FEMALES AND THEIR EMPLOYERS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST.

Evening Post, Volume XVIII, Issue 29, 2 August 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

FEMALES AND THEIR EMPLOYERS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST.

Sir— The Act having regard to the emtioyment of female* ia a dead letter, and'FijSP constrained to ask that the influence of yojfe journal may be brought to bear upon those^ who wilfully and systematically set the law at defiance. The wording; of the Act is: "JNo person shall employ any female at any tithe between the hours of 6 in the afternoon .and 9 in the morning, or for mure than eight hours in any one day. Every person employing any female in any workroom shall from time to time cause a statement in writing, signed by him, specifying the hoursduringwhich females are employed in their employment, to be filed in the Resident Magistrate's Court in the city, town, or place whore such workroom is situated, and two copies of such statement shall be posted up in some conspicuous place in every such workroom; and a copy of »uch statement shall be forwarded to the officer of police in charge of tha district where such workroom is situated." Now* sir, the above conditions are not compiled with ; the law is continually broken, and the jourig person*- employed in many of the dressmtking, tailoring, and other establishments of this city are kept after hours by over-reaching employers. It is no oncommon thing for tha hands to be kept to finish off work after 6 o'clock, sometimes till" B«or^9*4ii- the evening, mm -then-the-youngest apprentice is sent home with tha parcel, often on a long journey ; and I can state for a fact that wreral places as a rub ,

fc^Jlieigfcutd* tai fro'clocifepn , although the Act provides that "every female shall have holiday on every Saturday afternoon from 2 o'clock." Do these employers know that they are liable to a penalty not exceeding £50 for such a breach i. J)oy the authorities know that the law WoUtm effect? One wonldf think there was ignorance iv both ca<63, or something worse. I would recommend young ladies who can find no redress to make the matter known to tbe police or to some friend who will intercede for them, so t'nat the growth of such a pernicious practice may be stopped, for in the end it will be a curse. I am, &c, Obsbrvbe.