THE SILK INDUSTRY.

According to the factory and workshop returns the number of persons employed in the silk industry in 1904 was 30,184. Of this number 8,743 were males and 21,441 were females, including 685 halftimers, of whom 205 were boys and 480 were girls.

The average earnings of the employees who worked full time in the last week of September, 1906, are shown in the following table:

AVERAGE FULL-TIME EARNINGS OF OPERATIVES OF EACH CLASS IN THE SILK INDUSTRY, IN THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, 1906, BY DISTRICTS.

Of the men engaged in this industry who worked full time in the last week of September, 1906, 19.4 per cent earned less than $4.87, 54 per cent earned $4.87 and less than $7.30, 23 per cent earned $7.30 and less than $9.73, while 3.6 per cent earned $9.73 and over.

In the following table is shown the percentage of the number of women in the two leading occupations whose earnings fell within the specified groups:

PER CENT OF WOMEN SILK WINDERS AND WEAVERS WHOSE EARNINGS IN THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, 1906, WERE WITHIN CERTAIN SPECIFIED WAGE GROUPS.

The average full-time earnings in each of the principal occupations of both sexes in the Congleton, Leek, and Macclesfield, and Lancashire and Yorkshire districts and the changes since 1886 are given in the following table:

AVERAGE FULL-TIME EARNINGS OF MEN AND WOMEN IN THE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS OF THE SILK INDUSTRY IN ONE WEEK, 1886 AND 1906.

This industry is strongly localized. About 30,000 work people cut of the 41,212 reported by the factory and workshop returns were employed in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and the adjacent parts of Derbyshire. Of the total number employed in 1904, 10,336 were males and 30,876 were females. The number of half timers was only 78, of which number 62 were girls.

The average earnings of the 18,855 operatives who worked full time in the last week of September, 1906, are shown in the following table:

AVERAGE FULL-TIME EARNINGS OF OPERATIVES OF EACH CLASS IN THE HOSIERY INDUSTRY, IN THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, 1906, BY DISTRICTS.

Since the previous inquiry in 1886 the number of employees in this industry has greatly increased, women having increased in numbers in greater proportion than men, and girls in greater proportion than

women.

The percentage numbers of men, lads and boys, women, and girls employed in 1886 and in 1906 were as follows:

PER CENT OF EMPLOYEES OF EACH CLASS IN THE HOSIERY INDUSTRY IN 1886 AND IN 1906.

The respective average full-time earnings of all males, all females, and of all work people, counting two half timers as one full timer, were as follows:

AVERAGE FULL-TIME EARNINGS OF WORK PEOPLE IN THE HOSIERY INDUSTRY, IN ONE WEEK, 1886 AND 1906, BY SEX.

Lace making as a factory industry is confined mainly to one district in England, viz, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and to one in Scotland, viz, Ayrshire. In Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, 20,625 work people were employed and in Ayrshire, 3,220, in 1904, as shown by the factory and workshop returns. Of the 26,744 employees reported in that year, 12,787 were males and 13,957 were females. The number of half timers was 100, of which number 46 were boys and 54 were girls.

The average full-time earnings of the men, lads and boys, women, and girls who worked full time in the last week of September, 1906, are shown in the following table:

AVERAGE FULL-TIME EARNINGS OF OPERATIVES OF EACH CLASS IN THE LACE INDUSTRY IN THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, 1906, BY DISTRICTS.

RECENT REPORTS OF STATE BUREAUS OF LABOR STATISTICS.

CALIFORNIA.

Thirteenth Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the State of California, 1907-1908. J. D. Mackenzie, Commissioner. 381 pp.

The following are the subjects considered in this report: Industrial statistics, covering the subjects of wages in stores and factories, transportation and communication, factory inspection, farm labor, employment agencies, and labor organizations, 174 pages; child labor, 14 pages; oriental statistics, which relate to the Chinese and Japanese in the State, 22 pages; social statistics, 100 pages; and labor laws, 52 pages.

HOURS AND WAGES.-For 28 industries comprised under stores and factories and for the transportation, telegraph, and telephone industries tables are presented showing number of establishments and of employees, classified daily hours of labor with number of employees in each class, and classified wages with number of employees in each class.

FACTORY INSPECTION.-One of the duties of the bureau is to inspect the sanitary condition of places where labor is employed. In conducting this inspection data were also obtained relating to the number and sex of adults and the number, age, and sex of minors employed in the establishments inspected. Separate tables are given showing the results of inspections of stores and factories in each of the larger cities and in miscellaneous towns.

FARM LABOR.-Under this title the social, sanitary, and economic conditions surrounding white and oriental farm labor in different sections of the State are set forth. Tables are given showing the wages paid per day and per month, with and without board, for both temporary and permanent farm help, and for employees on ranches, wages per day and per month, with board.

EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES.-The law relating to employment agencies makes it the duty of the state commissioner of labor to exercise certain jurisdiction over these institutions. From the records of the more important agencies throughout the State tables have been compiled showing, for the month of April, 1908, the number of persons for whom employment was secured at each occupation, the wages received, and the amount of fees paid.