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CHAPTER VII. 
we realise that far-reaching changes, which involve not only serious 
economic dislocation but also a radical alteration in social custom, 
cannot be achieved successfully, if imposed too drastically and rapidly. 
[t is as essential to society as to industry to allow time for adjustment 
bo new standards. If this is not done the true purpose of governmental 
interference is defeated, resulting either in ‘paper’ legislation or in 
legislation the very reality of which results in oppression and dislocation. 
The recommendations that follow are designed to achieve the desired 
end whilst avoiding both these dangers. For this reason, while many 
reforms in these factories are desirable, we would concentrate in the 
first instance on the two most outstanding and urgent needs, namely, 
protection of the child and the elimination of the worst dangers to the 
health of the workers generally. 
Type of Regulation Recommended. 
We have considered how best to devise proposals for con- 
trolling places of this kind which would not only secure the largest 
measure of compliance but would also be capable of enforcement. 
Two alternatives present themselves, namely, the extension to them of 
certain clauses of the Factories Act, including the provisions relating 
to the regulation of the employment of children, or the initiation 
of a fresh Act of a simpler kind. We are convinced that the former 
proposal, if introduced asa first essay in statutory regulation of such 
places, would be defeated by what is known as ‘double employment’ 
of children, ¢.e., by the employment of the half timer in two separate 
astablishments on the same day. Moreover, the provision of an adequate 
inspectorate in such circumstances and in industries so widely scattered is 
not a practical proposition at the present time. We therefore recommend 
the adoption of a separate Act of a different type which should be as brief 
and simple as possible and which should apply in the first instance to all 
places without power machinery employing 50 or more persons during 
any part of the year®. ‘We consider that such a measure is less likely than 
legislation by reference to complicate the understanding of the law for 
a class of employer brought under regulation for the first time. In making 
this recommendation it is not our intention to suggest that, if Government 
find it practicable to apply the provisions of the Factories Act respecting 
she employment of children to any particular industry or section of an 
industry, their power should be in any way limited. Here again, 
as in the case of the smaller power-driven factories, reliable statistics 
are not available as to the precise number of such establishments, but, 
from the information supplied by most of the lacal Governments, 
we believe that it is in the neighbourhood of one thousand. This 
number would be somewhat increased if our subsequent recommend- 
ations in respect of the extension of regulation to smaller places in 
the case of offensive trades and of places employing an appreciable 
number of young children, were carried out. 
“Wr Cliff, Mr Joshi and Diwan Chaman Lall consider that this re- 
commendation should be extended so ag to include all places employ- 
ing 25 or more persons.