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102
HOME WORK.
A Select Committee of the House of Commons was appointed in May, 1907,
" to consider and report upon the conditions of labour in trades in which
" Home Work is prevalent, and the proposals, including those for the
"establishment of Wages Boards, and the licensing of Work-places, which
" have been made for the remedying of existing abuses."
Your Worshipful Committee on 24th June, 1907, authorised Miss Safford
(your senior Woman Inspector) to give evidence before the Select Committee.
Miss Safford appeared before the Committee on the 25th July, and the
following is an outline of the evidence she gave.
CITY OF LONDON (1906).
Outworkers' Lists.—The number of lists received from Employers during
1906 was 1,112, giving a total of 14,573 names of outworkers.
Of these, 14,376 names were forwarded to other local authorities, leaving
197 as resident in the City.
To these must be added 32 notified to the City by the local authorities.
Of the 229 names received, 142 were notified by 1 employer, 47 by 2,
18 by 3, 8 by 4, 9 by 5, 2 by 6, 2 by 7, 1 by 11.
Procedure as to Lists.—In January and July, notices were sent to all
firms known to give outwork.
In 1906, the 351 firms who neglected to send in a list by February and
August 1st, received a cautionary letter from the City Solicitor. One firm
failing to comply was summoned and fined.
Outworkers working in the City.—Only 27*9 per cent, are Home
Workers.
Figures for 1906 show that of 229 Outworkers, 6 are Contractors, 5 are
Factories, 154 are Workshops in premises other than Dwelling-houses
24 are Workshops in Dwelling-houses, 30 are Domestic Workshops, 10
Dwelling-houses in which work is taken in occasionally.
The actual number of Home Workers is 64.
In 31 cases the work is done in rooms used only for work.
In 20 cases the work is done in the living room.
In 13 cases the work is done in living and sleeping room.
In the last class, 6 are rooms with only one occupant ; in two cases the
occupants are a woman and an aged relative whom she is helping to support.