The Globe. MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1395, 5 August 1878, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1878.

Amongst tho pipers presented to Parliament at the opening of the present session was tho report of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into tho working of the Employment of Females Acts. Tho Commissioners woro —Dr. Knight, Hon. W. H. Reynolds, Messrs. Strode, Fulton, and Bradshaw. The subjects referred to them were to inquire into the operations of tho Acts, and to what extent they had fulfilled purposes for which they woro passed; whether tho Acts were capable of amendment, and if so, in what direction; and lastly, whether tho Acts, or any of them, should be repealed. Tho main points of tho report of the Commission aro to tho effect that tho Acts are necessary, and have mainly accomplished the purposes for which they were enacted. That the Acts have secured, so far as i muedin is concerned, a great improvement in tho physical health and social condition of the female employes. It was pointed out, however, that tho law was not effectively carried out in many cases, owing to the insufficiency of inspection; and the report further says tiiat tho indifference or repugnance shown to carry out tho provisions of tho Act can only bo guarded against by a thorough and efficient system of inspection. The sanitary condition of many of tho out-offices is referred to as being in an unsatisfactory state, Such aro tho salient points of tho report, and tho conclusions appear to have been arrived at after the taking of a largo amount of evidence, both from employers and employed. By tho terms of their Commission from tho Governor, the Commissioners were precluded from making any inquiry beyond tho Provincial Dis-

trict of Otago. "Why the Government should have so limited the operation of the Commission, we are at a loss to imagine. In Christcliurch, Wellington, and Auckland, largo numbers of females aro employed, and, as we shall show presently, in the former placo the Act is practically a dead letter—that is as regards the main essential insisted on in the report of the Commission, viz., efficient and continuous inspection. The Government, wo conceive, in tho appointment of a Commission for Dunedin simply, made a farce of tho inquiry. It must be recollected that it was from Dunedin that the agitation proceeded for the passing of the Acts, and it was thereforo only to bo expected that their provisons would stand a fair chance of being carried out, at least to somo extent. But if tho Government wished to ascertain fairly how the Act was working, and whether or not its provisions were being evaded, they should have extended tho enquiry of tho Commission to tho whole colony, and its report would then have been valuable It would have directed public attention to tho fact that there existed in parts of tho colony largo factories in which presumedly tho Act was in force, but over which no supervision whatever was oxorcised —thus affording no guarantee that the law was boing carried out. Lot us take tho case of our own city. During tho past few few years thoro have sprung up immense manufacturing industries —many of thoin of largo proportions. In the majority of cases female labour is employed to a great extent. Wo need only refer to tho largo boot manufacturing premises, tho millinery establishments, &c, to show that there aro a very great number of females employed in various ways in tho city. Now, as a mattor of fact, thoso factories and workrooms aro under no supervision at all. Tho constant and vigorous inspection insisted upon by tho Commission as essential for the efficient working of tho Act is entirely absent; for all tho authorities know tho law may be systematically violated in every factory in Christchurch. We do not say it is; but it is open for any one who may feel tho restrictions of the Act inconvenient, to ignore them. Tho persons most interested —tho employes —are in that position that practically their mouths aro shut. Woro any of them to inform against the employer, thore would be little or no chance of any future employment in Christchurch. It will thus bo seen that every facility is given to the employers who may dosiro to break tho law with impunity. That a state of tilings such as this should bo allowed to exist, is, wo think, exceedingly undesirable Tho physical health of the females so employed may be irromediably impaired and their morals corrupted. When wo como to consider that many of these will be wives of tho rising generation, and the mothers of tho future race of this colony, tho question assumes a most important aspect. We aro quite willing to admit that the employers of fomalo labour in Christchurch may be thoroughly impressed with this, ann have great solicitude for the welfare of their workpeople. But that is not sufficient. We want to bo thoroughly satisfied by tho means provided in tho Acts that the wise intentions of tho Legislature aro being carried into effect. This, as proved by tho labours of tho Commission, can only be attained by a system of inspection. Here wo have numerous large factories and work rooms which have not been inspected for months, and as the compliance or noncompliance with the law on the part of the proprietors, of which tho authorities know absolutely nothing. This, we repeat, is a state of things which has no right to exist. In Dunedin there is an luspoctor who carefully and constantly inspects tho factories where females aro employed. If it is necessary thore, it is much more so hero, because, as wo have pointed out, tho voice of public opinion in Otago was the first to bo raised in favour of tho enactment. Again, thore is another point, and that is tho institution of a vigorous system of inspection by the luspoctor of Nuisances as to how the law with regard to sanitary precautions is carried out. At present this is not done with that completeness which is necessary. Neglect of this might result in an epidemic breaking out. and spreading throughout tho whole city. In the interests, therefore, of the general public as well as iho workwomen themselves, it is of tho utmost importance that this should be carefully attended to. Under tho Act of 1873 it is competent for tho Resident Magistrate to appoint an Inspector of Factories, and no timo should bo lost in doing so. Delay may bo attended by very serious consequences, which probably will have a wider bearing and scope than at first appears probable. Besides, such an appointment would have a most salutary effect upon the employers of female labour. Tho attention of tho City Council might also bo directed to tho other point we have raised. Most of the factories aro situate within the city bounds, and it would bo exceedingly satisfactory under all tho circumstances if a special report woro requested from tho City Inspector of Nuisances upon tho manner in which tho sanitary arrrangemeuts of the Act are boing complied with. We trust that some steps will be taken in both tho directions wo have mentioned.