§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYmoved, according to Order, that the Bill be now read a second time. The Bill was founded upon the Report of a Commission that had inquired into the subject in 1860, which Report recommended restrictions upon the employment of young persons under eighteen at certain hours of the night, and also certain regulations as to inspection. The disgraceful and disgusting condition of many of the bakehouses of this great metropolis was a scandal to the country. This Bill provided the infliction of penalties for the employment of persons under eighteen during the prohibited hours at night, and for the cleaning, painting, and white-washing of the bakehouses, with other sanitary regulations, for the enforcement of which official inspection was established.
§ LORD REDESDALEsaid, that no doubt, upon the whole, the Bill was a very proper measure; but he thought that some of the provisions were unnecessarily stringent, and descended to too much minutiæ with regard to the painting, whitewashing, &c. It should also be borne in mind that these operations, if required to the alleged extent in the metropolis, would not be required to the same extent in the country.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, that some of the regulations were 397 doubtless stringent, but the noble Lord would not object to the repeated white-washings if he had heard the statements which had been made as to the disgusting condition in which many bakehouses now were. He admitted that as the Bill stood it might prove vexatious in small places and rural districts, and he was willing to listen to any suggestion tending to obviate that objection.
§ Motion agreed to: Bill read 2a. and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.