FACTORIES' BILL. (Hansard, 20 February 1832)

§ Mr. Horatio Ross
presented a Petition from the master manufacturers of Aberdeen, relative to the Bill introduced by the hon. member for Aldborough (Mr. Sadler), for the purpose of 530 shortening the hours of labour for children in factories. The petitioners stated that great care and attention were paid to the children in the factories belonging to them, and prayed that no legislative enactment might be made without due inquiry. He fully agreed with the prayer of the petition, for he was convinced, that if the Bill passed in its present shape, it would ruin the manufacturers, and be the means of throwing many thousand operatives out of employment. In saying this, however, he begged to guard himself against being suspected of desiring to work children twelve or fourteen hours in the day. He was convinced that a Bill was necessary, not only for their protection, but for that of the most humane and respectable masters themselves, who were undersold by those who, without any regard to humanity, worked the unhappy children who were employed under them to excess. He was anxious that every protection should be afforded to young persons employed in factories, but it was necessary that due caution should be observed in legislating on the subject. To his constituents the Bill was of vital importance, as the great mass of the population in the district he had the honour to represent were employed in manufactures, and he had the satisfaction to know that the great majority of both masters and operatives had agreed in desiring that the labour of children should be limited to thirty-six hours per week. In his opinion, however, inquiry should precede the passing of the Bill, and he should wish it to be referred to a Select Committee.

§ Mr. Charles Douglas
fully agreed with the hon. Member, that inquiry was necessary. He had reason to know, that many of the master manufacturers were opposed to the provisions of the Bill.

§ Mr. Robert Ferguson
felt also fully convinced, that the most strict inquiry was necessary. He had reason to believe that many of the petitions in favour of the Bill were founded on the most exaggerated statements. He was no advocate for treating children with inhumanity, but a Select Committee was the only place where so many interests and conflicting statements could be duly considered.

§ Mr. Sadler
presented a petition, signed by 2,000 persons, inhabitants of Aberdeen, being bankers, merchants, and manufacturers, in favour of the Bill for limiting the 531 labour of children in factories. The Petitioners asserted that the confinement to which children were subjected greatly impeded the advance of knowledge.

§ Mr. Ramsden
admitted, that some measure was necessary, as instances of cruelty did occur, still, he was bound to say, that, in the majority of instances, great care and humanity were displayed towards the children in factories in the district which he represented. He should wish a preliminary inquiry before giving his assent to the hon. Member's Bill.

§ Captain William Gordon
could also state that great attention was paid to the children in the factories at Aberdeen. This petition contained the first complaint from that place that he had heard of. There was no way of recalling the conflicting statements made, but by referring the whole to a select Committee.

§ Mr. Sadler
said, that great care had been used in inquiring into the treatment of the children by many persons before they had signed the petitions, and it was only from a full knowledge of the excessive labour to which children were exposed, that professional men, whose duties led them to the habitations of the poor, where they were witnesses to the evils they sought to remedy, were induced to come forward to complain. At the proper time he should be able to support the allegations contained in the petitions by the testimony of thousands of witnesses.

Sir Charles Burrell
said, that he had been assured, and he had no doubt whatever of the fact, that, in some of the woollen manufactories, children were worked fourteen hours out of the twenty-four. The prostration of strength which was the result of this length of labour, was such, that watchers were employed to go round, and prevent the children falling into a state of stupor, which would endanger their entangling themselves in the machinery. The atmosphere, too, in such factories, and the nature of the labour, was most injurious to health.

§ Mr. Hunt
said, he had no doubt that in some woollen manufactories, children were employed in the way mentioned by the hon. Baronet. He had also heard that these poor children were subjected to be struck by people who had staves in their hands for that purpose. Surely the House would never lend its countenance to such proceedings. It was worse treatment than that of slaves and felons.

§ Mr. G. Vernon
felt grateful to the hon. member for Aldborough for bringing the subject under the notice of the House: he was fully convinced some legislative measure was necessary for the protection of young children, but, at the same time, he must declare, that several of the provisions of the intended Bill met with great opposition from some of his constituents on duty who were master manufacturers. He therefore, in common with other hon. Members, wished the Bill to be referred to a Select Committee.