WRONGS WHICH CRY FOR REDRESS IN CHRISTIAN ENGLAND.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 272, 29 May 1860, Page 3

WRONGS WHICH CRY FOR REDRESS IN CHRISTIAN ENGLAND.

We Only wish that every member of the House of Commons could study the following before the second reading of Mr. Crook's Bill for the protection of Women and Children employed in Bleach Works, &c. The extracts are taken from Hopley's Letter to the Men and Women of the United Kingdon:—

Ann Simpson (fourteen years old) Elizabeth Hilton (fifteen), Sarah Higtoa, (sixteen). —We came to work last Friday morning at half-past six (at Mr. Ridgway Bridson's Bleach works, Bolton). We worked all Friday night till halfpast five on Saturday morning (23 hours). We did not sleep any time in the night, except on Saturday morning. At half-past five we laid down on the hooking box, and slept till a little after seven, (less than two hours' sleep—and with the clothes still on—after twenty-three hours' work) ; * then <ye went to breakfast for half an hour, and then came and worked till ten minutes past eleven.'—Report of the Commissioner appointed to inquire how fay it may be advisable tO extend tlie proviaiuuo of llio Aofco for tho bottov regulation of Mills and Factories to Bleaching Works, p. 25, No. 236. William Crompton—' lam seventeen. I have been four years and a half (that is, since he was twelve years and a half old) ' in the dressing shop. We go on till different hours, sometimes early, sometimes late. I once worked three days and three nights' (he fs only one, remember, among multitudes—children as well as adults-—who toil in the same way) ' and not long since, I began work on Friday morning at four, and worked till five on Saturday night (thirty-seven hours) I mostly slept at meal-times, and only stopped one hour for meals; the rest I ate while I was working."—-Ibid, p. 26, No. 246. Elizabeth Edge.—l am fourteen years of age. I have worked here (at Mr. Shedden's Breightmet Bleachworks) four years. Three months since I worked two nights and two days. I slept four hours the first morning, and not at all the next night. I have very often worked till twelve.—lbid, p. 30, No. 491.

Amelia Wood (fifteen next July)—"l have been at this work about three years. We ofteuest begin at 5 or 6 in the morning, and oftenest leave off at 11 or 12. * * Sometimes we do not leave off till three or four in the morning. My fingers are often very bad; the cloth wears them through.—lbid, No. 158. Samuel Price, examined:—«

Mr. Butt —How did you awaken them (alluding- to the little children of Mr. Ainsworth s establishment near Bolton, when they fell asleep "standing at their work1')? Iviany 3 time by shouting, and at pther times by getting a board, and rapping it on the table, making a loud report that used to startle them, and I could keep them awake for an hour, or more than that, perhaps, by frightening them.—lbid, pp. 88, 89, Nos. 1849,1862.

Surely all this is very terrible. But read on—•

Wright Mather—' lam foreman of the clamping room. 1 have four lassies working nnder me. * * * In summer I have seen the room 130 deg.; in winter it is generally about 80 to 100 deg. We have come at six a.m., and worked till nine p.m.'all last week. * # * There are four clamping-rooms, and when they are all agate, there are sixteen females at work in them. In the other drying-place there are 5 boys • they work very often 16,17, and 18 hours to the day. The heat is very great in that room, from 100 to 150 deg., and that is under the mark.'—lbid, p. 25, Nos. 241-248. Take thoughtful notice of this heat—from 100 to 150 degrees., and that is under the mark !' In a subsequent examination witness stated, concerning the ages of the boys ' one was ten, another eleven, and one thirteen'—working, bearing in mind, 'sixteen, seventeen and eighteen hours to the day, in a temperature exceeding by some 26 or 30 deg. the general temperature of an Indian summer.