LORD BROUGHAMsaid, he wished to bring under the notice of the Government a subject of great importance to the working classes of this country—the employment of women and children of tender age in the dyeing and bleaching works. He had scarcely ever read anything equal to the disclosures made in the Report of the Committee of the other House of Parliament, and in tracts which had been recently issued, having reference to this matter. For hours after he had read the particulars contained in these documents he had been 1823 unable to get the subject discharged from his mind. He thought it monstrous that children of seven and eight years of age should be kept eighteen hours at work, sometimes for three or four days together, so that they could not be kept awake without resort being had to violent means; added to which they endured constant suffering in the limbs from excoriation, which it was frightful to read of, and too painful to relate. The Factories Act of 1844 had done great good, though all the benefits which his noble Friend (the Earl of Shaftesbury) had desired had not been obtained. He wished to ask his noble Friend, the President of the Council, whether any steps would be taken to extend the benefits of the Factories Act to persons engaged in bleaching and dyeing works?
§ EARL GRANVILLEassured the noble and learned Lord that due inquiry would be made by the Government into the subject which he had brought under their notice.