Page:The Agricultural Children Act, 1873, and the Agricultural Gangs Act, 1867.djvu/10

6 extent fettered in their relations with each other as to servitude; and though it is an undoubted innovation for the Legislature actively to interfere between master and servant where both are connected exclusively with the cultivation of the soil of the country, yet the innovation is, as has been implied above, backed by worldwide experience; and it is to be hoped that the agriculturists of England—landlords and tenant-farmers alike—will accept with good grace the Act now brought under their notice, and will in good faith do their part in carrying it out.

The Act comprises but sixteen short sections, and is singularly simple in its provisions. It does not extend to Scotland or to Ireland, and does not come into operation in England till January 1st, 1875.

The pith of the Act is to be found in sections 5 and 6. Section 5 prohibits the employment in agricultural work of children under eight years of age, save by a parent and on land in his own occupation. Section 6 places restrictions on the employment in agricultural work of children between the ages of eight and twelve, the restrictions being that they can only be lawfully employed provided they possess certificates of having attended school for a certain number of times (according to a prescribed scale) during a period of one year antecedent to the grant of the certificate by their teacher.

When it is added that, under certain conditions, Justices in Petty Sessions may for eight weeks in one year suspend the restrictions of the Act (section 8); and that the limit of age for children serving in "Agricultural gangs " is advanced from eight to ten (section 16), it may be with propriety affirmed that all the leading features of the Act have been exhibited to the reader.