found that no less than 25 per cent. of them had defective vision and required glasses. Since these have been supplied there have been no more complaints from customers as to the quality of paper supplied.

The recommendation by the Lighting Committee that a collection, for various industries, of a sufficient number of observations should be made to give some indication as to the best practice regarding lighting has been followed again this year; the observations were taken principally in the cotton trade in Lancashire, and in the metal industries in the Birmingham area.

Ventilation. Much attention has been given by the staff, as usual, to the question of dust removal. The problem in its general application is now fairly well understood; but different dusts present different difficulties and each case has to be studied separately. From many parts of the country come reports of successful installations in a wonderful variety of industries. Thus dust removal plant has been installed in metal grinding applied particularly to the pendulum or swing type of grinder, in cork grinding, in stripping operations in cotton card rooms, in chaff cutting, sack cleaning, sugar grinding, manufacture of artificial manures and sheep dip, bone grinding, manufacture of tobacco pipes, and in sand blasting of glassware. Mechanical exhaust has also been successfully applied to the removal of fumes and objectionable gases in the casting of brass, in cotton yarn gassing, in dope spraying, in the manufacture of insulating material and roofing felt, in the reconditioning of wearing apparel by passing steam through the stretched fabric, and in the bottling of ammonia.

Dealing with the question of ventilation of cotton yarn gassing rooms, Mr. Law (North Midland Division) reports that during the past year three large plants of the horizontal flame type have been provided with hoods and well-designed exhaust systems. This, he remarks, is noteworthy as the exhaust plant is only provided as an integral part of the machine in the vertical flame frames, and the provision of the hoods, etc., to a horizontal flame plant is rather a costly matter, one of the three new plants having cost £700. He states, however, that the greatly improved atmosphere free from dust and fume is much appreciated by the operatives. Mr. Warren (Derby) also reports progress in the ventilation of similar processes in his district.

Mr. Crawford (Lanarkshire).-During the year a definite step was taken towards the elimination of dust in a large cotton waste mill. The conditions in this mill were fairly bad. The material worked was refuse, discards, and 'droppings' from the Lancashire mills, and consequently very dirty. The willowing machines were of a very old pattern, and the cards mostly of the roller and clearer type. The situation of the mill is such that exhaust ventilation to the outside was impracticable, owing to the close proximity of dwelling houses. A firm of ventilating engineers experimented for some time, but the results were negligible. Finally, the willowing machines, the largest source of dust, have been replaced, at a cost of about 700, by two new machines, fitted with their own exhaust fans and bag collectors. The collectors are such that the delivery duct, at intervals, automatically switches over from bag to bag, so ensuring that the dust does not get into a periodic (27385)

B* 4

state of agitation and giving a maximum delivery of dust. The results achieved have been noteworthy. Cook's vacuum stripper has been fitted to the flat cards and the roller and clearer cards are to be dealt with next.

The much discussed question of dust in cotton card rooms is of particular importance in the East Lancashire Division, and Mr. May, the Superintending Inspector, contributes the following report :

The question of the general dust content of cardrooms is still under consideration by the Joint Committee of Employers, Operatives, and the Factory Department, but no decision has yet been reached. Plans of schemes for general ventilation of the card room at a mill in the Oldham district have been submitted by a number of ventilating engineers and carefully considered by the Committee. A special inquiry into the amount and nature of the dust present in the air has been completed by the British Cotton Industry Research Association, and I understand that the report thereon is now in the hands of the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners Associations, Limited. It is yet uncertain to what extent the information in this report will be made public, and pending careful consideration of the report, I gather that the employers do not feel themselves in a position to come to any definite decision with regard to experiments in ventilation at the mill already referred to. The Federation have promised to let me know as soon as their deliberations on this report are concluded.

With regard to the somewhat parallel problem of the ventilation of roller and clearer cards in the cotton waste trade, a very successful scheme of ventilation has been installed, after a long period of experiment, at a mill in the Stockport district. The result is due to the joint efforts of the management of the mill, a leading firm of ventilating engineers, and the District Inspector, Mr. Hird. The exhaust deals only with the dust evolved during the processes of stripping and grinding; it does not attempt to remove dust thrown off during the process of carding, which, in this particular instance, is of far less importance than the removal of the stripping and grinding dust itself.

Another industrial development which has necessitated special consideration as regards this problem of ventilation is the increasing practice of painting by means of a spray.

Mr. Verney (S. London).-Spray painting of dopes or varnishes with a nitro-cellulose base is on the increase. In most cases the articles treated are comparatively small, such as can be accommodated on a bench cabinet, but in several works assembled motor cars and car bodies are dealt with. Attention is given to the construction of the cabinets, their cleaning and safe lighting and the necessary exhaust draught. Booths, in which to stand motor cars while being sprayed, have proved a somewhat difficult problem, but experiments are proceeding with a view to discovering the best shape and construction.

EMPLOYMENT.

Further information has been collected as to the hours now actually being worked by women and young persons in different industries. The reports from every part of the country show that there has been no change in the general basic week, which remains at not more than 48 hours. Such staple industries as textiles, engineering, food and clothing have generally adopted these hours as a standard and their example has been followed by industries of lesser importance. The five-day week, which in some parts of the country is gaining in popularity, fits in more or less with a 48-hour week, while the disinclination to begin work before 8 a.m. has also tended to reduce the number of hours worked. Another feature

which is very noticeable is that a large number of the complaints received in regard to hours assume that 48 hours is now the legal weekly limit, showing that these hours are becoming increasingly universal and are in harmony with public opinion.

In certain industries, however, where trade has been brisk or where there is a seasonal pressure at certain periods of the year, hours in excess of 48 are worked. The practice of working these longer hours varies from firm to firm and probably depends to a certain extent on the standard of organisation within the factory. In the linoleum industry in Scotland, which has been busy for some time, owing to the great activity in the building industry, hours varying from 47 to 53 have been worked; in brick works in Lancashire a 524-hour week is reported and considerable overtime in Scotland. More seasonal in character, the full legal period is worked for three or four months in the light leather industry in Walsall to meet the demands of the Christmas trade, and similar hours in the cycle trade in the busy season during the summer. In the hat trade in Luton 54 hours have been worked in times of pressure. In the tailoring and dress-making trades the hours are not nearly so long as formerly, but still exceed 48 in

some cases.

In

Laundries are an exceptional class as regards hours. London hours in excess of 50 are not uncommon; in the Provinces the hours are usually shorter, but at seaside resorts full legal hours are often worked in the season. The practice of having in normal times a regular 10-hour day, and short hours on some other day, has largely disappeared, except as part of a five-day week system.

Another industry which is exceptional is the baking industry, where hours between 50 and 55 are not infrequent, more particularly in small bakehouses, and even where the normal hours are 48 or less, a long day is generally worked at the end of the week to meet week-end requirements. Further, for some weeks before Christmas, and in the season at holiday resorts, hours from 52 to 54 per week are often reached.

Advantage is still taken, though to a very much less extent than formerly, of the provision which allows overtime for women beyond the full legal periods in certain seasonal trades. The principal trades from which such overtime has been reported are manufacture of aerated waters, beer bottling, bookbinding, Christmas present making, fancy box making, fruit preserving, manufacture of furniture hangings, making of meat pies, makingup of wearing apparel, and warehouse processes.

Generally speaking, however, the state of trade during the year has removed any general incentive to work longer than 48 hours, although in some cases it is reported to have had the opposite effect. There have been instances where occupiers have been so eager to take advantage of some sudden rush order and found the workers, weary of short time and the consequent reduction in wages, so ready to earn a little extra money that they

have worked beyond the number of hours allowed by the act. Such cases have been spasmodic and extended over a very short period of time and have often been confined to one or two departments. In some works the short time during the coal dispute resulted in employment beyond 48 hours directly the dispute was over, everyone concerned being anxious to put in any hours of work that were possible and to earn a little extra money before Christmas.

Short breaks during spells of work are becoming more common as their value is felt. An interesting case is quoted by Miss Sadler (S.E. Division) of a factory in which about 1,000 workers are employed and where before the General Strike no breaks were allowed on the ground that they interfered with the work. During the Strike many of the workers walked to the factory from distant homes and they were therefore allowed 10 minutes in the morning and afternoon. After the Strike was over the management ruled that this concession must be withdrawn. On hearing this decision the foreman chiefly responsible for the output pleaded that the breaks should be continued on the ground of increased efficiency of the workers. The plea was allowed and breaks are now firmly established.

WELFARE.

A good deal of time has been spent in enquiry as to welfare arrangements required in bakehouses. This arises from the occurrence from time to time of cases of dermatitis amongst persons employed in handling flour and dough, and it is generally recognised that cleanliness is most important as a safeguard. A draft Welfare Order was accordingly issued, but met with considerable opposition from the Employers' Associations. Somewhat prolonged negotiations followed and certain modifications agreed to, and the Order eventually became operative in 1927. The draft Order also applied to the baking of biscuits, where dermatitis of a somewhat similar kind occurs amongst persons employed in the icing and wafer departments. The conditions are, however, entirely different from those in bakehouses and, after discussion with the Biscuit Manufacturers' Association, it was agreed to cut this industry out of the Bakehouse Order and to substitute another Order applicable only to the making of biscuits.

Fish Curing. The special difficulty mentioned in last year's Annual Report in connection with administration of the Welfare Order in Yarmouth was overcome in 1926, a second Welfare hut having been erected by the Corporation, after strong representations made by the Home Office. These resulted in a conference at which representatives of the Corporation, the Curers and the Home Office were present, being held in Yarmouth. After a full discussion an agreement, satisfactory to all parties, was reached, under which a new Welfare hut was erected by the Corporation,

but will be taken over by the Curers as soon as the present leases of the plots expire. Dealing with the subject Miss Slocock (Superintending Inspector), reports :

This hut, which is in an excellent position about 500 yards from the original Corporation hut, is of suitable construction, homely and comfortable, easily warmed, and very much appreciated by the fish workers and also by the voluntary workers who undertake to staff it. The whole of the plots on the open Denes which are likely to be occupied for some considerable time are now within the prescribed radius of 250 yards of one or other of the Corporation buildings.

The voluntary workers continue to do excellent work at Yarmouth, Gorleston and Lowestoft, and it would be almost impossible without their assistance to secure compliance with the Welfare Order in its most important aspects-that of centralised First Aid Stations, rest rooms and canteens. First Aid Boxes are almost invariably provided where required, and the Order is, with the exception of one or two individual yards, well complied with.

An Order applicable to Scotland only and replacing the voluntary scheme which had been in operation during the previous fishing season, came into force in June. Actually the summer curing season had commenced at that date, but the curers were already familiar with the terms of the Order and very satisfactory progress was made during the few weeks the fishing lasted. All the curing stations in Scotland were visited except a very few in outlying districts, which it was impossible to inspect owing to the restricted steamer service due to the coal shortage and the brevity of the season. Miss Meiklejohn (Woman Deputy Superintending Inspector), who personally visited most of the stations, reports as follows:

At all the important centres except Stornoway dressing stations were provided. Those at Wick were temporary pending the erection of more suitable premises. The others for the most part complied with the Order except for minor details of equipment. At the same time the dressing stations at centres such as Lerwick and Fraserburgh having been established before the Order came into force, were not so situated as to bring all yards within the prescribed distance of 440 yards, though the number of dressing stations at those centres was sufficient and, in the case of Lerwick, more than sufficient. In Lerwick the curers are endeavouring to arrange for the removal of two dressing stations to more suitable sites and are providing such equipment as will bring the others up to the standard laid down by the Order. In Bressay the position of the 10 curing yards is such that the existing dressing station cannot serve more than six. Applications for exemption have been granted to the remaining four.

In Stronsay and Papa Stronsay there are two good permanent dressing stations, one in Papa and one in Stronsay east of the village. Temporary arrangements were made last season for the western group of Stronsay yards, and a fully equipped dressing station is now being fitted up and will be ready at the beginning of next season. The curers in Papa and Stronsay (East) have already arranged for the use of dressing stations in their areas and provided the extra equipment required. In Wick it has been necessary to erect new dressing stations to comply with the Order. Last season we had several meetings with the curers and the representatives of the Harbour Trust, and arrangements have been made for the erection by the Trust of two central dressing stations. The plans have been passed and the Trust are only waiting for the Fishing Board and Developments Commission to sanction the expenditure before proceeding with the work. Twelve yards on Upper Pulteney and the North Beach will be outside the area served by these dressing stations, and the fact that the Trust could not rely on revenue from these yards made them in the first instance somewhat reluctant to face the necessary expenditure. In Stornoway a temporary dressing station has