702 
Belegstellen. 
the value of those articles, should be added to the workmen and master 
manufacturers, for the purpose of arbitrating and getting them to agree 
ıpon disputed points? — Yes, I think it might. 
882, The boards of trade have been in operation about three years 
in Paisley, have they not? — For three years there has been a table 
of prices for trimmings, and for near four years for other kinds of plain 
work; in the heavy line it has been in existence two years. The silk- 
gauze table came into operation on the 1st of July last year. 
883. Then during the case of the trimmings, how many disputes 
have arisen where an arbiter was required? — There never has any dispute 
arisen from any attempt to pay below the table price; the disputes fre- 
quently are about bad materials, and misunderstandings about the engage- 
ment, bad-finished work, etc.; but there never has been a dispute, so far 
as I know, in consequence of any manufacturer giving less than the table 
prices. In the silk-gauze there have been complaints of manufacturers 
endeavouring to give out work at less prices than the table stated, but 
not in the trimming. 
884. Then do you conclude that if there were boards of trade existing 
for Paisley and Glasgow, or for Scotland generally, in the hand-loom 
business, that very rarely indeed there would be disputes, provided there 
could be some person capable of judging added to that board of trade, 
to be an impartial arbiter between the masters and men, when cases of 
under-payment occurred which were capable of being proved against the 
manufacturers? — I think that disputes would occur very seldom. When 
I speak about the opinion of the people of Paisley, their opinion is that 
it should be composed of weavers and masters; but from my experience 
in Paisley, the view I have taken of it is, that had there been a manu- 
facturers’ committee in existence for the last 25 years, and if the weavers 
had not had any connexion with it, they would not have agreed among 
themselves to reduce prices in the same way that it has been done in- 
dividually, by one trying to make cheaper than his neighbour. Had there 
been a committee of manufacturers, without weavers at all, my conviction 
is, they would never as a body have agreed to reduce prices so far as 
they have done. 
885. Do you suppose that in the event of those boards of trade 
being established in Scotland, it would be necessary that corresponding 
boards of trade should be established in England and Ireland? — Yes, 
[ think so; because if Manchester were to make cheap, Paisley and Glas- 
yow must either make cheap or give up the trade, Paisley has suffered 
extremely from the introduction of French manufactured goods into this 
market; it has been a greater detriment to Paisley than anything else 
within the last 20 years. It occurred first in the silk-gauze trade, in the 
year 1826, and the manufacturers and weavers at that time petitioned; 
they were unsuccessful: all the other manufacturers in Paisley stood