young person without having obtained a certificate from a schoolmaster, shall for every offence incur a penalty of not less than 20s. nor more than £3, unless the offence be committed at night, then the penalty to be not less than 40s. nor more than £5. Parent or person having a direct benefit from the child's or young person's labour, neglecting to cause their attendance at school as directed, to incur a penalty of not less than 58. nor more than 20s. for each offence, unless it shall be proved that such offence was committed without their cognizance or connivance. The penalty for not washing or lime-washing the walls as directed, to be not less than £3 nor more than £10, and £2 additional for every month for neglect after conviction. For not fencing machinery, a penalty not less than £5 nor more than £20. Suffering injury from the occupier not having the machinery properly fenced, or any driving-strap or band of which notice has been given by the inspector, to incur a penalty of not less than £10 nor more than £100, the whole or any part of such penalty to be applied for the benefit of the injured person, as the secretary of state shall determine; but the penalty not to be incurred if the complaint of the inspector as to the danger had been previously heard and dismissed. The penalty for obstructing inspectors or sub-inspectors in the execution of their duties not less than £3 nor more than £10, except the obstruction be made to an examination of the factory at night, then to be not less than £20 nor more than £50. Every person convicted of giving or making use of false or counterfeited certificates, knowing them to be untrue, or wilfully conniving at making any false or counterfeited certificates, or any false entry in any register or other paper or notice, and every person signing a false declaration on any proccedings, to be liable to a penalty of not less than £5 nor more than £20, or imprisonment for a term not more than six months. Penalties for other offences to be not less than £2 nor more than £5.

The powers of the inspectors and the regulations in respect of the employment of children and women were, by 8 & 9 V. c. 29, extended to calico printworks. See now 33 & 34 V. c. 62.

By 9 & 10 V. c. 40, it is enacted that no ropery, ropewalk, or ropework, in which machinery moved by steam, water, or other mechanical power is not used for drawing or spinning the fibres of flax or hemp, but only for laying or twisting or other process of preparing or finishing the cordage, and which has no internal communication with premises forming part of a mill or factory, except such as is necessary for the transmission of power, shall be deemed a mill or factory within the meaning of the Factory Acts, and applicable to children, young persons, or women in ropeworks.

REDUCTION OF HOURS.-By 10 V. c. 29, the hours of labour in factories, of persons under eighteen years of age, are reduced from twelve (to which they were limited under 3 & 4 W. 4, c. 103) to eleven in any one day from July 1, 1847; and from May 1, 1848, the hours of labour, of persons under eighteen, not to exceed ten

in any one day, nor more than fifty-eight in any one week. These limitations as to hours of labour extended to all females above the age of eighteen years.

By 13 & 14 V. c. 54, no young persons, and no young female above eighteen, shall be employed in any factory before six o'clock in the morning, or after six o'clock in the evening of any day, except to recover lost time; and no young person or female above eighteen shall be employed in any factory either to recover lost time, or any other purpose, on any Saturday, after two o'clock in the afternoon. Meal times to be taken between half-past seven in the morning and six in the evening, in lieu of half-past seven. Young persons, or any female above eighteen, not to be employed in recovering lost time after seven in the evening. Ss. 5 & 6 refer to the recovery of lost time, and to the employment of young persons and females from seven in the morning to seven in the evening, from Sept. 30 to April 1. Children above eleven years of age, employed in winding and throwing silk, may be employed as "young persons" under the act. Young persons and females above eighteen employed during meal hours, held to be employed contrary to the act.

The 7 & 8 V. c. 15, is amended by 19 & 20 V. c. 38, which explains that so far as it refers to mill-gearing, it shall apply only to those parts with which children and young persons and women are liable to come in contact, either in passing, or in their ordinary occupation in the factory. Penalty £20, or not less than £5, for omitting to fence off machinery, after notice from the inspector.

By an act of 1861, the 24 & 25 V. c. 117, the provisions of the above acts are extended to lace factories; and from August 1, 1862, to apply, with exceptions, to the employment of females, young persons, youths, and children in lace factories. In a lace factory youths between the age of sixteen and eighteen may be employed between four A.M. and ten P. M.; but not above nine hours between those hours; nor both earlier than six in the morning, anʼl later than six in the evening on the same day; nor both later than six o'clock in the evening of any day, and earlier than six o'clock in the morning of the next succeeding day, s. 2. Agent or workman may be summoned before a justice for acting contrary to the statute without the knowledge of the owner or hirer of a machine, s. 3. Provisions of the Factory Acts, so far as they relate to lost time, not to apply to lace factories. Neither are the said acts relating to the fencing off of machinery to apply to lace factories.

Generally, by 27 & 28 V. c. 48, these acts are extended to manufactories of earthenware, except bricks and tiles, not being ornamental tiles, and to the manufacture of lucifer matches, percussion caps, cartridges, and the employment of paper staining and fustian cutting. By s. 4, every factory to which the act applies is to be kept in a cleanly state, and be ventilated in such a way as to render harmless, so far as practicable, any gases, dust, or other

impurities, generated in the processes, that may be injurious to health. Penalty, on neglect by the occupier, not exceeding £10 nor less than £3. But the court having jurisdiction may, instead of inflicting a penalty, make an order directing the occupier within a certaintime to make the sanitary alterations required by the

act.

In 1867, the acts on mills and factories, are amended and extended by 30 & 31 V. c. 103, including blast furnaces and metallic works, paper, glass, and tobacco manufactories, letterpress printing and bookbinding, and generally any manufactory in which fifty or more persons are employed; and every part of a factory is deemed to be such except such part as is exclusively used as a dwelling. By s. 12, fifty or more persons employed prescribe the number employed to constitute a factory. No child under eleven years of age to be employed in the metal trade, nor any female in a glass factory in which melting or annealing glass is carried on. Meals not to be taken in certain parts of a glass factory.

XIII. MINES AND COLLIERIES.

By 5 & 6 V. c. 99, the employment of females in any mine or colliery was prohibited after March 1st, 1843. From the same date no male under ten years of age was allowed to be employed in any mine or colliery; nor any one to be apprenticed under ten years of age, nor for longer than eight years, except in the cases of masons, joiners, engine-wrights, &c., who are occasionally employed underground. Every owner, body, or company employing persons contrary to the act liable to a penalty of not less than £5 nor more than £10 for each offence. Parents or guardians misrepresenting the age of children so employed may be fined 40s., and the employer's fine may be remitted if incurred through such misrepresentation. These regulations, however, are not to apply to persons employed about any mine or colliery if the employment is above ground.

Where there are vertical or other shafts, no steam or other engine is to be trusted to the care of a person under the age of fifteen, under a penalty of not more than £50 nor less than £20. In the case of a windlass, or gin worked by a horse or other animal, the driver to be considered the person in charge.

Proprietors of mines or collieries are forbidden to pay workmen their wages at any tavern or public-house, or in any buildings connected therewith. Wages so paid are to be recoverable as if not paid, and persons so paying are subjected to a penalty of not more than £10 nor less than £5 for each offence. Agent, servant, or contractor may be summoned and fined in lieu of the owner, if proved to have so acted without the knowledge of the owner.

By 13 & 14 V. c. 100, the secretary of state is authorized to

appoint in Britain one or more inspectors of coal mines to visit at reasonable hours, night or day, so as not to obstruct the working of the colliery, and inquire into the condition of the colliery, its works, machinery, ventilation, and mode of lighting, and all other matters relating to the safety of the persons employed about the same. The act is amended by 18 & 19 V. c. 108, and power given to the secretary to remove inspector; but by s. 3, no landagent, manager, or agent of a mine, is to act as an inspector. The following general rules are to be observed in all coal mines:-

1. An adequate amount of ventilation shall be constantly produced at all collieries to dilute and render harmless noxious gases to such an extent as that the working places of the pits and levels of such collieries shall, under ordinary circumstances, be in a fit state for working. 2. Every shaft or pit which is out of use, or used only as an air-pit, shall be securely fenced. 3. Every working and pumping pit or shaft shall be properly fenced when not at work. 4. Every working and pumping pit or shaft, where the natural strata under ordinary circumstances are not safe, shall be provided with some proper means of signalling from the bottom of the shaft to the surface, and from the surface to the bottom of the shaft. 6. A proper indicator to show the position of the load in the pit or shaft, and also an adequate break, shall be attached to every machine worked by steam or water power used for lowering or raising persons. 7. Every steam boiler shall be provided with proper steam gauge, water gauge, and safety valve.

Special rules are likewise to be framed for every colliery, subject to the approval of the secretary of state; such rules, both general and special, are to be painted and printed, and shown in some conspicuous part of the colliery, and a copy given to every person employed therein. The inspectors are to see that these rules are complied with, or to inform against the owners or managers for neglect; and owners and managers of mines are to produce to them maps or plans of the mines, or, if not produced, they may require them to be made. Notice of accidents in mines is to be given to the secretary of state, or to the lord advocate in Scotland, with the probable cause thereof, within twenty-four hours of their occurrence. Penalty for omission £10, or not above £20.

The 6 V. c. 99, and the 19 V. c. 108, are amended by 23 & 24 V. c. 151, and the provisions for inspection now applicable to coal mines only extended to mines of ironstone of the coal measures. After July 1, 1861, no boy under twelve years of age to be employed in any mine or colliery, nor any boy be permitted to work therein, other than such as at the passing of the act (August 28, 1860) had attained the age of ten years, or had previously been so employed. Exceptions for boys between ten and twelve who have certificates as to education and school attendance. Penalty of £10 or not under £5, on grant of false certificates. By s. 4, steam engines in certain cases not to be under the charge of persons

under eighteen years of age. Ss. 6-16 make provisions for inspection and regulation of coal and iron mines, and prescribe general and special rules for the purpose. By s. 17, inspector to give notice of sources of danger not provided for by the rules. Owners to produce to inspectors maps or plans of mines. Notice of accidents to be given to the secretary of state. Neglect of rules, on conviction before two justices or sheriff in Scotland, subject to a penalty not above £2, or imprisonment with or without hard labour for three months, s. 22. Obstructing inspector, penalty not above £10. Pulling down or defacing notices, penalty 403. or under. Wages to be paid in money, s. 28.

The 25 & 26 V. c. 79, amends the last-mentioned act, and is intended to prohibit the use of single shafts in iron and coal mines. But it does not apply to opening a new mine for the purpose of searching for or proving minerals, or to any working for making a communication between two or more shafts, so long as not more than twenty persons are employed at any one time in the mine or working. Owners may appeal to arbitration in case of exhausted mines, or inability to provide an additional shaft or outlet as the act requires.

XIV. LABOUR HOURS OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN.

The preceding act, 30 & 31 V. c. 103, extending only to large establishments, where fifty or more persons are employed, a subsequent statute, the 30 & 31 V. c. 146, extends protection to young persons and women working in smaller establishments; and makes provision for the employment of a fan or other mechanical means for preventing the inhalation of dust by workmen in process of grinding. Act does not extend to factories subject to the jurisdiction of the inspectors of factories.

By s. 6, no child under the age of eight years to be employed in any handicraft, nor on any one day for more than six and a half hours; and such employment shall take place between the hours of six in the morning and eight at night. 2. No young person or woman shall be employed during any period of twenty-four hours for more than twelve hours, with intervening periods for taking meals and rest, amounting in the whole to not less than one hour and a half; and such employment shall take place only between the hours of five in the morning and nine at night. 3. No such person shall be employed on Sunday, or after two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, except in cases where not more than five persons are employed in the same establishment, and where such employment consists in making articles to be sold by retail on the premises, or in repairing articles of a like nature to those sold by retail on the premises. 4. No child under the age of eleven years shall be employed in grinding in the metal trades or in fustian cutting.