Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 161, 29 June 1876, Page 4

The New York Times states that a recent 11 careful investigation into the condition of the labour market in that city, shows that the mechanical industries have not recovered from tbe depression caused by the financial panic of "The trade unions dow number only about one-third of their total strength three years ago. This is specially to be seen in the building trades, the societies in 1873 numbering over 10,000, while at the present time thej.nun.ber on the rolls in good standing is not much above 3000. Tn 1873 ther'Tarious unions had 48,180 members,, while at the present time they contain Jess" than 18,000, of which 8,790 are out oi employment. A careful^estimate of the workmen outside of trade organizations shows the probable number to be 58,350, of whom 21,428 are* idle. Tbe plumbers, gasfitters, painters, and those engaged in the building 'trades appear to have suffered the .worst. Wprk is also very dull a_npng tbe shipwrights, the coopers, the tailors, and the hatters. Although the condition of the boot and shoe makers is not as good as it was one year ago, the^ prospects of this class are regarded aa rather brighter than those of many otbers. (I.-.i • ..-*,-• All through the past week (says the London' correspondent of the Exeter Flying .TPpst) the Rolls Court has been packed' with rinkers interested in the mechanism of roller Bkates and those mysterious contrivances by which you are : e'o'abled to go through the outer edge (: without the risk of breaking your necjk.;.., Mr .Plimpton, the American inventor, filed a bill in Ohancery against Mr Malcolmsoo, the proprietor of 7 the, .second, Brighton Rink, for infringing his patent in one detail, and after two or three days' argument, has succeeded in proving the infringment. There will probably be an appeal- and roller skate cases will be as great a source of revenue to the gentlemen of tbe long robe as the capsule cases .'were, a few years ago, and as Ritual cases were till the Public Worships Regulation Act was passed, for I hear that Mr Plimpton intends to have a shot, at all his rival patentees in turn, anc^L believe (here are fifty-five ef them in the patent office. It is saitl that Mr Plimpton is. making £10,000 a-week by his skates, and I can quite believe tbe statement ; for if you want to open a rink you must pay him £250 to begin with as the price of a concession to use bis skates, aud then you must pay bim royalty on dvery pair of skates you use in the day, and you must buy those Bkutes fro/n his manufactory at his price--- t a iuncy price, of course — and you must keep them in order. He estimates bis profits from the use oi skates alone at doe of the Brighton rinks, at £200 a-week, and' every town io the country has rinks, some of them three or four, and all of them all day long. ,*_