§ Lord Morpethpresented Petitions from the Master Manufacturers of Pudsey, and from the Operatives of Gomersal, praying for an alteration of the Factory Act. From these petitions, it was evident that all classes—the mill-owners, the master manufacturers, and the operatives themselves, concurred in thinking, that several parts of that measure would be extremely onerous, if carried into execution, and that some alteration must, therefore, of necessity take place. He hoped that the Inspectors appointed by the Act would submit to the Government their views upon the subject, and that the Government would act upon those views. He felt bound to mention, and he did so with feelings of some disappointment that he had been given to understand that the Inspectors had received orders from Government not to admit deputations either from masters or men. This really seemed 527 to be avoiding the most easy and effectual method of meeting the difficulties of the question. This was a question in which party feeling had no place, and which migh be discussed, in the present state of circumstances, without exciting warmth on either side.
Mr. Secretary Goulburnbelieved he could satisfy the noble Lord in a very few words. On his taking office he found a great diversity of opinion among the operatives and their masters with respect to the execution of the law, as well as with respect to the making an alteration of some of the provisions. Among the Inspectors, also, he found there were different opinions as to the Amendments. Such being the case, and the law itself being of so recent a date, he thought it the most expedient course to make an experiment of the law; so that, from actual experience, rather than from contradictory opinions, they might be enabled to ascertain what alterations really were necessary. With regard to the allusion which the noble Lord had made to a communication between him and a particular Inspector, the circumstances were these. The Inspector forwarded to him a letter, in which he notified the change which by the Bill would take place in the regulation of factories on the 1st of March; and to that letter he subjoined a requisition he had received, calling upon him to give an interview to a deputation from the parties interested in the changes, for the purpose of discussing what Amendments the Factory Act required. To hold an interview for such a purpose was, it appeared to him, not very consistent with the intention to make a fair experiment of the Bill. He therefore, in his answer to the Inspector, intimated that it would be imprudent to invite interviews with deputations, for the purpose of discussing any Amendment; but nevertheless all the information which could be collected was to be forwarded to the Government.
§ Mr. Bainessaid, there was considerable diversity of opinion as to the manner in which the provisions in question should be amended; but there was none as to the impracticability of carrying them into effect. In every part of the manufacturing districts in Yorkshire considerable excitement prevailed in consequence of mills having been thrown out of employment by the operation of the Factory-law. It was a measure which was brought before 528 the Legislature when there was great agitation upon the subject, and he certainly thought it was passed without due deliberation. The object of the petitioners was to obtain an inquiry into the principles on which the Bill was founded, to see how far they were applicable to the present state of manufacturing society, and to make amendments in the provisions, so that they would not interfere with the course of trade. It was evident that the Inspectors had considered the directions as closing the door against all inquiry; for he knew that an Inspector had refused to hear the representations of several persons who surrounded his house, on the ground that the orders of Government were to hold no communication with them. He trusted that the Government would allow an inquiry, by which the subject would be fully discussed, and measures adopted for enabling the manufacturers to carry on their business in a way that was indispensable to the welfare and tranquillity of the country.
Sir George Stricklandsaid, that as he was connected with that part of the country from which these petitions came, he was anxious to say a few words upon them. He entirely concurred in the opinion that no party feeling was involved in the consideration of the question. It was a question of humanity alone—a question whether children of a tender age should be allowed to work in these factories an immoderate length of time, so as to retain the appearance of health, when they were actually so crippled in their limbs as to be unable to maintain themselves in afterlife. He considered it to be highly desirable that this question should be brought to a satisfactory issue, and that with as little delay as possible.