853 we had five
shillings day for ftyeight and half hours work.
| Then when we started nine hours agitation the
masters put Off with an increase Of sixpence per
| day. In 1861, soon after the termination Of the
nine hours strike, they forced upon us the hour
system, and made the wages seven pence per hour
for ftysix and half hours per week. In 1865 they
advanced US penny an hour, without compelling us
to strike. Afterwards, when 1t suited their con-
venience to have less work done in winter they
gave us the nine hours at our own expense during
the three winter months.
CoRREspONDENr-What is the condition of the
London masons compared with those in the prov
inces
WoRKMAN-Much worse, sir, we think. We
reckon we would be well In the country with
six pence or nine pence less than in London.
| CORREsPONDENT-What makes such difference |?
A wORKMAN's STORY.
WoRgMAN-Weii sir, both rent and food
cheaper in the country. There you have more space