LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 6, 8 January 1895, Page 5

LABOUR NOTES.

Factoijt V76rk and Infant MoßTALiair.

, :-, . \;Lond6n, November 23;.. An influential deputation from the British Medical Association, waited on Mr Asquibh Home Secretary, the other day, in border to lay before him a abatement of facts in connection with the excessive: mortality of infants, due to the occupation of women in. factories, and to suggeab amendments ia the law relating to these matters. Ib was shown that, many women resume work in the factories too soon after their confinement,: and thab no proper certificates are given in the case of-infants dying from negleeb. Mr Asquith admitted thab the figures as to infant mortality revealed a melancholy state of things in many parts of England, bub inquiries . showed that strong reasons existed against women being employed'in factories after childbirth, or ab least for a long interval. Ab the aarae tinso he deprecated the idea of children being regarded as obstacles to employment. He was sorry to say thab the creches had nob succeeded, bub until some better, system was introduced, he thought employers of female labour should be encouraged to establish creches in connection with the factories. ; ,

Employment of Women*

■ This was the bubjec'tt of ".■*• speech by' Mr Geoffrey Dfage, of the Labour Commissida at Oxford, on Saturday last. He said'the Labour Commission bad been the first to employ women in skilled) office work, and official documents had attested the remarkable success of the experiment. It appears, however, that this is in a large measure due to the excellent preparatory training received by th«* women ab Lady Margareb Hall, Oxford. Mr Drageeaid tbab tbe extrhordinary, creature known as the ' new woman' was nbb produced there, ec(i'Gnbricity of dress.or condupb being regarded rather as a proof of unfitnesa for work. Ha also dwelt strongly on the necessity of combinations among women, to improve their rates of remuneration-and conditions of employmenb; But whilsb pointing out the increasing number of avenues open to female workers he spoke earnestly of the importance of domestic work in the home.

Woek Fob the Unemployed,

Hitherto New Zealand has.been regarded as in the. van of the advanced State uoeialiatic movement, . Bub. there are indications that the Mother Country is likely ore long to go much further in the field, of experiment .Aba conference of Poor LawGuardians ab Poplar bhe other day, a resolution was passed urging bhe Governmonb to establish farms for the unemployed near London, and workshops tor the manufacture .of gqpdei, (kii l fchtit the Local Government Board bo wbhisrlßfed tib^ise' 'a loari for the purpose of carrying out the scheme. Io waa suggested that each parisfi': should make a start with a farinv of 50 *creß./ In 'spite^ofA!»bfob£j <l6ppb4i6rort, and r the allegation that similar experiments in Germany have totally failed, the resolution was carried. . / Payment to Railway Employes sot.

Sunday Work.

. The ; Very numerous employes on thd South Eastern Railway havo^eein petitioning the directors of the Company to allow additional payment to the guards for Sunday duty. The directors' in. their reply, express regret that they, cannot accede to. the''request; owing to Che increasing charges for rates and taxes, the demands oi: the travelling public for' improved accommodation, and other burdens. They '

promise, however, to consider the question again ab some future date—say about the time of the Greek Kalends —if the conditions now existing should change. In contrast to this the Loadon/and North Western Railway Company has started a savings bank for the convenience of its employes.

Early Closing.

In spite of the dead wall of opposition to any form of innovation, the early closing movement in London is. still alive and vigorous. Whil» a strong (section are in favour of. compulsory legislation on the. subject, there .is also in existence an Association which believes in the voluntary closing system, and'it-has succeeded in establishing, early closing in fitty-threa large metropolitan districts. Experience in the colonies, however, has shown that] the voluntary Bystem has always been a failure owing to tbe keenness of competition and the jealousy between rival nrmn. ,