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42
INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN.
The Home Office have had under consideration the need
of further legislation upon this subject as suggested by the
Report of the Physical Deterioration Committee, 1904, and the
resolutions adopted at the National Conference on Infantile
Mortality.
The present law prohibits the employment of a woman
within four weeks after she has given birth to a child.
The conference on infantile mortality passed the
following resolutions :—
"(a) That the period of one month's abstention from
"factory work away from home now imposed on mothers
"be extended to at least three months and that, on their
"return to work, evidence must be produced satisfactory to
"the local authority that proper provision has been made
"for the care of the child.
"(b) That no employer of labour shall permit a woman
"advanced in pregnancy to engage in factory labour unless
"her ability therefor has been certified to the satisfaction
"of the local authority."'
The question of imposing further restrictions presents
great difficulties both from a social and administrative point of
view. The Home Office considered the subject, but before
arriving at any decision, were desirous of obtaining from the
various Medical Officers of Health statistics relating to the
number of married and unmarried women industrially employed
in factories, workshops, and as outworkers in industrial work at
home, in their respective districts, together with returns showing
certain particulars as to live births (legitimate and illegitimate),
still births, and miscarriages among women so employed, and
the number of legitimate and illegitimate deaths of infants
under one year.