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legs," whereby they raised their funnel to its destination, 

 and now that the Company is in a position to supply bricks 

 better and cheaper than the hand- made they are excluded 

 from consumption " by order of the Committee of the 

 Brickmakers' Union." 



In further illustration of that " organization of labour," 

 which is the object of the leaders of these unions, I wish 

 to draw your attention to the proceedings of the stone- 

 masons. 



A contest is now going on between the master masons 

 and their men in respect to a new code of rules and 

 regulations which came into operation on the 1st of May. 

 The masters in this district have, as I understand, after 

 some show of resistance, succumbed to these rules, but 

 object to sign them, and the strike is continued for the 

 purpose of compelling them to attach their signatures. 



By far the most serious aspect of this " organization of 

 labour" is the attempt to shorten the hours of labour. 

 If it be true that the position of this country depends in 

 any degree upon the success of our manufacturing and 

 commercial operations, it appears to me that in shortening 

 the hours of labour we are striking at the very root of 

 that success which has hitherto attended us. 



We can only hope to maintain our position as a manu- 

 facturing nation so long as we are enabled to produce as 

 cheaply as our competitors abroad. 



This is a question by no means confined in its conse- 

 quences to contractors and their men the ordinary ope- 

 rations of manufacturing industry will soon be brought 

 under the same rule ; and although ' ' British industry" is 

 an enduring animal, its powers, after all, are limited. 



The Legislature has done much to free the industry of 

 this country from the trammels of Protection, and from 

 much objectionable taxation; but if the whole labour 



