ON women's lahgur. 295 



with the ' particulars ' clause tends to make wages more uniform and to 

 level them up. 



The smaller workshops have recently come under more efficient in- 

 spection. One of the lady inspectors reports that under inspection they 

 often become of a higher class, do better work, and attract better workers. 

 The same improvement takes place in laundries. 



In some cases girls take out-work in order to work longer hours than 

 are allowed in the factory ; and restriction of hours may thus tend to 

 increase out- work ; but in the main out- work is only taken from necessity 

 by women who cannot leave their home all day. 



Every enlargement of the tield of inspection among the small work- 

 shops (the smallest of which are said still to escape inspection) lead.s at 

 once to a shortening of hours and impro^■ement of general conditions. 



On all sides there was agreement that great improvements had taken 

 place in sanitary conditions. The factory inspectors and medical officers 

 work together, and a high standard is aimed at and is gradually being 

 attained. 



I now summarise the information I obtained on the lines laid down by 

 the Committee : — 



I. (1) The legislation of 1874 and the parts of the Acts since that 

 date which are specially operative have decided the hours and conditions 

 of women's work in the woollen and worsted industries ; in the ready- 

 made clothing trade the normal week is less than the legal hours, but 

 overtime is closely limited by the Acts ; in the boot trade the hours are 

 less than the legal minimum. In respect of sanitation and safety the 

 Acts tend to level up the worst conditions to the best. 



(2) In many cases persons unrestricted by the Acts obtain employment 

 at times, and of a nature decided by the Acts, chiefly in continuance of 

 the women's work ; also in a great part, but not the whole, of the woollen 

 and worsted industries, men necessarily work the same hours as women. 



II. (1) There has been no effect on wages directly traceable to the 

 Acts. 



(2) The cases in which women have not been employed because of 

 restrictions are very few and unimportant. 



(3) No imjjortant changes in division of labour or the use of machinery 

 have been initiated bv the Acts, but the regulation of the time of work 

 has many intricate effects. 



(4) and (5) There is no direct evidence as to the effect on women's 

 industrial or social efficiency, but there is general agreement that longer 

 hours would be harmful, and that the existing restrictions are beneficial. 



In general, it may be said that the whole industry of the West Riding 

 is moulded to suit the peculiar conditions of supply and subdivision of 

 work caused by the prevalence of women's and children's labour, and the 

 Factory Acts have had considerable influence in determining the nature 

 of the supply of labour in detail. The Acts have had no perceptible and 

 traceable effect either on the amount of trade, or on the main lines of the 

 subdivision of work, or directly on the amount of earnings, all of which are 

 decided by wider- reaching influences ; but their effects on the comfort, 

 health, and regularity of the lives of tlie workers have been great and 

 beneficial, 



