346 REPORT— 1903. 



thought that the legislation had been good for the workers without ha^ ing 

 much influence on the industry ; but they need to have enough machinery 

 to cope with their maximum business in the restricted hours. The men 

 sometimes work overtime on work quite distinct from women's ; but the 

 men do not like it, and employers find it too expensive except for 

 emergencies. Employers one and all wished for permission to work over- 

 time on a few occasions in the year. Women have not been displaced 

 by restriction ; their iinmbers have increased, while men have become 

 fewer. Day-workers lost nothing by the reduction of one hour last year, 

 and piece-workers made up much of it by greater punctuality. 



We are informed on good authority tliat ' many cotton doubling 

 factories work some of their doubling machines at night, and men work 

 the machines that are operated during the day-time by women and 

 girls. . . . Each man seems to tend more maciiines tlian a woman does by 

 day.' In the lace manufacture youths do part of the preparatory process 

 at night that is women's work by day, when there is night-work and the 

 women's processes have not been carried out already on a sufficient 

 scale. 



The cigar industry of Coventry has grown up under the Acts, and the 

 hours are only fifty per week. The Acts appear not to influence the trade, 

 but one employer thinks that seasonal pressure might force on undue over- 

 time if it were legal. 



The cycle industry employs an increasing number of women, but the 

 hours are only fifty-four ; sometimes they work one hour more a day, but 

 generally meet pressure by employing more hands, who are easily obtained. 

 The Acts do not hinder the women obtaining responsible positions in 

 tyre manufacture. 



The vjatch-making in Coventry is becoming a factory and machine 

 industry, and the proportion of women to men has increased rapidly. The 

 trade is regular, overtime is not required, and the limitation of hours is 

 not felt. 



In Derby many women are employed in cardboard-box making. The 

 hours are only fifty-five per week, and overtime has been found unneces- 

 sary and expensive, while it spoilt the work on following days ; conse- 

 quently enough machinery has been laid down to cope with the maximum 

 demand. 



It appears that in general in Derby and Coventry the legislation in 

 question is no hindrance and indeed of little efi'ect, because most of the 

 employers are well in advance of the legal requirements. 



Tinplate Manufacture. {By Mr, G. H. Wood.) 



The gist of this report has been included in Sections III., TV., and 

 VII. above. 



The Potteries.^ 



{From a Tleport hy Miss Thornewill.) 



As a rule women's work is distinct from men's, though work is done in 

 a few processes by either sex. Women act as men's assistants in so many 

 cases that it does not pay to keep the works going when they are absent. 



'It was thought inadvisable to make any extensive inquiry in this industr}'; 

 for on the one hand so much information has recently been published, on the other, 

 all concerned have been wearied with investigations. 



