40 
HOW FAR IS IT ADVISABLE TO INTERFERE 
BY LEGISLATION WITH THE HOURS OF 
LABOUR ? 
By ALDERMAN GREENWOOD, J.P. October 18th, 1892. 
Alderman Greenwood said that he considered there was no 
more important and far-reaching, or vital question to the best 
interests of the community, and he thought that it was of the 
utmost importance that gentlemen engaged in the staple trade 
should be well-informed upon the question as to the Parlia- 
mentary interference with the hours of labour. It was not a 
new departure, as Parliament had interfered with the hours of 
labour early on, and upon many occasions, and more particularly 
in 1888. Never, however, had there been any interference with 
adult male labour, as they had always dealt with women, 
children and young persons. They had developed in the 
country a greater variety of industries and built up a more 
gigantic commerce than ever before, and therefore there ought 
to be the strongest possible reasons given for such interference. 
The entire commerce of the world was about 4,000 millions per 
annum in imports and exports. Of that trade over 1,200 millions 
was done by the British Empire, or about 30 per cent. of the 
entire trade ; 750 million pounds worth was done by the United 
Kingdom. He must concede that they ought not to be too intent 
upon the preservation of their trade as to sacrifice the physical, 
or social or moral welfare of the community, and if it could be 
shown that some class of society were suffering in consequence 
of the laws, and that the alteration would ameliorate some 
portion of the community, and that without interfering with the 
trade, such interference would be justified. Proceeding, 
Alderman Greenwood then mentioned some of the cases in which 
he considered the Legislature might interfere. He said that he 
was strongly convinced that in all trades in which female labour 
was engaged Parliament was justified in interfering. There 
were some trades at present carried on in such a way as to be 
detrimental to the persons engaged in the trade. The 
upholsterers of London worked 60 hours per week. Women 
were engaged in that trade, and during the season it was a very 
common thing for them to work all night. That was a case in 
which Parliamentary interference was justifiable. Quoting from 
the evidence of an eminent doctor given before the Labour 
Commission, he showed that it would be much better if a longer 
time elapsed before women went to the mill after confinement. 
It was stated that the deaths of children under one year of age, 
