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45
"This Act came into operation on the 1st January, 1904, and,
after due inquiry, Bye-laws were framed and became operative in
the Borough on the 17th January, 1905.
With only 12 months' experience in the administration of this
Act, any discussion as to its value from an educational and physical
standpoint may appear premature.
It is obvious, however, that where the condition of labour is
detrimental to the educational and physical development of the
child, any limitations provided by the Statute must prove beneficial
to the community at large. A return submitted to the local
authority in 1904 showed that there were within the Borough 570
children between the ages of 7 and 14 employed for wages out of
school hours, their occupations being as follows : —
Newspaper delivery 67, milk delivery 107, shop and errand
boys 236, domestic work for wages 88, laundry work 33, street
trading 6, other employments 33.
The immediate effect of the Bye-laws was to—
(a) release 185 children who were under 11 years of age
from premature toil:
(b) curtail in 96 cases the employment of children who
were working more than 25 hours per week :
(c) Abolish step-cleaning and street trading by children :
and
(d) indirectly to secure a more regular and punctual
attendance at school.
There are now about 450 children residing within the Borough
employed within the limitations provided by the Bye-laws.
During the year 116 children have been detected working
contrary to the Bye-laws, and in each case notices have been issued
to the defaulter. In 2 cases, however, where the employment was
of a gross nature legal proceedings were instituted against the
employers, and fines were imposed.
The Officer's report book shows that—
30 children were engaged in street-trading.
31 „ „ „ in delivering milk.
6 ,, ,, „ in delivering bread.
2 „ „ „ in delivering newspapers.
29 „ „ „ as shop and errand boys.
11 „ „ „ as step-cleaners.
3 „ „ „ in laundry work.
4 „ „ „ in other occupations.