SWEATING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 308, 22 September 1908, Page 11

SWEATING.

REPORT, OF BRITISH SELECT COMMITTEE. HOME-WORKERS. 'Hfour-.committee aro of opinion that it is quite'; as": legitimate to establish a • minimum..standard of remuneration as it- is to establish, -such a,, standard of sanitation, cleanliness, ventilation, air-space, and hours of labptiiy' This .paragraph is taken-from the ;report of Sir Thomas Whittaker's Selcct Committee-j on Sweating. The report summarisesHhe conclusions of the committee as follows. (L)' That there should bo legislation: with Regard 'to the rates of pay made to homeworkers;,who are employed in the production or'preparation of articles-for. sale by other persons.; V.'..(2.) That such legislation : should at first be tentative ,and i experimental, and he limi-; ted'miits scope to home-workers engaged in the tailoring,,, shirt-making,underclothing, and baby linen trades, and in the finishing processes of machine-made lace. The Homo Secretary should he empowered, after inquiry made,n to establish wages boards for any .other., trades.

\wages boards Bhould be estab-lished-m-selected trades to fis minimum time •and piece rates of payment for home-workers in those trades. (4.) .That it should.be an offence to pay or offer4ower ; .rates of- payment to home-workers in those trades than the minimum rates which 'had been iked , for that district by the■; wages board. (5.) :That the delivery, and collection of work;'. dope ~, at -, home -. should bo done by- persons in the direct •employ and pay of the . employer. Whore that was not done the amount which a worker could earn m a . specified time should be calculated on a basis -which included the time • spent in retching, and returning the work as time occupied, in doing the work. (6.)-That .all home-workers who are employed, by other persons in producing or pre-, paring . articles for sale should be required to register their name, address, and : class of worjj,.at,. and receive a certificate ofrsuch registration from, the offices of .the - local anthont.y, ,and_ that the keeping of accurate B&SrcSd bj '. C ' nployorS BhouW bo (7.) .'Thau it should be an offence for any person-.to employ any home-worker to produe? or, any articles for sale by an.(B )-That ■ 1.1.C provisions of Sepfinn O nF the/Public Health Act, 1875; with regard to f f tor.es and workshops. which are not kept cW or are ill-yenblated or overcrowded, should extended to. rooms in which homework, is done and powei;, should bo given to sanitary factory inspectors to, inspect them and secure t.ho enforcement of the law ~ (9-)THt ti.o f,ill protection. of the Track Act should be secured to home-workers.