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9
Workshops Regulation Act.
During the last year inspections under this act
have been carried out in upwards of fifty shops, in
which altogether more than 250 young persons,
nearly all females, are employed in fancy trades,
dress making, millinery, and boot and shoe making.
In no instance did we discover any child under
thirteen years of age; thus rendering it unnecessary
to obtain the Educational clauses of the Act. The
work rooms as a rule were very clean and wellventilated,
an amount of cubic space for each
worker being from 84 inches the lowest, to 1402
the highest range. The two exceptional cases,
where, want of air, light and cubic space had
been neglected have since been duly attended to.
The hours of work as far as could be ascertained
were not excessive; 12 hours daily, with one hour
and half for meals, was the general statement, and
night-work was not acknowledged by the mistress
or any of the work-women employed. The Saturday
closing at 2 o'clock was observed only in some of
the larger establishments, while in others it did not
appear to be a wish on the part of work-women
or their employers to lose that part of the day.
The following particulars are noted in the inspections
under this act:—a. nature and description of
premises or workshop ; b. No. of persons employed,