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CHAPTBR VII.
The same may be said of the restriction of such legislation, with
certain exceptions, to places employing fifty persons and upwards, and,
as far asadults of both sexes are concerned, to the regulation of sanitary
conditions only. Indeed so great is the necessity of raising the
standard of protection for all workers employed in places of this kind
bo the level afforded by the Factories Act to their fellow workers
in the larger power-driven establishments, that we would put a time
limit of five years on the operation of the first Act. By the end of that
period both employers and workers should not only have accustomed
themselves to statutory regulation but have made the necessary
adjustments. The second stage should accordingly prove easier than
the first. We therefore urge that, when the Act recommended shall
have been in operation for five years, Government be prepared to make
such further advances as experience will have shewn to be possible..
Registration of Factories.

Hitherto establishments coming under the Factories Act have
been required to register themselves with the factory inspection depart-
ments of their particular province. We would extend this requirement to
those smaller places for which the extension of certain clauses of that Act
has been advocated. Furthermore, we would make the same requirement
in respect of those other establishments for which we have suggested a
simpler form of regulation under a separate Act. We are aware that, for
many years to come, compliance with this requirement will be imperfect
in respect of both classes of establishment, owing to the extent of illiter-
acy, the prejudices of persons who have never previously been called
upon to register and who may feel that such registration will be used for a
number of unspecified purposes, and the desire of many to evade compli-
ance. Nevertheless it is imperative that the onus of compliance with the
law should rest on the individuals concerned and that from the beginning
the duty of acquainting the Government with their whereabouts, and
thereby obtaining the abstract of the particular Act they will be required
bo post, should lie with them. Aft the same time it will be evident that
here, as in other countries where such regulation operates, the depart-
ment in charge of the administration will have to concern itself with the
oradual perfecting of these lists as a result of routine visits of inspection.
Extent of Inspection.

In referring to such visits it should not be presumed that we
visualise the necessity for the immediate creation of a large additional
staff of factory inspectors. In making these proposals we have kept
in view the desirability of reducing to a minimum the requirements
in this direction. In the case of the smaller factory employing
power, all that should be required is an occasional visit to ensure
that the machinery employed is not a source of danger and that a
reasonable standard of sanitation is maintained. The great majority of
these factories are situated in towns, and inspection will require no ela-
borate technical qualifications. As there would be no question of evad-
ing reculations in respect of hours of employment. ete.. there will be no