The Irish Builder from Dublin, Dublin, Ireland • Page 4

50 THE IRISH BUILDER. Maiici 1)0. undoubted hardship, in order to minimise tbnt hardship; hut others would never budge an inch from the litteru sciijiln. If the surveyors were armed with discretionary powers, to be exercised ou their own responsibility, they would always take care to have good reasons both for permissions and refusals and such an alteration in the law would surely be welcome to all. In conclusion, Mr.

Slater said the London Comity Council had not yet given due attention to tiie reform of the Building Acts but it was essentially a matter for the Municipal Parliament to take up and he looked forwurd confidently to the day in the not far-distant future when this great metropolis would be administered in accordance with the regulations of a model Building Act, and when Loudon, in addition to being the largest, would be in a fair way to become (as she easily might) the test arranged, best built, most sanitary, and generally most magnificent city in the world. made, either in the rate of wages or as to the hours of work such notice to be given only so as to expire on the 1st of May. VII. Trade Committee of Coneiliution. 1.

A Committee of Conciliation to be established between the employers and the employed in the trade to settle any trade diller-ence that may arise, the committee to consist of an equal number of employers and employed, not exceeding live each. 2. Should any dispute arise between an employer and his workmen, it shall be submitted to the committee, the decision of the committee to he binding upon both parties. 3. Either party employers or employed making any new demand, or originating any change not agreed to by tho other, shall ask for a meeting of the committee of conciliation to consider, aud, if possible, decide the question raised.

The terms of agreement were signed by the following: Wilmau J. Wai.sh, Archbishop of Dublin, Chairman of Conference; Josepu M. Meade, Alderman, J. President Builders' Association Thomas King, Master of tlie Trade George Movers, Alder-man, D.L., J. LL D.

John P. Cox, Samuel II. Bulton, J. P. Joseph M.

Byrne, James Martin, Michael Enuis, Thomas Wardrop, lion. Sec. Builders' Association John Byrne, Secretary Brick and Stoue Lavers' Association. TIIE BRICK AND STONE-LAYING TRADE. TERMS OF AUIiKEMEXT.

The following are the terms agreed to in settlement of the various matters that have been under jnsideration at the recent conferences, which have been signed by the representatives of the Dublin Builders' Association and the Incorporated Brick and Stoue Layers I. 'J he Hour System. The system of payment of wages by the hour to he in operation from Monday next, the 3rd of March. II. I Inurs nf Wink.

The hours of work to line may pass, require to be conciliated the energies of the law agents aud others employed for the adverse parties, are exerted to the uttermost, as, no matter how the railway eventuates, whether the proprietors ever realize a fraction on their investment, or the derive any increase of means of intercourse, the law and engineering expenses must be paid, no matter bow enormous they may have become. Those expenses have actually amounted in uniny cases to per mile on the eutire line, and in average are not less than per mile, wherever there is opposition, no matter whether well founded or not. All this must ultimately be defrayed by the public. The companies regard it of course only as a part of their investment, on which profit is to bo made equally with that fur fie construction of the railway, or for the expenses of the power. These preliminary operations furnish, however, a rich harvest to solicitors and engineers, and hence have arisen throughout England a vast number of railway enterprises, which, undertaken without suitable investigation as to their liual results, have brought ruin upon those persons who were induced to embark their property iu them.

There are altogether iu operation iu the British Islands 1,732 miles of railway of these 1,014 miles pay an inte'est of Ao 6s. 7d. per iTOO ou their capital, amounts to A'4 IDs. 4d. per cent, on their price.

There are 571 miles of railway on which the return in no case exceeds 4 per cent, ou the paid-up capital iu a few it amounts to X2 and in some but to los. per A'100. The remaiuiug 147 utiles consist of branch lines, subordinate to the lirst class, and prouueiug about from 3J to 4 per cent. It is thus evident that nearly oue third of the entire extent of railway iu England has been au absolutely uufortuuate speculation, and yet ou these bad lines a total capital of has been expended, the present value of which is now not more thau Ou the other hand, the companies are in possession of the great lines of intercourse realise enormous prolils. The Loudon and Birmingham having cost Xo, pay 2s.

percent. The Liverpool and Manchester, and Grand Junction, having cost respectively aud pay each JJ10 per the maximum allowed by law. The lines of intercourse being thus absolutely private speculation, one set of capitalists are ruined, another set are enriched, but the oiihlic, so vitally interested iu the niiiin aestiuii of facility of intercourse, is left to' out of consideration. Wit1 those examples of prolit on one side and of loss upon another, it is easily understood that no ilifliculty would be lound in obtaining capitalists ready to construct those leading lines which are certain of being the great of intercourse with tnu capital of the country. But capitalists will not be fiuthcuuiing to extend those lines into the variety of districts where the means of intercourse are most required where the railroad would he a source of social stimulus towards improvement, and by connecting together the most remote parts of the islaud, aud the extremes of our civilization, dilluse the activity of industry and good example over all its part.

'1 hut would not pay. The great trunks near Dublin will ceitaiuly pay and hence ttie capitalists will obligingly take possession of them. Aud similarly, if ail the provisions which come up for the supply of Dublin, wero conducted to tho same market, and that the power was given to an individual to ievy what toll lie liked before the inhabitants could gel any food, there, is no doubt hut that we would find capitalists ready tu build the market. Such a case is just the parallel to the main trunk railways. us conceive this country destitute of roads, and that un individual undertook to n.ake a road, on condition that no person should be allowed to travel or hold coiniuuni-cation with bis neighbour except by bis road unit no person should, when ou the road, travel at a greater or less speed than lire RAILWAYS: A VIEW OF THEM IN I FIRST HALF OF PRESENT CENTURY.

Many of the opinions expressed by the late Sir Rubert Kane tiie subject of the position of lailways.up to the year 18 15, may well staud side by side with those promulgated by the manager of the London and North-Western line within the past mouth, and which we print ou another page. Sir Robert wrote The influence of the railway system on the industrial and social circumstances of the country is so great as to demand, upon the part of the Government, the most careful supervision. This haA: J.i"t been as yet accorded to it. When riuiWiiTl4i. first proposed, their results were not foreseen, nor their vast power understood, even by their advocates, still less by the Government, aud hence, being looked upon as individual speculations, into which every capitalist should be at liberty to cuter, when ami wh re he liked, and to realise as much profit as he could, there was only required a P.n liamcu-tary procedure, similar to that necessary for obtaining permission to open a new line or brauch of common road.

The railway, when once opened, took possession necessarily of the entire intercourse betwoeu its terminations. It instantly abolished the usual ami previous modes of travelling, and this once effected, all fear of competition was removed, aud the cost of the transport was rendered such as the managers thought would be most remunerative. The velocities were also kept far below what the system is capable of producing, for the expense increases very rapidly with tiie Velocity, and hence to obtain the greatest amouut of prolit, the speed uiiint be kept low. When a proposition for a new railway is brought belore Pariiameut it is inevitahly opposod, either by those who, desirous of forming a lino in a direction, advance their claims to a monopoly of their own or by such us, having property along the line, are desirous of ohtaiuing tiie greatest possible amount of compensation, aud seek to enhance their import. nice by strong representations of the injury they sustain.

By such opposition the expense of obtaining toe necessary bill is enoi uiou.sly increased lauded proprietors of influence in either house, through whosu localities tho nt I.y tin; lau- sir 1 1 Kaiil. buljiiL: liuO una aumii, lslJ. sciulid tuitio.l. be as follows: From 1st of March to the iJlst of October, from a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

ou Saturdays, from a.m. to 2p.ni 57 hours of work each week, exclusive of time for meals. From the 1st November to the 15th November, from G.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, from 6.30 a.m.

to 2 p.ui 5-li hours per week. From the 10th November to 30tli November, from 7 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. ou Saturdays, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

50 hours per week. From the 1st December to 1st of January, from 7.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on Saturdays, from 7.30 a.m. to '2 p.m.

40 hours per week. From the 1st January to 31t of January, from 715 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Saturdays, from 7.15 a.m. to '2 p.m. 49J hours per week.

From the 1st February to 14th February, from 7 a.m. to 0.15 p.m. ou Saturdays, from 7 a.m. to '2 p.m. 52J hours per week.

From 15th February to the end of the month, from 0.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Saturdays, from 0.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 5CJ hours per week, changes from one set of hours to another to be made in ail cases on the day of the mouth mentioned, irrespective of the day of the week ou hich it may happen to fall.

Except in the case of contracts, members of the trade working in factories, breweries, distilleries, ic, to be allowed to work the hours of those linns. III. Time fur ileitis. The time fur meals to be as follows 1. During the eight months from the 1st of March to the 31st of October, on the live full working days, an hour aud a-half each day on Saturdays, no hour.

2. During the fuiir months from the 1st of November to the end of February, ou the live full working days, an hour each (lay; on Saturdays, from the 1st of November to the 30th of November, and from the 15th of January to the end of February, thtee-quurters of an hour ou Saturdays, from tho 1st of December to the 14th of January, half an hour. IV. Jinte of It wjes. The rate of wages to he as follows 1.

Within ordinary working hours, 7id. per hour. 2. From 5.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m., 9d.

per hour. 0. From midnight lo 0 a.m., Is. 3d. per hour.

V. I( in in tiie. Cmuitrij. Men going to work at any place bey olid one mile outside the city boundary, to agree with the employers as to terms. VI.

llu'le iiij'iiilnuj In future, three mouths' notice to be given by either party to the other before any change he.