ox women's labour. 311 



the prohibition of overtime authorised by the Acts ' tends to economy 

 and greater- ease of production without overworking the employees, 

 particularly where occasional times of pressure follow periods of slackness 

 and in the other cases contemplated by the Acts. There is great danger 

 of any i-elaxation being abused, but when trial has shown tliat overtime 

 cannot be altogether abolished (as p.g. where there is actual employment 

 of more expensive labour to carry on work which women are prevented 

 by law from doing) the authorities should give careful consideration to 

 the circumstances of the case. The Committee have not enough evidence 

 to recommend relaxation in any particular case. 



10. There are very few cases where women's labour has actually been 

 ■displaced by restriction. 



11. The information as to the general demand for women's labour 

 does not show any appreciable change that can be traced to the Acts, 

 but the statistics are of such a nature that a change might easily escape 

 observation. 



12. Women have lost some opportunities of overtime, but it is very 

 doubtful whether either the total number of hours worked or the total 

 earnings made have been diminished in any important cases. 



13. Thei'e is no conclusive evidence that the course of either rates of 

 wages or earnings has or has not been affected appreciably in conse- 

 quence of the Acts. 



14. As regards rates of wages and the allocation of work between 

 men and women the Acts are at the utmost among the less important of 

 the determining factors. 



15. The Acts have in some industries exerted a small but steady 

 pressure in favour of the more efficient and of the larger factories or 

 workshops. 



16. In a few cases legislation has hastened the introduction of 

 machinery and of new arrangements of work which have promoted 

 efficiency of production, even where some hardship or inconvenience has 

 l)een caused. 



17. There is some evidence that the regularisation of hours has pro- 

 moted the efficiency of women as productive agents. 



18. In some important industries as a whole, and in some processes 

 in others, the limitation of women's time has caused a limitation of men's 

 work, but the hours even thus limited are still more than those which 

 obtain in the majority of organised men's trades. 



19. There appears to be a falling off in the relative number of elderly 

 women returned as occupied. It is expedient that in considering legis- 

 lative measures care should be taken not to diminish any desirable oppor- 

 tunities for their employment, but so far no want of employment has 

 been traced directly to the Acts. 



20. The Acts may have caused some inconvenience and perhaps hard- 

 ship in special cases, in the main of a temporary character ; the better 



* Since 1S7S a Secretary of State has had power to extsnd the permission to work 

 overtime to any class of non-textile factories or workshops where certain deHned 

 special circumstances make it necessary. The Act of 1901 diminished the number 

 of evenings on which overtime may be worked from 48 to 30 per annum for seasonal 

 trades and from 60 to 50 for work on specified perishable articles, but gave the 

 Secretary of State additional power to prescribe conditions upon which fish and fruit 

 preserving and creameries may be exempt fjom the ordinary limits as to hours, 

 meal-tixaes, arfd Jaolidays. 



