Child Labor.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1922, Page 1

Child Labor.

A USTRA LIAN PRECAUTIONS. SYDNEY, October 4. A conference between Commonwealth ' and State health representatives has carried a number of important resolu- , tions on the subject of industrial hygiene. The main items in the resolutions are as follows: That in the opinion of the conference all persons employed in factories and workshops should be medically examined before employment until the person has completed his or her eighteenth year. That the medical records of the Education Departments should he available to the authorised medical inspectors in respect of any child seeking employment in a factory or a workshop. That the minimum age for employment in factories and workshops he not under fourteen years for boys, and fifteen for girls. That it is desirable that each State should have in effective operation legislation controlling occupations dangerous to the health of those employed therein.

That in the opinion of this conference factory medical inspectors should he appointed. This conference considers that, in view of the importance, as a phase of public health administration of systematic medical supervision of the health of individual industrial employees. and of the valuable information nnd results which have been obtained from the introduction by private employers of a medical service for their establishments, every employer of a medical service for their establishments including Governments, should he encouraged to provide efficient and regular medical service, which shall keep under review the health of the workers and shall enquire as to any relation between variations in health and conditions of employment. Moreover, in order to seeure the greatest amount of public benefit from this measure, records of work done should he kept in a standardised method.

There are between 18,000 and 19,000 children under the age of 16 years employed in factories in the Commonwealth.