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49
inspect houses registered under the bye-laws for houses let in lodgings, in
addition to visiting workshops where women are employed; while in
Battersea they visit schools and laundries, and other places where females are
employed.
From inquiries made in the Provinces, I learn that Nottingham has
appointed a woman inspector for workshops, Salford has six, while Birmingham
has no less than eight "Health Visitors." Liverpool, again, has eight women
inspectors for house-to-house visitation and workshops where women are
employed, and Sheffield has also two women sanitary inspectors.
In order to illustrate the advantage accruing from such appointments, 1
cannot do better than direct your attention to Dr. Orme Dudfield's experience
in Kensington, where the employment of women started eight years ago has
been found an unqualified success. This is referred to in the Minority
Report of the Labour Commission, where the signatories made the following
recommendation:—
"That the number of women factory inspectors should be increased,
"and that local authorities might advantageously be urged by
"the Local Government Board to follow the example of the
"Kensington Vestry in appointing women sanitary inspectors
"with the special object of enforcing the Sanitary Law in
"women's workshops."
That the Local Government Board has adopted this view, and encourages
such appointments, is shown by their approval of those officers already
selected for such work in the several places referred to in these observations.
A further reason for the employment of women inspectors may be advanced
in view of the fact that the number of girls employed in offices in the City for
type-writing and clerical work is constantly increasing. Very many of these
are well-born, delicately nurtured ladies, forced by circumstances to earn their
own living, who would naturally shrink from discussing with a man
details of matters affecting their sanitary welfare.
Moreover, it would be advantageous to employ women instead of male
inspectors for the purpose of reporting from time to time upon the condition
of the sanitary accommodation provided for women in the large number
of railway stations and ladies' refreshment rooms throughout the City.
This Report was approved of by your Worshipful Committee, and the
appointment of a woman sanitary inspector was sanctioned by the Court.
The following amplified list of duties drawn up by your Committee has
been submitted to the Local Government Board, and approved:—
(1.)—She shall perform, either under the special directions of the Sanitary
Authority, or (so far as authorised by the Sanitary Authority) under the