The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-01-06 00:00:00

THE HOURS OF LABOUR IN
FACTORIES.

A deputation honk the Factory Acts Reform As.
sochstion had, on Saturday afternoon, an interview
with Mr. Mundella, M.P., on the subject of the
further reduction of the hours of labour in factories.
The deputation met the hon. gentleman by previous
arrangement, in the room of the Bradford Chamber of
Con:merce, and were introduced by Mr. Joseph
White, spinner, who read an address expressive of
the thanks of the deputation to Mr. Mundella for
granting the interview, and stating that on behalf
'of the Women and children, whose hours of labour
are regulated by the Ten Hours Act, they shmsired his
advice and assistance in the endeavour to obtain a
further relaxation of the hours of toil in factories to ill
hours per week, them being about the established
hours of labour of workin,g men in mest of the staple
trides of this country. Reference was also made to
the glaring inequality which now etists, under which
able-bodied men generally were working nine hours
per day, whilst women and children had to work ten
hours per day under the regulation of a factory act
which existed for their protection. Mr. White then
mentioned the following points for Mr. Muudella's
consideration :

let. Do not the various improvements in machinery,
whereby the productive power of labour is increased, justny
a further relaxation in the hours of toil, especially for women
and children

2.1. Is it expedient to ask the legislature to protect
women and children by further reducing the hours of
labour sanctioned by the factory Act, from 60 hours per
week to 54 hours per week, ao that their hours of work
might be in accordanee with those w -aired by men generally:
3rd. Would nut the decreased on.ger.produetion of manu-
factured articles, although the cost of production was
Increased by the lessened hours of labour, be fully com-
pensated for by lessened competition for the raw material,
and the incretused demand for all manufactured articles/

4th. Were not manufacturers in a better position to suc-
cessfully compete with foreign competitors now, by work-
ing n 4 hours per week, than they were when the Ten Hours
Factory Act wee passed?

A long conversation ensued upon the points raised.
Mr. Mundella made a number of inquiries as to the
hours of work in the factories in the district, as com-
pared with the hours worked in the factories on the
Continent. Full explanation was given by the depu-
tation on this and all other points raised. The result
of the interview, it is stated, was that Mr. Mundella ex-
pressed himself satisfied that the time had coins when it
was practicable for in anuf ficturers to make the concession
desired by the association, and that bethought it should
be put into a practical shape by an act of parliament,
rather than the trade should be disturbed by a series of
strikes for the purpose of securing the object in view.
Mr. Mundella also expressed his willingness to in-
troduce into the House of Commons a bill for the re-
duction of the hours of labour, as desired, if he found
he would be supported by the employers and operatives
of Lancashire and Yorkshire and other manufacturing
districts.