Sir, The striking object-lesson presented by Mrs Lyttleton's clever play of Warp and Woof has created sympathetic pity for overworked women; but "what is everybody's business is nobody's business" becomes so exemplified in a case of this description as to make inquiry and organisation necessary in order that the lesson may bear fruit. Not only do women frequently suffer by being compelled to work longer hours than permitted by law, but the Shop Assistants Act requires attention.
As the introducer of this Bill in the Cape Coloney, I had to study the subject. Most of your readers are no doubt aware that serious life-long disease is acquired by young women standing too much when employed in drapers' and other shops. The law consequently provides that an adequate number of seats shall in all cases be provided for the assistants, and that they shall be allowed to sit down in a reasonable manner. Inspectors probably do their duty; but it is apparently a lamentable fact that in many cases the law is practically a dead letter, and women assistants are dismissed if they try to avail themselves of it. Ladies could, if they would, put a stop to this state of matters by a little organisation and good management; and I find that the Associated Societies for the Protection of Women and Children (established 1857), will attend to any complaint properly brought before them. They will also feel it within their province to take up the case of breaches of the law causing women to be overworked.
This excellent association should receive much greater support than it does; and possibly a committee of ladies might, with advantage, be formed to act in a subsidiary manner. Certainly women who buy in shops and employ dressmakers, seamstresses, etc, have the power, if they will only exercise it, of making employers do their duty.
Although a Colonist, I feel myself a citizen of the Empire, and trust that, although domiciled in South Africa, I may not be considered officious or impertinent in calling attention to subjects of grave interest to the working women of England.
