§ MR. JAMES MACLEAN (Oldham)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that at a mass meeting of mill operatives, numbering upwards of 10,000 persons, which was held at Bombay on 24th April, a petition was adopted at the Millowners' Association to close the mills for four days in the month, and that two of the workpeople, both women, made speeches complaining of being pressed to come to work even on Sundays, and said that one day's rest out of the seven would be a great benefit both to the operatives and to the millowners; 811 and whether any provision is made in the Indian Factory Act Amendment Bill for closing the factories on Sundays?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) ChathamIt is stated in the Indian newspapers that such a meeting was held and such a petition adopted. The Bill now before the Indian Legislature provides four days' holiday a month for women and children.
§ MR. MACLEANAre the four holidays to be on Sundays?
§ SIR J. GORSTThe Bill does not specify that they shall be on Sunday, but I believe there is very little doubt that Sunday will be the day selected.