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Rh 97e September the Tramway Strike took place, apparently conducted by the Tramway Union. In October, the weavers of the Buckingham Mills refused to start work before 6-30 A.M. The working hours have been the same for many years, and there was no lengthening of hours as has been alleged. On the contrary they had recently been slightly shortened, forty minutes being allowed for dinner in the middle of the day instead of the thirty minutes required by the Factory Act. This refusal to attend work at 6 A.M. could very easily have been treated by the nianagement as a strike, but they were most anxious, as they felt the work-people were being misguided by the Union, that they should suffer as little as possible by the duration of the stoppage or by forfeiture of their Gratuity Funds. These funds are provided by the Companies without contribution by the workmen, in order to make some provision to enable them to retire to their villages after ten years' satisfactory consecutive service if they desire to do so. This lock-out only lasted three days, and work was apparent ly amicably resumed, the work-people attending punctually at the prescribed hour, 6 A.M. As the result of this first lock-out a good deal of abuse was hurled at the management, and a good many misstatements were made. Amongst others, it was stated that the selling price of rice which the management supplied to the work-people had been raised. It is perfectly true that when the Companies first commenced supplying the rice they did so at 4) and then 4 measures to the rupee, but, as we all know, the price of rice rose rapidly. Further, the Mill authorities found that the cheaper rice was being sold to outsiders 7