Story: Factory industries

1890 Sweating Commission

1890 Sweating Commission

Although the 1890 royal commission on sweating, known as the Sweating Commission, found that sweating – long hours of work for very poor wages – did not exist in New Zealand, three of its members disagreed. The dissenting opinion they attached to the commission’s report is shown here. The report, including its dissenting opinion, influenced the Liberal government elected in 1890. The Department of Labour, which the government set up, was very active in inspecting factories and enforcing reasonable conditions of work.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Reference: Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1890, H-5, p. vi

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How to cite this page:

Ian Hunter, 'Factory industries - Factories, 1880 to 1900', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/25561/1890-sweating-commission (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Ian Hunter, published 11 Mar 2010