782

LAISSEZ FAIRE

A-D- 176 water-power; but in many instances the supply was insufficient
 and the mill worked with great irregularity.
while their (Jnder such circumstances the hands were obliged at times to
reqularity 2 .
of water- work for long hours when the water was available, in order
cas t0 make up for a deficiency in their wages, owing to the time
for working when they had been left idle from the deficiency of power.
time. This irregularity of employment was only too apt to render
the men dissipated, as they were forced to alternate periods
of excessive work and of entire idleness. They frequently had
to put in extra hours without extra pay, in order to make up
for stoppages; by far the worst cases, In connection with the
treatment of children, were due to instances where they were
ander the control of men who were working irregularly and
with whom they had to keep pace’. The race between
steam- and water-power was not finally decided in 1833; but
water-power was long considered cheaper, even though steam
was preferred, as without it the manufacturers could not count
on a constant supply of power. It is thus obvious that at
the time of the Commission things were already beginning to
mend. The little mills, and water-mills, were the worst in
every respect, but they were dying out in competition with

from two causes: the chief of these is the dissipated habits of many of the
weavers, who remain idle for two or three days, and make up their lost time by
working extra hours, to finish their piece on Saturday. All the work is paid by
the piece. The other cause is, that the weaver has often to wait for material
from the master manufacturer, when particular shades of colour may have to be
dyed for the carpet he is weaving. In both cases this irregularity tells very
severely on the drawers, who must attend the weaver at whatever time he is at
work: they are often called up at three and four in the morning, and kept on for
gixteen and eighteen hours. The drawers are entirely under the controul of the
weavers, both as to their time of work and payment; the masters neither
engaging them, nor exercising any farther controul than requiring them to be
dismissed by the weaver in cases of misconduct. It appears to us that this power
of overworking the drawers calls for interference on the part of the legislature, if
an efficient remedy can be found : but this will be difficult, from the system of the
trade. The looms belong to the master manufacturers, and are, in most cases, in
what is termed his factory; that, however, is not one large building, but several
small houses, generally two, seldom three stories high. If there were one building,
that could be closed by one key, the masters could prevent the weavers working
at irregular hours; but it appears, from the evidence of Mr Thomas Lea. that
there are only two factories in the place where this could be done. The keys of
the smaller workshops are entrusted to foremen, and sometimes a journeyman,
and it would be very difficult to prevent the evasion of any regulation for opening
and closing them at fixed hours.” Reports, 1833. xx. 909.
Reports, ete.. 1833. xx. 12. 15, 16.