H.—2

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should be able to judge whether the conveniences were sufficient or not, and if I considered any insufficient I should report to the Board of Health. 232. Have you ever done that ?—No. 233. Is it because there is no occasion for it ?—There has been no movement in the matter until lately, and other business under the by-laws has had to take precedence. 234. In fact, you have not interested yourself iv it ? —Not to any great extent except with regard to new buildings. 235. What is your general opinion—is it that the accommodations aro sufficient ?—I cannot say one way or the other, for this reason: so many places are doing factory business, not factories themselves, but places where clothes are made for factories and the trade, that it is difficult to determine what places are to be included under the Act. 236. I understand you to say that your attention has been drawn to this matter lately ?—Tes. I have visited a number of these places on the south of Stuart Street, aud I find that in most of them the accommodation is not what it should be. I made a memorandum of the accommodation in each place that I visited. 237. Will you have the goodness to write out your notes in the form of a report, and forward same to the Commission ?—I will do so. (Eeport attached.) Mr. Bennet J. Lowet, Assistant-Inspector of Nuisances, examined, stated: — 238. I have visited a number of factories and other places on the north side of Stuart Street, where females are employed under the Act, and have taken notes of the accommodation provided in the shape of waterclosets, lavatories, &c, which I will, as requested, write out in the form of a report, and forward same to the Commission. (Eeport attached.)

Bepoets by the Inspectoes of Nuisances. Inspector of Nuisances' Office, Dunedin, 22nd May, 1878. The Inspector respectfully desires, in laying the attached reports before the Commissioners, to add a few remarks as regards the working system in some of the factories in town. It is a known fact that webs of stuff for various garments are taken from some shops in the town by private individuals, who have private residences, and can get a number of sewing-machines, and employ girls at a price to make up the stuff. Those girls are kept hard at work in private houses not in the retail line, and who do not come under any jurisdiction, or are in no wise under any rule according to the Act, as they are private persons. Therefore, to do away with those places, make the wholesale merchant keep a register of the name and residence of the persons —private parties —he sells his webs to for the purpose of making up, and bind him to do so under a penalty, same as the druggist who sells poison must keep a register open at all times. Then those private persons who now make up for the trade will be compelled to put up a proper place for the carrying on of such trade, and, if no sufficient inducement offers, they will abandon the trade; and it will tiien fall back into the hands of the large factor, who will then be compelled to do his own work on his own premises, and who will be also under the supervision of the Inspectors, and who must keep the necessary conveniences in and on his premises when he is protected by the Act. In many instances, girls who work for those private parties are debarred of all the privileges as regards holidays, &c, and early closing. Another matter is that in some instances the factor allows the work to be taken away at night, when working hours are over, to be finished by his helps when at their homes ; so that, in a manner, they are still employed by him, though not doing his work on his premises at the time. The matter is all thus: make the wholesale dealer register the name of the parties who take from him stuff in the web to make up, no matter whether it is for him or not, if it be for a sub-factor; if he does not, and is detected, have him fined. Cause the sub-factor to pay a license for doing the work, and be under the Act also, so as to have a suitable workshop or shops ; and, if they consider their profit is not sufficient from the extent of work they do, then they will abandon the work, and the girls will be compelled to work for the wholesale factor, and have all necessary comforts according to some Act, and the factor will then be encouraged to improve his department according to his numbers employed; but now he must send out his work, either cut up according to the number of suits he wants, or else in the web, as he cannot get the girls to come to the shop to work. Lastly, compel all parties who do such work to have their names over their shops or private houses. I have, &c, William Connell. To the Chairman and Gentlemen appointed by His Excellency the Governor to inquire into the working of the Employment of Females Act. Gentlemen, — In accordance with your request, I have the honor to submit for your information the undermentioned evidence respecting the conveniences—viz., privies, lavatories, &c.—in connection with several of the principal factories aud places used as such in this city where females are now employed. Hallenstein Beos., Eattray Street, Clothiers.—Employ daily, on their premises, in Eattray Street, 200 girls (or females); also males. For the convenience of such there are, upon the lower floor, leading to and from the factory, eight waterclosets —four of these are for the use of the females, and the other four for the males. All the closets are together in the same area, but divided from each other, that is, the men's from the women's, by a 9-inch brick wall, about six or seven feet high. In each closet area there are four compartments, with doors; but the main doors opening into the halls are both in. tho same side, consequently male and female must see each other entering together if they chance to meet at the outside doors. The space occupied by such closets is an area of 11 feet 10 inches in length, by 2 feet wide of a passage—the same for the men—and each closet is 2 feet 10 inches