Labor Legislation in Victoria.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 75, 25 September 1895, Page 2

Labor Legislation in Victoria.

A STRINGENT MEASURE. (Per Press Association.) Melboukne, Sept. 24. I A Bill to amend the Factories Act has been drafted, and its provisions are based on the recommendations of the Factories , Enquiry Board. It is proposed to prohibit the Chinese ■working before 7.30 in the morning, and after 5 at nights on week days, and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Sunday work is to be totally unallowed. Stringent provisions are made against Chinese herding together in houses or -factories, and the measure enacts that all Chinese manufactured goods shall bear the mark of the manufacturer. The clauses dealing with sweating are very embracive, and specially prohibit the making of apparel, boots and shoes, for the trade outside of the factories, except in cases where a permit is given owing to the person being prevented by domestic duties or bodily infirmity from working inside the factory. Sweating is at present confined to three or four trades, and for these the number of hours to be worked, and the minimum rate of wages to be paid, have been carefully fixed. Heavy penalties are provided for breaches of the regulations, and for the third offence offenders will be imprisoned without the option of a fine. Women and young persons are not to be allowed to work ten hours a day at the very most, while in shops the hours are limited to fifty-two per week, excepting on one day, when they may work eleven and a-half hours. With reference to the half-holiday, provision is made for closing all shops at the same time on one afternoon each week. All engines and boilers axe brought under the supervision of the authorities, who are given very large powers in dealing with the health, safety, and conditions of workshops.