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77
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN ACT, 1903.—This Act
gives important powers to local authorities as the following brief
epitome shows:—
Any local authority may make bye-laws regulating the
employment of children with respect to all occupations or to any
occupation:—
(a) The age below which employment is illegal;
(b) The hours between which employment is
illegal;
(c) The number of daily and weekly hours beyond
which employment is illegal.
Any local authority may make bye-laws with respect to
street trading by persons under the age of sixteen and may make
such bye-laws: (a) to prohibit such street trading except subject
to such conditions as to age and sex, or otherwise as may be
specified in the bye-laws, or subject to the holding of a license
to trade to be granted by the local authority; (b) to regulate
the conditions on which such license may be granted, suspended
or revoked; (c) to determine the streets, places and hours where
such trading may be carried on; (d) to require street traders to
wear badges.
In making these bye-laws the local authority shall have
special regard to the desirability of preventing the employment
of girls under 16 in streets or public places.
A child under the age of 11 shall not be employed in
street trading.
Bye-laws must be confirmed by the Secretary of State.
The expression "street trading" includes the hawking of
newspapers, flowers, matches or other articles, playing, singing
or performing for profit, shoe-blacking, or any like operation
carried on in streets or public places.
The Act shall come into operation on January 1st, 1904.