A recent issue of Reynolds' Newspaper, referring to the action of the English Ministry in improving the lot of the work men in Government establishments, says . —The discuesion which aro.e on the Navy Estimates had the effect of drawing from the Government, a pregnant pronounce ment which we commend to the attention of f riends of labour everywhere, aud of the workmen in Governmeut establishments in partioular. Briefly stated, they declared their intention to abolish the classification of workmen and make a uniform rate of pay for the respective trades; to equalise the wages of Government employees with those of private employees; to, abandon the probationary periods for workmen ; and to inquire whether the eight hours day can bs established in Government depart ments. Theae constitute a signal triumph of the claims of labour, and we hail it *as a far-seeing measure of justice on the part of the Government. The working men of the country will not be slow, we hope, to note that this is one of the first fruits of a Radical Government, and that it has availed itself of the earliest opportunity to do a work which the Tory Party might have done at any time during their six years of office, but which they were par ticularly careful never to attempt. Tory promises are one thing ; Tory performances are another; and, however they may pose on election plat p orms as the friends of Labour, theyare very swift to forget their protestations as soon as they attain to power.
Jottings.
