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law, would thus appear to be ample. But lest these powers
should be allowed to fall into desuetude, or be wilfully neglected,
power is given, by sections 1 and 2 of the Factory and
Workshop Act, 1891, which enables the factory inspector
to supersede a defaulting Authority in the execution of their
duties in respect of workshops or laundries; and to recover
from the Authority, in whose district the workshops or laundries
are situated, "all such expenses in and about any proceedings
as he may incur."
In the final report by Miss Squire, it was stated, and it is
a matter for satisfaction, that there had become manifest, on
the part of the employers, an increasing willingness to conform
to the requirements of the law, with which many of them had
been more or less unacquainted, until they were made known
by the visits of the lady inspectors, and by the notices issued
by the Sanitary Committee. There has been no abatement
since of the friendliness with which the inspector's visits are
received. In no respect has greater good been done than by
the prevention of overcrowding, and the improvements effected
with regard to the warming of workrooms, and the ventilation
of gas iron-heaters, &c. The good work begun by Miss Deane,
Miss Squire, and Miss Duncan, has been well carried on by
Miss de Chaumont, who has performed her duties with tact and
discretion, to my entire satisfaction, and, what is of more importance,
to the satisfaction of the Sanitary Committee, the
body to which, as has already been stated, the carrying out of
the duties which devolve upon yourVestry as the local authority
under the Acts has been delegated.
Work of the Lady Inspector.—Subjoined will be
found the annual statement by Miss de Chaumont with respect
to the duties carried out by her, in 1898, as the inspector of
workshops, workplaces and laundries where women are employed.
The initiative of your Vestry, in 1893, in employing