§ Lord Skelmersdalepresented Petitions from Wigan, and from the money-paying masters of Great Bolton, in Lancashire, against the Truck System, stating the great evils of the system, and that it was equally injurious to the masters and the workmen.
§ Lord Wharncliffesaid, he had now to place on their Lordships' Table two Bills on the subject of the truck system, and the payment of the wages of labour. These were the same Bills in substance as were introduced by a friend of his last year in the House of Commons, and he wished to act with regard to them only in concurrence with the views of the friends of the measure in the other House. He was glad that their Lordships had now the power to originate propositions of this nature, while the House of Commons was occupied on other and perhaps more important business; and he had every reason to approve of the resolution which the other House passed at the close of last Session, enabling their Lordships to do so. He would not then occupy the time of the House in explaining the meaning and objects of these Bills, which would be better done on the second reading. The noble Lord presented two Bills, one to repeal several Acts and parts of Acts prohibiting the payment of wages in goods, or otherwise than in the current coin of the Realm, and the other to prohibit in certain trades, and in certain parts of Great Britain, the payment of wages in goods, or otherwise than in the current coin of the Realm.—Both were read a first time.