million bricks per day and the machinery is only idle, including stoppages for meal time, for four hours out of the twenty-four. A labour saving device, the shale planer, has been introduced in this industry, which can shave from the face of the clay bed 50 tons an hour ready for the grinding pans and deliver it to the trolleys in waiting. Nothwithstanding the trade difficulties of last year, there has again been further industrial development in the outer suburbs of London and in the Home Counties. Some of the factories have been taken possession of by firms from congested London areas, and others by entirely new businesses. These developments are taking place especially along the routes of new roads and extensions of the railways where facilities are available for the transport of both workers and materials. The general growth in an industrial sense of the Southern area of the country, and particularly of that part lying east of a line drawn from the Wash to Portsmouth, referred to in last year's Report, is again noticeable, and is confirmed by particulars of the numbers of persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts. Statistics published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette show a change in the geographical distribution of such persons; in the case of some industries an increase in the South has been concurrent with a decrease in the North, but in most industries there has been a gradual increase in numbers during the last three years throughout the country. The increase has however been greatest in the Southern area, including Greater London, and amounts to 11.58 per cent. in the South Eastern area, as compared with 5.17 per cent. in the Midlands, 2.56 per cent. in the North Eastern District and 3.41 in the North Western District. This increasing development in the South Eastern area of England is reflected also in the number of accidents reported to the inspectors. While there was a marked decrease of accidents due to trade depression in the great majority of districts, the London, Reading, Ipswich and Norwich districts all show slight increases. Amongst miscellaneous industries there has been continued activity in the motor car trade and in the manufacture of accumulators mainly for motor cars. There has been a good demand for electrical equipment of different kinds, while electric welding seems to be finding wider application in the chain trade and is to some extent superseding rivetting in certain sections of the metal hollow-ware industry. The beet-sugar industry continues to develop and there are now 14 factories actually in operation. There have been some extensions of works in the tin-plate trade in South Wales and also in the foundries engaged in the light casting trade in Scotland. New factories of importance have been opened for the manufacture of wireless apparatus. (27385) A 3 The effects of fashion are discernible in depressed conditions in the blouse trade, in the making of buckram hat shapes displaced by felt, and as the modern tobacco pipe is plain there is at present no demand for pipe mounts. In the ornamental feather dressing trade there were formerly employed several hundred persons in London alone, but change of fashion has resulted in a closing down of most of the factories and a great shrinkage in the activities of the few remaining ones. Fashion would also seem responsible for eliminating the making of hair pads, hair nets, veils and chenille spotting, and for an almost entire cessation of demand for pins, and especially hair pins in the Midland area. The number of registered factories has again risen slightly from 144,361 in 1925 to 145,411, and the number of registered workshops has dropped from 128,793, the total for 1925, to 121,861. The decrease of workshops is most marked in the rural industries, and is particularly noticeable among tailors, milliners, dressmakers, joiners, blacksmiths and saddlers, and in the North of England in clog making. There has been in the Eastern Division a marked decline in the use of hand frames for making hosiery. In the middle of last century there were over 30,000 hand frames in use; now there are very few and these few are worked only by the elderly hand frame worker or stockinger. The use of hand frames for the weaving of horsehair cloth in the Norwich district has also practically ceased. At the same time, modern methods of transport and travelling have enabled the young people to find employment in adjoining towns. On the other hand a very great number of garages where motor repairs can be carried out have within recent years been opened in many villages and along the main motor traffic routes, and though only a few persons are engaged in each, the aggregate employed must be considerable and should help to some extent to counterbalance the drift of rural workers to the main industrial centres. Another industry which has been revived in the South of England, is the making of straw ropes, used for packing earthenware and china. This material has hitherto been almost entirely supplied by foreign makers, but the industry is one eminently suited for a rural district, and it is to be hoped it will develop. The Department has suffered a serious loss during the year through the retirement of Sir Thomas Legge, the Senior Medical Inspector, who has rendered such valuable service in the study of industrial disease, and in minimising its effects. Two other of the more senior of the District Inspectors in the persons of Mr. T. O. Edwards and Mr. J. Hilditch have also retired. The following new appointments were made :-Men Inspectors. Mr. W. T. Hewins, April 26th; and Mr. F. G. Bellerby, November 18th. Women Inspectors.-Miss K. Crundwell, February 11th; Miss G. M. Mitchell, April 28th. At the end of the year there were two vacancies, one being for a Medical Inspector and the other for a Class II Inspector. Three new Codes of Regulations for dangerous trades came into operation. That for Grinding of Cutlery was made in 1925, but became operative on January 1st, 1926. The other Codes applied to Vehicle Painting with Lead Paint and Building Operations. Woollen and Worsted Textiles (Lifting of Heavy Weights) Regulations were revised and the amended Code took effect from January 1st, 1927. The Code for Buildings had been the subject of very prolonged negotiations with the many different interests concerned, and it is satisfactory that at last these negotiations were carried to a successful conclusion, and the Regulations adopted as an agreed Code. In addition to these, two other codes were issued in draft, applying to Woodworking Machinery (amending the existing Order), and Lead Paint (under the Lead Paints (Protection against Poisoning) Act, 1926). Objections to the draft code relating to Shipbuilding issued in 1925 have been considered by a Joint Conference of representatives of the Home Office, the Employers and Operatives. The amended Code for Woodworking Machinery became operative on April 1st, 1927. A Welfare Order applicable to Herring Curing in Scotland was made during the early part of the year and became operative before the beginning of the fishing season. Another Order was made in respect of one individual firm of sugar confectionery manufacturers, and required the provision in the factory of mess-rooms, washing facilities and a rest-room. Two other Welfare Orders, one relating to Bakehouses, the other to Sack Cleaning works, were issued in draft, and the first of these was made effective at the beginning of 1927. Sixty-four Orders (against eighty-seven in 1925) were made under Section 2 of the Women, Young Persons and Children Act, 1920, allowing two separate shifts to be worked during the day, the power to make these Orders having been extended by the Expiring Laws Continuance Act. As regards Institution Factories and Workshops under Section 5 of the Act of 1907, three Orders were made (affecting three Institutions) modifying the application of the Acts, and two Orders were made revoking two earlier Orders. Returns of Employment were received from 134 Institutions to which Orders allowing variations of the ordinary provisions of the Law had been granted. These shewed that 426 young persons under 16 years of age were employed in these Institutions, 1,178 between 16 and 18 years of age, and 3,150 adults, making a total of 4,754, of whom only 23 were males, while 429 persons were engaged in supervision of the work or machinery. (27385) A 4 The following pamphlets and publications were issued :— Epitheliomatous Ulceration among Mule Spinners: Report of Departmental Committee. The value of Blood Examinations in the control of Industrial Lead Poisoning: Report by Dr. Sellars. (Form 1828). Lead Poisoning in the Manufacture of Electric Accumulators; How caused and how best prevented. Memorandum. (Form 393). Chemical Works Regulations: Preparation and Testing of Tar, Benzol and Oil Stills and closed Tanks. Memorandum prepared by the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers and the Association of Tar Distillers in consultation with the Chief Inspector. (Form 1815). Chemical Works Regulations: Fatalities due to Gassing by Oxides of Nitrogen in Sulphuric Acid Works. Revised circular letter by Chief Inspector of Aklali, etc., Works. (Form 1819). Lead Paint (Protection against Poisoning) Act, 1926:Explanatory Notice to Master Painters, Master Builders and others employing persons in painting buildings. Test for ascertaining the presence of lead in painted surfaces. Grinding of Metals (Miscellaneous Industries) Regulations, 1925: Certificate of Exemption No. 5 (Portable Grinding, Certificate of Exemption No. 6 (Precision Grinding Docks Regulations, 1925: Notice to Foreign Shipowners and Lighting in Factories and Workshops. Leaflet. (Form 273). Protection of Shafting and other Millgearing. Circular to Employers' Associations. (Form 1824). Safety Pamphlets :— No. 11. Laundry Machinery. No. 3. Chains and other Lifting Gear (Fourth Edition). Transmission Machinery: Fencing and Safety Precautions. (Form 274). Dough Machinery: Fencing. (Form 263, revised). The following additional publications were issued by the Industrial Fatigue Research Board : Board's Sixth Annual Report (1925). No. 33. A Study in Vocational Guidance carried out by the No. 34. A contribution to the Study of the Human Factor No. 35. A Physiological Study of the Ventilation and No. 36. On the Design of Machinery in relation to the No. 37. Fan Ventilation in a Humid Weaving Shed. Accident Rates. A Psychological Study of The Relation between Illumination and Efficiency Bye-laws under Section 15 (Factory and Workshop Act, 1901) with regard to means of escape from fire in works in which not more than 40 persons are employed, were made by five Local Authorities, bringing the number of districts in which such bye-laws are now in force up to 82 in Great Britain. The additional Local Authorities are Stockport, Worcester, Skelmanthorpe, Carshalton and Brierley Hill. The bye-laws confirmed for the Urban District of Thurstonland in 1924 have now been confirmed for the Urban District of Thurstonland and Farnby Tyas. The Committee appointed by the Secretary of State in April, 1925, to consider the evidence then available as to the occurrence of epitheliomatous ulceration amongst mule spinners (mule spinner's cancer) and to report what measures are practicable for the protection of the workers, and what Regulations (if any) are required, furnished their report in February. The arrangements for giving effect to their recommendations have been under discussion with the Employers and Operatives concerned. A meeting of the International Association of Medical Inspectors of Factories in September was attended by Sir Thos. Legge and Dr. Middleton, who were also present at a meeting of the Correspondence Committee of the International Labour Office on Industrial Hygiene which had been arranged to take place at the same time. In conclusion I desire to acknowledge the assistance which has been given me by Mr. H. J. Wilson, Deputy Chief Inspector, and by other Inspectors in the preparation of this Report. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, GERALD BELLHOUSE, H.M. Chief Inspector of Factories. |