336 



EEPORT — 1903. 



heard of two instances where the invention and introduction of a 

 machine can be directly traced to this cause. One of these, the folding- 

 machine in Derby, has already been discussed. The other is from the 

 tinplate industry of South Wales. In finishing tinplates it is necessary 

 to bran or rub them before they cool, and this is women's work. The 

 whole process of manufacture is carried on day and night, and before 

 regulation women used to work on night shifts as well as men. This was 

 forbidden by the Act of 1867, but apparently the prohibition did not 

 begin to be effective till after the Act of 1878, and night-work for women 

 lingered on in some cases till 188-5. The first general method of over- 

 coming the various serious difficulties thus caused was to employ young 

 men (over eighteen years old) by night, while the women worked by day. 

 This proved too expensive, and then a method was invented of keeping 

 the plates hot by steam jets till the women came in the morning to 

 finish them ; but too much space was necessary for branning them all day, 

 and the expense was considerable. Then attention turned to the 

 possibilities of machinery, with the result that a cleaning-machine was 

 Invented (about 1893), so that by 1898 we are told that ' ' the introduc- 

 tion of labour-saving machinery in the finishing branches of the tin- 

 plate industry has led to a great dislocation of manual labour. The new 

 machines are attended to by boys, who are employed on the system of day 

 and night shifts - and the system of eight-hour shifts, and as a conse- 

 quence female labour in the tin-houses is rapidly becoming a thing of the 

 past.' 



We have no means of determining the number thus displaced, but the 

 following figures afford some information : — 



Number of Persons engaged in the Manufacture of Tinplate Goods. 



There has been a further effect, in that lads on entering the trade now 

 begin in the finishing department, and are said to become more useful 

 workmen through knowing all the processes of the manufacture. 



It seems generally admitted that the Acts, which at first threatened 

 the welfare of the industry, have distinctly made for efiiciency and cheap- 

 ness ; and at no time (till the McKinley tariff) was there any check in the 

 progress of exports of tinplates. 



Some hand-branning is still done by girls by day, but this is diminishing 

 in consequence of the requirements for mechanical removal of the dust. 



{h) New Occupations for Women. 



It is suggested that women are prevented from taking positions of re- 

 sponsibility, and from taking advantage of the possibilities of new skilled 



' Factor)/ Inspector's Beport, 1898, p. 53. 



^ Boys over fourteen are allowed to work at night in this occupation. 



