§ MR. T. S. DUNCOMBE, in rising to ask for leave to bring in a Bill to limit the hours of night labour in all factories where bobbin net and warp lace machinery is employed, begged first to present a petition on which the Bill was founded. It was signed by 3,420 workmen engaged in the lace trade; and he should add, that his hon. Friend the Member for North Nottinghamshire had already presented a similar petition signed by the masters; so that he was happy in being enabled to cite the present as one of the few instances in which the masters and workmen agreed in their opinions. The petitioners prayed that the hours of labour might be limited to from six o'clock in the morning until ten at night; that no children under eight years of age should be permitted to be employed; and that no person whatsoever should be allowed to work before six o'clock in the morning, or after ten o'clock at night. As he (Mr. Duncombe) understood from the right hon. Baronet opposite that there would be no objection to the introduction of such a measure at the present (although the right hon. Baronet held himself free as to the course he might find it necessary to adopt subsequently), he hoped he need not then occupy the time of the House longer than by barely stating the nature of the measure. It would be, perhaps, better that he should go more fully into the reasons for its introduction on the second reading.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMhad always had an objection to interfering with the hours of labour. The hon. Gentleman had stated, very fairly, that he had not refused his assent to such a Bill as this being brought in, particularly as that step would not hinder him from pursuing any course he might think fit on a future occasion, and as before the second reading he would have an opportunity of reading all its provisions, and of seeing what was objectionable. He 976 always understood that the lace trade was different from the bulk of those businesses in which machinery was the chief means of production; and that, therefore, there was not the same objection to long hours in this business; but when the Bill was brought in, he would be able to state more explicitly his opinion respecting it.
§ SIR G. STRICKLANDsaid, that the Bill about to be introduced was in direct opposition to the rules which had always been laid down, of not interfering between the adult labourer and his employer. It was going in the teeth of all they had been doing during the last twelve years. He had another objection to this Bill, for it appeared that it would allow children of tender age to be engaged during the excessive hours of from six in the morning till ten at night; and he thought, therefore, that it would be but wise in the hon. Gentlemen who were about to bring in this Bill to attend to this particular point.
§ Leave given. House adjourned at half-past five.