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young persons, with the punishment of juvenile offenders, and with
reformatory and industrial schools.
"Part I., relating to infant life protection, is practically a re-enactment
with amendments of the Infant Life Protection Act, 1897 (60 and 61
Vict., c. 57), which was itself in the nature of a consolidating statute.
The most important changes made with respect to "baby-farming" are
the application of the former provisions to the case of a single infant, and
the extension of the age from five to seven years. Minor amendments are
noticed in the notes to the sections.
"Part II., relating to the prevention of cruelty to children and young
persons, similarly re-enacts with amendments by far the greater part
(though not the whole) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act, 1904
(4 Edw. 7, c. 15). It also contains several new provisions, among which
may be specially mentioned: a penalty on the suffocation of an infant
under three by a drunken person in the same bed with it (Section 13); a
penalty on exposing a child under seven to the risk of burning from an
open fire (Section 15); a penalty on allowing children or young persons
between four and sixteen to be in a brothel (Section 16); a penalty on
causing, encouraging, or favouring the seduction or prostitution of a girl
under sixteen (Section 17) ; a power to bind over a person having the
custody of a girl under sixteen to exercise proper care (Section 18). Power
is also given to the Home Secretary to inspect private charitable institutions
for the reception of children or young persons.
"Part III, relating to juvenile smoking, introduces some novel principles
in a rather complicated fashion. It is made an offence to sell
cigarettes (which includes tobacco) and cigarette papers to a person
apparently under sixteen; and the duty is imposed upon constables and
park-keepers to seize any cigarettes or cigarette papers in the possession
of such young person found smoking in a public place, and to search him
(if a boy). Special provision is made for the regulation of automatic
machines for the sale of cigarettes. It may be observed here that cigars
are apparently included, but pipes certainly not.
"Part IV., relating to reformatory and industrial schools, is in the
main a combined re enactment of the Reformatory Schools Act, 1866
(29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117), and the Industrial Schools Act, 1866 (29 and
30 Vict., c. 118), with the amendments introduced by subsequent legislation.
The new provisions are neither numerous nor important. The
only one that need be mentioned here is that (Section 74) which prescribes
the duties and powers of local authorities with respect to the maintenance,
etc., of inmates of certified schools.