THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3740, 20 December 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1880.

The Observer, in a late issue, referred to the injurious practice of compelling women to work till all hours of the night in workshops for the paltry remuneration of 5s per week. There are seferal large establishments on the Thames where young girls are employed from an early hour in the morning to a late hour at night. The system is most injurious, and we think some alteration should be made in order to allow them more leisure in the ©feningg. Betides being injurious to health, it has| i 'Jso a tendency to make

them lax in their morals, as late hours are never the means of bracing up the moral nerves. At one time, and not so long ago either, women were employed for such a long diurnal period at home that their health gave way under the cruel burdens laid upon them by their task-masters. The House of Commons, however, always holds some member to take up a grievance, and one was not wanting to carry out a law to protect females over whom the masters had complete control, and who were as badly paid as they were overworked. After the Factory Act had undergone several modifications and additions, in 1874 the Act was further re-modelled, and the strictest regulations were made in regard to the age at which women and children should be employed, and the number of hours beyond which they need not work. This Factory Act or Acts applied to all places where hundreds of men and women were engaged, but it was found that the same rules as were applicable to factories were not so in places where only a few were employed. This consideration introduced the Workshops Eegulation Act, 1867 (30 and 31 Viet. c. 146), which was also amended in 1871 (c. 19.) This Act is an important Act for regulating the education of children, and the hours of labor for. children, young persons, and women who are in places not subject to the Factory Act. Its application is wide as the definition of a " workship " includes any place where any handicraft is carried on, " and to which, and over which, the person by whom such, child, young person or woman is employed, has the right of access and control." The provisions of the Act in regard to the hours of working are :—(2.) " That no child under thirteen shall be employed for more than six and a-half hours each day, or before 6 a.m. or after 8 p.m. (3.) That no young person under eighteen, and no woman shall be employed more than 12 hours out of any period, of 24 hours, or shall be employed between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. and that the intervals for meals and rest shall not be less than an hour and a half in all. (4) That, except in retail establishments, employing not not more than five persons, no such child, young person, or woman shall be employed after two o'clock on Saturdays, and that in no ease shall they be employed dB Sundays. These are the regulations in brief, which are enforced at Home, where all workshops are under the eye of the Inspectors of Factories. Now let us turn to the New Zealand Acts and see what regulations are made here. Under the " Employment of Females Act" 1873, and Acts amending the same, it is enatjed that no person shall employ any female at any time between six in the afternoon and eight in the morning, or for more than eight hours in any one day. Every person employing any female in any workroom, shall from time to (Sine cause a statement in writing, signed by him, specifying the hours during which females in his employ are employed in their employment to be filed in the R.M. Court in the city, town, or place where such workroom is situated, and true copies of such statement shall be posted upon some conspicuous place in every such workroom, and a copy of such statement shall be forwarded to the officer of police in .charge of the district where such workroom is situated." The fine for contravention of this Act is £50. In accordance with the first section of the Act of '73, "Every femal# shall have holiday on every Saturday afternoon from two o'clock, and on Sunday, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, and any other day set apart as a public holiday, without the loss of wages." These two enactments do not apply to women engaged in the sale of goods in retail establishments, but dressmakers, tailoresses, and others engaged in the manufacture of goods. As will be seen, the regulations^are more stringent in Hew Zealand than in England. It is a matter for regret that the regulations are not more strictly adhered to, and that the law is not more attended toby the public, and enforced by the authorities. We hope that some attention will be drawn to this matter, and that for the protection of young women in the dress-making trade, the regulations of the Act will be strictly enforced.