§ Mr. GILLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state how many cotton-spinning firms in Oldham, Bolton, and Rochdale have fitted the whole of their carding engines with the automatic locking-cover over the cylinder?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe numbers of the firms, so far as I have been able to ascertain, are as follows: Bolton 7, Rochdale 12, Oldham 5. In each case the surrounding district is included. These figures, however, should not be taken as indicating the amount of work already accomplished in this direction; many other firms have provided lookers for a large proportion of their cards.
§ Mr. GILLasked how many cotton-spinning firms in Oldham, Bolton, Rochdale, and Ashton-under-Lyne have fitted their cardrooms with new and efficient apparatus for taking away the dust caused by the stripping and grinding process on carding engines?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe numbers of the firms are as follows: Oldham 9, Bolton 7, Rochdale 4, Ashton-under-Lyne 6. In each case the surrounding district is included. I understand that a large number of firms have the matter in hand, and I propose to instruct the inspectors to press for the installation of efficient apparatus at an early date.