ox women's labour. 303 



increased efficiency, and is due to («) better and more regular methods 

 of working ; (b) better accommodation. 



(b) is almost entirely due to factory legislation, while {a) is partly due 

 to the same cause through the decrease of overtime. 



I have referred to better accommodation of the workers and its causes. 

 Its results are found in the constancy of attendance, there being now less 

 minor sickness than formerly and a more cheerful attendance to work. 

 Under the conditions prevailing in the old tumbledown workshops head- 

 aches and petty sicknesses were common, and were due to low ceilings, 

 overcrowding, and bad ventilation and warming. The factory inspectors 

 have been assiduous in jjressing upon employers the necessity of giving 

 the woi'kers better accommodation, and this has had the desired effect. 

 Instead of just fulfilling the health clauses the present factories — at least 

 those wherein two thirds of the workers are engaged — exceed them. The 

 rooms are higher, lighter, and better ventilated. 



This has, of course, aff'ected all alike, and the effects on the men are 

 noticeable. Where the work is entirely hand-work much room, especially 

 overhead, is not required. The advent of machinery, especially the 

 larger machines, meant more space per worker and inore ligld. Hence 

 the rooms are larger and better. But in some parts of the factory where 

 machinery is not employed the rooms are also larger and lighter, with the 

 consequence that a man can do better and more work than ten or twenty 

 years ago at nearly similar tasks. 



This efficiency is due, then, to two sets of regulations : («) overtime ; 

 {b) ' health clauses.' 



By forcing the employers to make their trade as regular as possible 

 the overtime clauses have operated towards increased etiiciency, and by 

 forcing them to have better and lighter rooms the health clauses have 

 operated towards the same end. 



I have had no expression of opinion whether the Acts have affected 

 women in their home life. 



On the morals of the workers there has been a marked effect. ' Saint 

 Monday ' is now a thing of the past, and just as irregularity conduces to 

 drunkenness and irregular living, and the rush of overtime at the end of 

 the week, with nothing to do in the early parts, induced an irregular and 

 careless mode of life, so the comparative steadiness of the present methods 

 has tended to raise the standard of morality and sobriety. But a far 

 greater cause has been the improved sanitary arrangements. Fifteen 

 years ago I remember many closets in the Bristol factories which were 

 absolutely unfit for use. Males and females were supposed to use the 

 same ; the males used them, but in mmiy cases the women would not. I 

 have heard of cases where women suffered from internal disorders through 

 having to wait until they got home, instead of using a closet in the 

 factory. In some cases the women and girls used a bucket, emptied by 

 one of themselves after leaving off at night, and being kept in the work- 

 room all day. This is now done away with, and separate jjrovisiou of a 

 decent sort is made for both sexes. 



Tlie effects of the old loose system on the morals were bad. Much 

 loose language was common, and coarse jokes were very frequent. Tlie 

 system was an inducement to immoral relations, and cases Avere known 

 where illegitimate children resulted from them. A better class of girls is 

 now employed, and that this has been possible is in part due to the removal 

 of these evils. 



