HC Deb 15 April 1889 vol 335 cc497-8
MR. HOYLE (Lancashire, S.E, Heywood)

I wish to ask the Under Secretary of State for India a question of which I have given him private notice. It is, whether it is a fact that the operatives in the cotton mills in India are kept at work on Sundays, as well as week days, and if their work ranges over 84 hours a week as compared with 56 hours worked by the operatives of Great Britain, and, if so, has his attention been drawn to a communication from Calcutta which appeared in the Daily News of the 13th instant, as follows:— Lord Reay has assured the Bombay Chamber of Commerce that the Government agrees with the Chamber that factory legislation on English lines is absolutely uncalled for, and would be as futile as inconvenient. He further states—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order. It seems that the question requires more notice than the hon. Gentleman has given. The hon. Gentleman could put it down for to-morrow.

MR. HOYLE

I sent the Under Secretary notice of it on Saturday.

SIR J. GORST

I believe I can answer the question.

MR. HOYLE

I have not quite finished— He further states that the Government would co-operate with the Chamber in opposing any such scheme. And if so, does the Secretary of State endorse the assurance of Lord Reay?

SIR J. GOLDSMID

May I ask you, Sir, whether this is not an infringement of the Standing Order of the House which provides that all questions shall be put on the paper, unless they relate to urgent matters?

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member stated he had given notice to the Minister. I said I thought it really evades the rule, and that notice should be put on the paper. Inasmuch, however, as the right hon. Gentleman is prepared to answer the question, I do not think I need take exception, but I hope this will not be allowed to be drawn into a precedent.

SIR J. GORST

Full information respecting the hours of work in factories in India will be found in papers presented to the House as a It turn. The Secretary of State has no information respecting the alleged statement of Lord Reay; and, as I informed the House last week, the despatch from the Government of India on the subject of factory legislation is now under the consideration of the Secretary of State in Council.