§ MR. TALBOT (Oxford University)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his attention has been called to the statements quoted by the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops for 1897 as to the excessive hours of work exacted of young persons in fruit preserving, especially to the passage "Complaints reach me of work continued by girls of 13 and upwards from 6 a.m. until midnight, and this not only on five but on six days in the week"; and, whether he will consider the expediency of removing the exemption of this particular trade from the operation of the Act of 1895.
§ * SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYI have for some time been fully informed of the long hours worked in the fruit-preserving industry. As I stated in answer to a very similar question a few days ago, I consider that legislation in this matter is desirable.