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78
WOMEN SANITARY INSPECTORS.
In reporting on the provisions of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, in my
Annual Report of that year, I pointed out that in order adequately to carry out the
duties imposed on the Corporation, the services of a Woman Sanitary Inspector would
be required.
The appointment of one Inspector only was urged in the first place, in order that the
system might have a trial before making another appointment. The result was most
satisfactory, and more than bore out the expectations of your Medical Officer, and
experience has shown the special value of this work in protecting the health of women
workers. Any prejudice which may have existed against the appointment of women as
Inspectors has long since been dispelled, and their presence is appreciated both by
employers and employed.
As it is now ten years since the appointment of the first woman Inspector in the
City, it may be of interest to review briefly the work carried out by your Women
Inspectors during that period.
The figures showing the work done during the ten years, 1902-1911, are as
follows :—

In addition to the above, the Ladies' Waiting Rooms at Railway Stations and the
Underground Conveniences for Women have been inspected.
The first appointment was made in February, 1902, and the duties then undertaken
were the inspection of factories, workshops, laundries, and workplaces (kitchens of
restaurants, &c.), where women were employed, and also the inspection of ladies'
waiting rooms at railway stations. Re-inspections were made of premises where
defects had been found in order to see that the necessary improvements were properly
carried out. In addition to these duties your woman inspector investigated all
complaints as to insanitary conditions affecting women workers.