TORTURE OF WOMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8094, 26 April 1906, Page 4

TORTURE OF WOMEN.

TRADE UNIONISTS' ACTION'. VIEWS 01' LABOUR MEMItKRS. Kecently, at the conference of ;he British Labour party at the Memorial Hall, London, a " Daiiy Telegraph " representative took the opportunity of interviewing the Labour leaders on the ease of Airs. Thorowgood, anil received the following interesting replies:— Mil. KlilK HAHDIE, AI.P. The point which* was put before Mr Keir Hardie, M.P., was that if the Labour members took up this case they would do a great deal to stop once and for all those wretched conditions. Mr Hardies said the case of the woman Thorowgood was unfortunately only too common. " What do you suggest as a means of ameliorating this awful state of affairs';" was asked. " It simply shows the need for a drastic amendment of the Factory i>id Workshops Act, particularly in the direction of a settled rate for work aone ( so as to ensure a living wage for al: who perform a full week's work." action -with this brief stateleader it must be rememuerea tnat the party is pledged to the amendment of the Factories Acts, and will probably endeavour to include «i clause which will deal with this uve.iting. WILL CROOKS, vI.P. A» cimiriuan of the Poplar Bo.ad of i>ua*uiaus, jir Will Crooks, M.P., has come across many such case 6. 1. conversation lie was cordially glad tl'e " Daily Telegraph " had taken the iralter up, and agreed with its poi.it oi view.

" Tho case," he also said, " is typical of many. If the 'Telegraph' -wild ta-- .. ;jiisus of outdoor relief in Londo.i. ... would*be found that many—if not Uu per cent., something very iiibcli near that number—are working for sweaters, or at least for sw3awr vages." " How does this operate?' " Why, the relief which js given by the guardians does not go hi the ;>ior creatures, but to the co.-ari;*or or subcontractor. For fifteen years I have appealed to guardians either to give i:oequate relief or leave it i lone, so that people may not be encouraged to ilfer poor people work at abominable rates of wa__ > and then use ..hose women to cut tho rate of pay. This veip'ls to make other poor Tvomen work at starvation wages—or do worse." " What do you intend to 6o?" " I think the time is now npo for 1 sibou r men to insist that viie liovcrnnicn' should enforce penalties lor breach cf contract, -whethur committed by subcontractor or any other person. I t-liall support such action most decidedly." MB. J. B. MAODONALD, .\! P Mr J. Kamsay Macdonnld, M P.. said he had already decided to ;i-k n •Juestion in the House upon the case. " It is only when newspapers take up an isolated case liko this," U obse.vcd, " that the public are made aware of the awful conditions which prevail in connection with certain classc6 of work, and public sentiment then becomes roused.

" The Women's Industrial Council, with -which I am connected, have been working at this evil for years, and in the next session I hope to introduce their Home Worn Jlili, which touches this very point. " Our Bill will ik\il with the whole question of homo work. Wo want to register every house wli<>n work is taken, and by th.it mc.tns i:> hrijig them into touch with the factory inspectors, so that sweating would be made exceedingly difficult. So far as wag<;s arc concerned, every Labour member in the House will endeavour to make it possible for the sweated women to come under Government protection. " As far as I am concerned, I am opposed to supplementing tluee sweated wages 'by outdoor relief, and I do not believe in a minimum wage, for that is apt to be taken advantage of, and ia most likely to become a maximum in-stead-of a minimum." Mr Macdonald stated that the com: cil ho had referred to had taken up other cases in connection with certain things which were made for Army uniforms, carried on under abominable conditions.

The simplest 'way to deal with this question is.to establish a system of inspection, as I have said, so that the work done might be .brought directly into contact with tho indiistri:;l canscience of the oountry. The inspection by a Government factory inspector would enable that to come about."