400 EEPORT— 1901. 



members of that Committee return their thanks for accepting the invita- 

 tion to join them. 



The Committee, as thus enlarged, resolved that it would adopt the 

 classification of industries made by the Labour Commission, and would 

 request some of its own members and some other competent observers 

 to enter upon a local investigation of the question, as far as practicable, 

 in every locality in which such industries were pursued by women. 



It proceeded to prepare, for the use of the members and others thus 

 commissioned by it, the following scheme of investigation : — 



Scheme of Investigation for Commissioners. 



Commissioners should be supplied with — 



(1) Abstracts of legislation. 



(2) Information already obtained by parliamentary or other inquiries. 

 Commissioners should then visit the industry and make themselves 



acquainted with the nature of the A\'ork, and especially with any changes 

 which have taken place since the legislation for women began. 



Commissioners should observe the following points in their investiga- 

 tions : — 



I. The effects of the legislation generally. 



(1) Has it necessitated or induced any alteration of custom, or merely 

 enforced what was customary before, in the case of the women themselves, 

 in the industry in question, or in others related thereto ? 



(2) Has it necessitated any alteration in the case of other workers 

 (men, young persons, or children) in the industry in question, or in other 

 industries related thereto 1 



II. The effects of the legislation specially on the position of women, 

 whether (a) prejudicially : — 



(1) Has it lowered the wages of women relatively, either temporarily 

 or permanently ? 



(2) Has it caused any displacement of women 1 



(3) Has it initiated any important changes in the use of machinery 

 or the division of labour ? 



Or (6) beneficially : — 



(1) Has it increased the efficiency of the women themselves as indus- 

 trial agents ; and is this efficiency due to all, or only to some, of the legal 

 restrictions ? 



(2) Has it increased their economic efficiency as members of society 

 {e.g., with relation to home life, the health of the children, the morality 

 of the race), and are these effects due to all, or only to some, of the 

 restrictions ? 



(N.B.- — The legislation may affect the demand for women's labour 

 (1) directly, in the industry in question by adding to difficulties of 

 management, or by diminishing the output of the women themselves, or 

 of others engaged in the work ; (2) indirectly, by effects on other 

 industries related to the industry in question ; or it may increase the 

 supply of women and their substitution for men by rendering the work 

 healthier or easier.) 



