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34
enormous number of Factories and Workshops throughout the
kingdom. It was therefore decided to separate the work of inspecting
Factories from that of supervising Workshops, and to
distribute the duties. The arrangement obtaining at present is the
following:—
The Factories proper are left in the hands of H. M. Factory Inspectors.
They are solely responsible for the sanitary condition of
these establishments and also for the due observance of the law as
to hours of employment therein. In Workshops there is a divided
responsibility. The supervision of the Sanitary condition of these
places was taken out of the hands of the Factory Department and
transferred to the Local Authorities by the Public Health (London)
Act 1891 and the Factory and Workshops Act 1891. The observance
of the law as to conditions of employment, hours of labour, etc. is
now supervised by a new class of Government officers styled Inspectors'
Assistants. These gentlemen have no power to deal with
insanitary conditions, such as overcrowding, etc.
Though the law was altered in 1891, it was not until December
1893 that a Special Officer was appointed to look after the Workshops
of Bethnal Green. In that month Mr. C. H. Kelf was appointed
and commenced his duties. Since this report covers only
the year 1893, I defer any remarks on the work of this officer till
1894, beyond mentioning that his duties are to systematically inspect
and register all Workshops in the Parish, to measure up and cube all
Workrooms and fix the number of persons allowed to work therein,
to caution occupiers as to overcrowding, insanitary conditions and
defective ventilation, and where his cautions are neglected to report
the circumstances, and take such proceedings in the Police
Court as may be ordered for the recovery of penalties, etc.
Much time and thought were devoted to the arrangement of
the work of the new officer and to the preparation of the
necessary books, forms, and notices. All this has been satisfactory
accomplished, and I now include in my monthly report, a four or
five weekly statement of the results of the action taken by your
Workshop Inspector.