§ 44. Mr. GILLasked the Home Secretary the number of persons employed in the cotton industry, distinguishing between males and females, and also giving the number under twenty-one years of age in each sex; and, if he has not these particulars, will he ask for a return from all employers of the number of workpeople as specified above?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe latest figures available are those of the Census of 1911, when the numbers returned as engaged in cotton manufacture were as follows: Males, 233,380, including 77,472 under twenty-one; females, 371,797, including 148,165 under twenty-one. These figures include 2,565 employers. The latest Factory Act return of persons employed in the industry is for 1907, but a return for 1912 has been collected, and is now being tabulated as rapidly as possible.