t members when
wrongfully treated, cheated or choused. Prior to 1834, when some 20,000
persons assembled on Newhall Hill, March 31 to protest against the
conviction of Dorset labourers for trades' unionism, few of these
societies were locally in existence; but the advent of Free Trade seems
to have shown all classes of workers the necessity of protecting their
individual interests by means of a system of Protection very similar,
though on smaller scale, to that abolished by Sir Robert Peel and his
friends. That there was a necessity for such trade societies was clearly
shown by the harsh manner in which they were denounced by John Bright at
a Town Hall banquet, held April 28, 1875, that gentleman evidently
demurring to the anomally of working men being Protectionists of any
kind. Foremost among the local unions is the National Society of
Amalgamated Brassworkers, originated April 18, 1872 with over 5,000
members now on its books, having in its first eight years subscribed and
paid to members out of employ no less than L29,000.--The Builders'
Labourers combined in 1861, and pay out yearly over L200 for sick and
funeral benefits.--The National Association of Master Builders was
organised here on Dec, 18, 1877.--The Butcher's Trade and Benevolent
Association, organised in 1877, helps its members in case of need, keeps
a sharp look out when new Cattle Markets, &c., are proposed, and
provides a jury to help the magistrates in any doubtful case of
"scrag-mag," wherein horse-flesh, donkey meat, and other niceties have
been tendered to the public as human food.--The "gentlemen" belonging to
the fraternity of accountants met on April 20, 1882, to form a local
Institute of Chartered Accountants, and their clients know the result by
the extra charges of the chartered ones.--The Clerks' Provident
Association provides a register for good clerks out of employ for the
use of employers who may want them, and, of course, there can be no good
clerks out of employ except those who belong to the Association. It was
commenced in 1883, from a philanthropic feeling, but must rank among
trade societies as much as many others.--The Coal Merchants and
Consumers' Association, for regulating the traffic charges, and
otherwise protecting the trade (especially the sellers) was organised in
1869.--The Dairymen and Milksellers' Protection Society came into
existence April 2, 1884, and is intended to protect the dealers against
the encroachments of the