MR. HINDE PALMERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, having regard to the very general adoption of the Nine-hours system of labour for adult workmen, he will introduce a measure for shortening the hours of labour for women and children under the Factory Acts; and, if not, whether he will give his support to any such measure if introduced by a private Member?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, he was not inclined to pledge the Government 1760 to support any Bill until they had seen it. The Question of the hon. Gentleman referred to those who were technically called women and young persons. He was not able to say that the nine-hours system had been very generally adopted, though it had been adopted in some branches of the iron trade; but even there not generally for the purpose of shortening the hours of labour, but rather of saying what should be the day's work for a certain daily payment. Indeed, he was not sure that the number of hours of actual work was not greater rather than fewer than before. Under these circumstances, he was not prepared to introduce a measure for a change in the hours of labour for women and young persons under the Factory Acts.