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77
State is least able to control the conditions of work, and this can
only be effectually done by the Local Authorities. The duties of
the Sanitary Authority under the Factory & Workshops Act which
deal with Homeworkers are then specified, and the Secretary of
State expresses his trust that if in the past any of these duties
have been imperfectly fulfilled, steps will be taken to remedy the
omission in future. The provisions of the Truck Act are next
referred to as far as regards assistance which may be rendered,
by the Local Authority, to Factory Inspectors, in enforcing these
Acts. It is stated that these provisions constitute the chief
statutory protection against sweating, and the Local Authority
and its officers are invited to call the attention of Factory Inspectors
to any apparent breach of these Acts.
The following are briefly the provisions of the Factory Act re
Homework:—
1. List of homeworkers must be kept and sent in by
ployers.
2. Addresses of homeworkers residing in other districts
should be sent to the Councils of these districts.
3. After a month's notice an employer is prohibited from
giving out work to be performed in unwholesome
premises.
4. The District Council may make an order prohibiting
work from being done in any house where notifiable
infectious disease exists.
These provisions apply only to a limited class of homeworkers,
viz., those employed on wearing apparel; lace and net making;
cabinet-making and upholstering work; making of electro-plate,
files, and fur-pulling. In this Borough, the only one of these
industries carried on, is the making of wearing apparel, so that a
large proportion of the homework carried on in this Borough does
not come under the protection of the Act. The duties devolving
on the Public Health Department under the Act have been