HOURS IN FACTORIES, 47 be at liberty to distribute this hour in such periods as they think best. The distribution of the hours into two or more periods should be made only after consultation with the operatives. For preference, this con- sultation should be directly between the employer and the employed ; but it would be the duty of the Chief Inspector, where he was not satisfied that the views of the operatives had been effectively expressed, to consult them before giving his sanction. This should in any ease be given after having regard to the convenience of the operatives (e.g., their meal times and the Proximity of their homes to the factory). The provision per- mitting g reduction to half an hour for men working a shorter day should remain, but this should continue to be subject to the consent of the majority of operatives affected. Spreadover : the Present Position. The question of maximum Intervals, or spreadover, which ig not touched by the present Acts, requires attention. In the majority of factories, intervals are not unduly long or numerous, but there are important exceptions. An extreme instance is afforded by two South Indian cotton mills working in shifts, in which one shift has to work for bwo periods of 5 hours each, separated by intervals of 7 hours. For a man on this shift, 7 hours is the longest period of absence from the factory on working days. Tt ig only fair to add that the shifts are interchanged at regular intervals ; but even so, the arrangement is one which ignores the needs of the operatives. In the Bengal jute mills the great majority of the adult operatives begin work at 5:30" A. and finish at 7 P.M., with intervals variously arranged, and this is trie also of some of the children. The night is thus reduced to 10} hours, a period which is fur- ther reduced for many by reason of the distance of their homes from the factory. Tt is at least questionable if the Present practice in most jute mills is in conformity with the International Labour Convention relating bo night work for women, which India hag ratified ; but whatever view be taken on this point, we believe that, in the interests of the operatives, not less than 11 hours should be secured for both men and women. Spreadover and Night Work. Our recommendation is that the work of individual operatives in any day should be required by statute to fall within period of 18 hours. In the case of men, the day need not be the calendar day ; what Is in- tended is that there should be a regular rest interval of not less than 1% hours. To meet special difficulties loca] Governments might have the Power to grant exemptions in exceptional cases. These should be limited to cases where the increased spreadover is in the interests of the workers and is acceptable to them, In the case of women, the rule should be absolute and the 11 hours’ period should cover the night. The Factories Act as it stands at Present prescribes a 104 hour rest period for women, and fixes this ordinarily a3 the period between 7 p.m. and 5-30 a.m. We advocate relaxation here and would prescribe merely that the 11 hours’ rest period shoyld include the hours between 10 p.m. and 5 AM, The effect of our proposals will thus be to extend from 13% to 17 hours the