View report page

89
"The second 'special obligation' placed on the Council, is thus expressed—
"(2) Addresses of any outworkers in the lists who reside in other districts should be
communicated to the Councils of those districts."
"This duty is strictly carried out in the Royal Borough; the addresses of 415 outworkers
resident in other districts were communicated to the Councils of other districts in 1904. I have
no reason to doubt that the duty is carried out with equal care in the Metropolitan Boroughs generally,
from which the Council received in the same year the addresses of 151 outworkers employed
in other districts but resident in Kensington.
"The third 'special obligation' placed on the Council, is that—
"(3) When insanitary conditions or dangerous infectious diseases are found on outworkers'
premises, action should be taken if necessary under Sections 108, 109 and 110, of
the Factory Act, which give power to the Council to prohibit outwork in such premises. For
this purpose outworkers' premises should be systematically visited."
"This duty also is carried out. The premises of outworkers are visited, and on the occurrence
of infectious disease, steps are taken if necessary (as it generally is) to get the sick person
removed to hospital. Disinfection is promptly attended to, and, if necessary, work is prohibited
on the premises for whatever period may be deemed requisite.
"The final 'special obligation' placed on the Council, is that—
"(4) The annual report of the Medical Officer should be sent to the Home Office."
This is done.
"The letter of the Secretary of State deals exclusively with the subject of 'home work,' and
one cannot but sympathise with the earnestness with which he presses upon the Council 'the importance
in the interests of the large class of workers engaged' in such work,' of a thorough
administration of the provisions of the Act' in regard to them. I may be pardoned, perhaps, for
going a little beyond the reference, by saying that all practicable efforts are made to give effect
to the provisions of the Act, as a whole; and for reminding the Council that it was in Kensington
that the the services of women were first enlisted in the work of sanitary administration, by the
appointment, in 1893, of inspectors of workshops, laundries, etc., where women are employed.
"Since receipt of the Secretary of State's letter, the lady inspectors have not only called upon
every firm or person known to employ outworkers, but have also called upon a large number of firms
or persons thought likely to be employers, and have obtained from 36 of them the names of 122
outworkers, of whom 85 are employed in other Metropolitan boroughs.
"The duty of sending to the Council, twice yearly, at the appointed times, lists of outworkers,
has again been impressed on employers, and attention called to the obligation of keeping
at all times, ready for the inspection of the Council's officers, and in the 'prescribed form' (44), a
correct 'List of Outworkers' employed in specified 'classes of work.' This form requires the
name in full of the outworker, and a statement whether the outworker is employed 'as workman
or contractor,' and the 'place of employment, i.e., place where the work is actually done.' A copy
of the form has been exhibited to every employer; and it is to be hoped that it will be used in
future, and particular attention given to the final direction, viz., that 'in order that the list may
be correct, the name of any person newly taken into employment should be immediately entered,
and the name of any person ceasing to be employed should be immediately struck out.'
"I have only to add that each firm or person employing outworkers will be visited again
shortly, and a report made showing the names of any in default, as regards the keeping of the List
in the prescribed form; whilst efforts will be continued for the discovery of any firm or person
who may have failed to comply with the Section (107) which directs that 'a copy of the List,
signed and dated, and corrected up to that date, must be forwarded to the local authority of the
district on or before the first day of February and the first day of August in each year.'"
It is satisfactory to note that since the presentation—and publication—of the foregoing
report, considerable improvement has been manifested; and that, as a consequence of the earnest
efforts of the Lady Inspectors most, if not all, of the employers of outworkers in the Borough now
keep the lists on "form 44," whilst all known to employ outworkers sent in lists of them during
February in the current year.