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I may be permitted to express my regret that the parish
should have lost the services of an able and experienced
officer, as Miss Duncan had proved herself to be, just at the
time when the duties she had carried out so satisfactorily had
been materially increased by fresh legislation.
Miss Duncan's loss is not the only one sustained by my
department, for towards the close of the year the Secretary
of State singled out Miss Squire for appointment as a factory
inspector. It will be remembered that the Secretary of State
in the previous ministry had, in like manner, deprived your
Vestry of the services of Miss Deane, who took office in
Kensington at the same time, in 1893, as Miss Squire. No
better evidence of the judiciousness of your Vestry's selection
of these ladies could be desired than the circumstances under
which they ceased to hold office. Miss Squire is to be congratulated upon her promotion, but I felt regret at the severance of her connection with the work of my department;
not being able to speak too highly of the services she had
rendered in the supervision of the workshops, &c., where
women are employed, especially in bringing about more
wholesome conditions of labour, to the advantage of the
workers whose interests can be best safe-guarded by one of
their own sex. It was gratifying to learn, as we did from
Miss Squire's last report to the Sanitary Committee, that
there had become manifest on the part of employers an
increasing willingness to conform to the requirements of the
law,* with which many of them were probably more or less
unacquainted until they were made known by the visits of
the women inspectors, and through the notices issued by the
* Extract from Miss Squire's report for the four weeks ended December
3rd, 1895 :—" An increasing desire is manifested on the part of employers to
comply with the Vestry's requirements, and to act upon suggestions made
by me in accordance with the instructions of the Sanitary Committee. I
would especially mention the improvements thus effected in regard to the
warming of workrooms and the ventilation of gas iron-heaters."