ON women's labour. 287 



reports are contained in Appendices I. to IX. The Committee present 

 these results as instahnents of opinions and information received by them 

 bearing upon the questions referred to them, but must not be understood 

 to have adopted any of the conclusions arrived at by the investigators, or 

 to present them as the opinion of the Couimittee. 



Reports having reference to the industries of Glasgow and other 

 parts of Scotland have been received, but they are reserved for a future 

 report, as some of the questions involved have given rise to discussion, 

 and it is desirable that fuller information should be obtained. 



It should be observed that all the subjoined statements relate to a 

 time previous to January 1, 1902, when the Factories and Workshops 

 Act, 1901, came into operation. 



The Committee have also obtained information bearing upon the inquiry 

 from foreign countries, the results of which are set forth in Appendices X. 

 to XV. 



For obtaining further information and presenting the general results 

 of the inquiry in a complete form they desire to be reappointed. 



I. — The Economic Effect of Legislation regulating Women^s Labour in the 

 Cotton Industry of Lancashire. By Professor S. J. Chapman. 



By the Act of June 6, 1844 (7 Vict., c. 15), all adult females in fac- 

 tories were made subject to the same restrictions as young persons. They 

 were therefore forbidden to work, as a rule, more than sixty-nine hours 

 per week, or twelve hours a day, or to work between the hours of 8.30 p.m. 

 and 5.30 A.M., except in comparatively rare cases. By the Act of 1845 

 (8 «fe 9 Vict., c. 29) all-night work by women was strictly forbidden. The 

 Acts had no marked effect on the demand for women, though the number 



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



forced what was customary before, in the case of the wom.en 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 industrj' in question, or in other 

 industries related thereto ? 



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



(1) Has it lowered or raised the wages of women (either temporarily or 



permanently) ? 

 ^2) Has it caused any displacement of women 1 



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



division of labour ? 



(4) Has it increased the efficiency of the women themselves, as industrial 



agents ? And is this efficiency due to all, or only to some, of the legal 

 restrictions 1 



(5) Has it increased their economic efficiency as members of society (e.^., with 



relation to home life, the health of the children, the morality of the 

 race), and are these effects due to all, or only 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 manage- 



ment, 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. 



