HC Deb 29 June 1891 vol 354 cc1721-2
MR. MUTSTDELLA (Sheffield, Brightside)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the Report upon the health of Blackburn for the year 1890, by Dr. Barwise, M.B., Medical Officer of Health, showing the great morality amongst the weavers of that town, more especially amongst those between the ages of 15 and 25, stating that of 100 deaths over the age of 15, 22.5 occur among weavers against 5.8 of labourers; and that these deaths are mainly attributable to lung disease consequent upon the unhealthiness of the weaving sheds in which the operatives are employed; and to the further statement— There are three factors which must be considered in connection with weaving sheds as possibly conducing to their unhealthiness:—1st, the temperature; 2nd, the vitiated state of the atmosphere arising from respiratory impurity; 3rd, the humidity; whether, under these circumstances, he will cause inquiries to be made by Her Majesty's Inspectors as to how far it is possible to remedy these evils; and whether "The Cotton Cloths Factories Act, 1889," has been efficiently carried out in Blackburn?

MR. SUMMERS

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to Dr. Barwise's Report on the Health of Blackburn for 1890, in which he states that— Between the ages of 15 and 25, 36 more deaths took place amongst the weavers than the labourers, a loss of £ 19,000 to the weavers of Blackburn," and that "the high death-rate of weavers from 10 to 25 is partly due to injuries acquired between 10 and 12, and it is probable that weavers, as a class, lose more than the value of the earnings between 10 and 12 by the damage done to the constitutions in working at those ages under the conditions required for weaving; and whether the Government will consider the advisability of amending the Factories and Workshops Bill, now before the House of Lords, in accordance with Dr. Barwise's recommendations?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.

I have seen Dr. Barwise's Report on the health of Blackburn for 1890. The Cotton Cloth Factory Act was framed expressly to mitigate the evils complained of. That Act has not yet been sufficiently long in operation to enable a conclusive judgment to be formed as to whether the safeguards which it provides are sufficient or to secure the complete carrying out of its provisions. Dr. Barwise states on page 14 of his Report that— Sufficient time has not yet passed to show any diminution in the death-rate, but the condition of many of the weaving sheds has been materially improved. Mr. Osborne, the Inspector, to whom the duty of carrying out the Act was specially intrusted, gives on pages 54–58 of the last Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories a hopeful account of the operation of the Act, and thinks that in a few more months rapid progress in enforcing its provisions will have been attained. I will direct the Inspector to continue a watchful attention to the enforcement of the Act and its effect, and I hope that with the help of the provisions of the Factory Bill of this year the health of weavers of all ages may be improved.