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11
Sanitary Improvement.
The number of cases entered in the complaints book and
investigated was 1,455; verbal notices given and orders
served, 163; orders by Committee to summon, 6; summonses
taken out, 2; magistrate's orders, 1; slaughterhouses,
20; cowsheds, 8; marine store dealers, 25;
bakehouses, 80. The last four are frequently inspected as
to their cleanliness, and the removal of refuse, and are
limewhited when necessary.
Workshops' Regulation Act.
Twenty-seven establishments were visited, against fortytwo
in the previous year and fifty-eight in 1869, showing
a great decrease of complaints, although a most careful
supervision has been exercised. It is satisfactory to find
that the Act is much better observed in the Parish than
when it was first passed, and in some instances where
complaints have been made the dressmakers willingly
received a half-holiday, as an equivalent from the employers
whenever they occasionally worked beyond the legal hours
with the consent of both parties. Nevertheless victims of
the needle are still offered upon the altars of fashion, as
proved by a young person who had been kept at work on
June 15th, from nine in the morning to one o'clock the
following morning, and whose employer I summoned. I
have endeavoured to carry out the Workshops Act by the
abatement of over-crowding, by enforcing due ventilation,
and closing at the legal time, so as to prevent the scandal
and suffering of dressmakers still being compelled to toil
for sixteen hours.
The following is a list of the three employers convicted,
as against thirteen in the past year and live in 1869.
1. Mrs. Elizabeth Stratton, dressmaker and milliner, No.
10, Halkin-street West, June 22nd, at Westminster: Fined
10s. for each offence and costs.