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44
SHOP HOURS ACTS.
"During the year under review all the premises where young
persons are employed in the Borough of Hornsey have been visited
periodically.
The number of visits paid to shops, etc., under the Acts is
850. The number of cards for exhibition left or sent amounts to
300.
For the most part a change seems to have come over the lot
of persons employed in shops, the old order changing and yielding
place to new as contrasted with ten or a dozen years ago. To-day
the more respectable traders give their assistants a weekly halfholiday.
But the life of a London shopman or woman is not so
favourable as in the provinces.
The hours of drapers, etc., in provincial towns being on the
average from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in winter and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in
summer, with the usual weekly half holiday. Of course, conditions
of city life are far different, the shopping hours in London
being, in the suburbs, in the evening.
So far as my experience goes, the weekly half holiday has not
been prejudicial in any degree to the interests, either financial or
physical, of employers or employed. As a rule shops are known in
one area to close on Wednesday, and another area close by on
Thursday, so that purchasers are never at a loss as to how to obtain
household requirements suddenly.
SEATS FOR SHOP, ETC., ASSISTANTS.
This statute has had full attention. Seats are now for the
most part provided. It is a matter of no small importance to
young girls employed in shops for comparatively long hours that
they should have ample opportunity for rest. I have often been
struck by the courage shown by waitresses in busy tea rooms, etc.,
in the endeavour to hide the painful condition of their feet, due to
long weary tramps from table to table. Seats in such cases are
absolutely necessary. So far as Hornsey is concerned I find full
attention is paid by employers to these matters.
Only one complaint has been received during the past year,
which had due attention."
Employment of Children Act, 1903.—Mr. F. J. Pateman
is the Inspector appointed under this Act. His report is as
follows ; —