The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1872-10-09

PLUMIER, the London correspondent
of the Sydney Herald speaks as follows
of the great strike of builders in London
Unquestionbly the most important of
the labour disputes in this country is that
of the London builders, although the
strugglelacks much of the intensity which
characterised that of 1859. As mentioned
in previous letters, the demand of the men
is for a working day of nine hours at the
rate of Cd. per hour. By way of COM
mencing operations, they withdrew the
men from two of the leading London
establishments, the employers replying by
general lockout. Meetings on both
sides followed, the language at each being
of the most determined character, and
protracted and severe struggle seemed
imminent. In the midst of the dispute,
the executive of the Labour and Capital
Committee, organized by the Social
Science Association, proposed that the
matter should be submitted to arbitration,
but the idea was at once repudiated by
the men, who declared they would not be
satisfied with anything short of the nine
hours. But while things looked so des-
perate, portion of the men, the masons,
entered into negotiations with the en-
ployers, the result being a compromise,
whereby the men agreed to work long
hours i'll summer and short hours in winter,
the whole to form an average of nine
hours per day throughourthe year. They
also agreed to accept eightpence half
penny per hour. The carpenters and
Others were furious when they heard of
this, and have since held meetings at
which the conduct of the masons has been
most severely condemned. The masons,
however, were merely looking after their
own interest. They did not like the idea
of passing the summer season in enforced
idleness, with the prospect of remaining
equally idle during the winter, for the
mason's calling can be properly practised
only during continuance of fine weather.
The struggle has therefore resolved itself
into kind of triangular duel between
the employers, the masons, and the car
penters.
1t is noticeable that little heed has been
taken of portion of the agreement in
which the employers pledge themselves
to the paying of wages on Friday eve
nings. Were this to be carried out it
would do much towards preventing the
evil of late hours on Saturdays, to say
nothing of the effectual blow aimed at
Saturday night drinking. There has been
considerable talk respecting the formation
of Cooperative Building Association,
but at present nothing practical has been
done, few of the men caring to take on
themselves the responsibilities and cares
of business. These they prefer leaving
to others.
The best friends of the workmen regard
with some misgivings the indiscreet man.
ner in which some of the men are using
their power. In more than one instance,
no sooner have they obtained the nine
hours, than they demand eight, and SO
with wages. In several cases, the men,
after receiving an advance of ten per
cent, are demanding a further increase.
The result is, as before mentioned, that
everything is rising in price, to the no
small discomfort of persons in the receipt |
of small fixed incomes; salary Of e12O
now going only as far as gl0O did two
years ago. A continuance of this state
of affairs may render possible scheme
which has often been preached and
ridiculed, namely, the importation of
Chinese labour. The Chinaman has made
himself useful in Australia and the United
State; and why not in this country. So
ask some of our employers. Others talk
of importing materials ready made for
use, in fact so far as the carpenters and
ioiners employed in the building trades
are concerned, they are already begin
ming to find competitors among their
Scandinavian brethren. True, our build
ing operatives take all this very coolly,
but they forget that Norwegian joinery
is already largely used in this country,
and that every increase of price in the
English article furnishes an additional
inducement to the Scandinavian employ
ers to gain a secure footing in the English
market"
1t seems thai. this country is not the