2)

CHAPTER VI,

be given, as in the case of perennial factories, for special classes of workers,
for intermittent work or on other grounds, but the power of granting
these exemptions cannot ordinarily be used to relax the law for the rank
and file in seasonal factories. Apart, therefore, from the special exemp-
tion relating to intervals in tea, coffee and indigo factories, the only im-
portant exemption generally applicable to seasonal factories is thg
exemption from the provision of a weekly holiday, and this appears to
have been used fairly generally. As the majority of seasonal factories,
and particularly the cotton-ginning factories, work their operatives,
during the season when the crop is at its height, for the full limit of 60
hours in six days of the week, the exemption in itself is of little value
unless either fresh workers are employed on the seventh day or the
law is evaded by employing the operatives who have already put in
six days’ work. We fear that, where exemption is given, the latter prac-
tice is not uncommon,
Special Exemption to Meet Press of Work.

In addition to the regular exemptions, however, the Act also
provides for the exemption of a factory from the provisions relating to
intervals, weekly holidays, weekly limit of hours and the daily limit of hours
“ on the ground that such exemption is necessary in order to enable such
factory to deal with an exceptional press of work ”. Exemptions of this
nature can be given by general or special order. They arenot subject to
the control of the Governor General in Council and they need not be pub-
lished. The exempting power contained in this clause is clearly intended
to meet cases of emergency and is so used in the case of perennial factories.
Unfortunately, we have reason to believe that it has been used in the past
(if it is not still so used) to give some of the seasonal factories a latitude
which is unjustified. Most cotton-ginning factories, in particular, have
a natural press of work during the comparatively short season for which
they are open, but this press of work is normal rather than exceptional.
The law should be framed with special regard to the requirements of
seasonal factories, and in such a manner that the grant of exemptions to
the ordinary workers should be limited to genuinely exceptional cases.
We propose, therefore, to review the requirements of the factories con-
cerned with regard both to the capacity of the workers and to the
exigencies of the industry.

Justification of Longer Hours.

So far as the capacity of the workers is concerned, we believe
that somewhat longer hours can be justified in seasonal factories than in
perennial factories. The workers in seasonal occupations are for the most
part employed on factory work only for part of the year, reverting sub-
sequently to agriculture or other intermittent labour. They live to a
large extent in healthier surroundings than workers in large factories and
as a general rule the work itself involves less strain. Their physique is not
subject, therefore, to the same tax as in the case of workers in perennial
factories. Having regard to the fact that the fixing of a working day in
perennial factories at 10 hours and of the working week at 54 hours has