2. Any person who deliberately contravenes this Act shall be punishable by a fine of from 26 to 2,000 francs. If the contravention was due to negligence, the fine shall amount to from 26 to 150 francs. Over and above this penalty, articles manufactured, imported or circulated in contravention of this Act, and, in the case of illegal manufactures, the apparatus used, shall be seized and confiscated, regardless of whether they belong to the guilty party or not. Confiscation may, moreover, be declared, provided that the offence is proved, although it is notwithstanding impossible to prosecute and convict a particular person. In the first instance this power shall rest with the Council (Ratskammer). The provisions of the first book of the Penal Code shall apply to the said contraventions. 3. This Act shall come into force six months after its publication in the 'Memorial." VI. Norway I. Lov om indskraenkning af arbeidstiden i bagerierne. 24de april 1906. (Norsk Lovtidende, 1906, No. 14.) 1. Act regulating hours of work in bakehouses. 24th April, 1906. I. The baking of bread shall not be carried on between 6 p.m. on the eves of Sundays and other holidays (including the 17th of May) and midnight on the said Sunday or holiday. Notwithstanding, the dough may be set to rise before midnight, and the fire maintained. This prohibition shall not apply to work done by master bakers themselves on Saturdays and the eves of holidays up to 8 o'clock. 2. Further, on ordinary days no person shall be employed by the occupier of a bakehouse between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. on any kind of work other than the processes of drying ordinary biscuits and ships' biscuits, setting the dough to rise, and maintaining the fire. From 5 a.m. onwards the preparation of dough may be carried on concurrently with the above-mentioned processes by the same workmen. Provided that only one person shall be employed for this purpose for each oven used by day in a bakehouse (excluding cake and pastry ovens and other similar ovens), and not more than three persons in any one establishment. Double ovens shall be counted as one. Similarly, no person who rents a bakehouse shall bake between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., as provided above, if the lessor has an interest in the business. The period of employment for a workman shall not exceed twelve hours a day, including intervals for meals and rest, one hour of which shall be allowed at midday. As an alternative system, the employer may adopt a ten-hour day, including the usual intervals for rest and meals. Notice of a change from one system to the other shall be given to the workmen at least twenty-four hours beforehand. No workman shall be employed on night work, as allowed by paragraph I of this Section, for more than six nights in two weeks. When night work, as allowed by paragraph 1 of this section, is performed by the day staff, the period of employment shall be reduced by twice the period during which night work is carried on. When night work is performed by a staff not employed during the day, the period of employment shall not exceed 10 hours, including intervals for rest and meals. 3. The prohibition contained in §§1 and 2 shall not apply : (a) to the eves of Sundays and holidays (except when two such days follow each other), nor to the 16th of May (except when this day falls on a holiday or Sunday). On these days work may be begun at 2 a.m., and continued till 6 p.m. ; (b) to the weekday immediately preceding Christmas-eve, to the eve of other consecutive holidays, to the Saturday and Monday preceding Ash Wednesday. On these days work may be begun at 2 a.m., and continued until 6 p.m. When Christmas-eve falls on a Sunday, work may be carried on until 10 p.m. on Saturday. On the said days the period of employment of a workman shall not exceed 15 hours, including intervals for rest and meals, one hour of which shall be allowed at midday. Notwithstanding, as an alternative system, the employer may adopt a 13-hour day, including the usual intervals for rest. Provided that the local authorities of any district may, by order sanctioned by the King, allow exceptions to the prohibition contained in §2 at seasons of unusual pressure of work in the localities concerned. Further, the Chief of Police may allow temporary exceptions, if circumstances render such exceptions urgently necessary, and the workmen concerned have given their assent. Notwithstanding, such exceptions shall not be granted for longer than six days. Exceptions for a longer period may be granted by the magistrate (amtmanden) on request. 4. Children under 14 years of age shall not be employed in bakehouses. Young persons from 14 to 18 years of age shall not be employed on night work, as allowed by paragraph 1 of §2, nor, in any case, for more than 12 hours a day, including intervals for rest, one hour of which must be allowed at midday. 5. If an employer is found guilty of a contravention of this Act, he shall be liable to a fine. Any workman found working at hours not included within the limit of hours fixed in §§1 to 3 shall be liable to a similar penalty. 6. This Act shall apply to bakehouses in connection with hotels, restaurants and pastrycooks' shops. 7. If a bakehouse is conducted by several persons jointly, only one of these shall be held to be an employer within the meaning of this Act; the other persons shall be held to be workmen. The name of the person held to be the employer shall be notified without delay to the police authorities, who shall make the fact known by means of a notice affixed in the bakehouse. 8. The Act of 6th August, 1897, relating to hours of work in bakehouses, and the Act of 20th May, 1899, supplementing the above, are hereby repealed. VII. Switzerland CANTON OF VALAIS. Verordnung des Staatsrats betr. Festsetzung der Amtsobliegenheiten und Befugnisse des kantonalen Fabrikinspektors. Vom 6. Februar 1906. Order of the State Council regulating the duties and powers of the Cantonal Inspector of Factories. 6th February, 1906. 1. The Cantonal Apprenticeship Secretary shall occupy e post of Inspector of Factories in the Canton, and shall be, in this capacity, attached to the Department of Justice and Police. 2. The duties and powers of the inspector are as follows: (a) he shall superintend, within the territory of the Canton, the enforcement of the federal and cantonal laws and orders regulating work in factories, and employers' liability as far as concerns factories; (b) he shall notify to the Department of Justice and Police those establishments which are factories within the meaning of the law, and at the same time submit to the Department any recommendations he may have to make in connection with the same; (c) he shall examine the plans for building, rebuilding or extending premises, handed in conformably with the resolution of the State Council of the 13th December, 1897, and he shall transmit the same, together with his recommendations, to the Department; (d) he shall inspect existing factories in the Canton at least once a year. The principal object of these visits of inspection shall be to ascertain whether the workrooms are constructed in conformity with the provisions of the law in respect of hygiene and safety, and also to make sure that the requirements of the law relating to hours of work, age of the workers, and conditions of work, are observed in these establishments; (e) he shall pass judgment on applications for authorisation under consideration by the Government of the Canton (§11 of the Act of the 23rd March, 1877, and §5 of the Act of 1st April, 1905, etc.); (f) he shall examine and classify the factory rules submitted to the Department, with a view to obtaining authorisation from the cantonal authority; (g) he shall keep up to date the register of factories in the Canton, and he shall classify the forms and other communications which occupiers of factories are required by law or order to hand in to the proper authority; (h) he shall pass judgment on questions relating to industrial establishments submitted to him by the Department of Justice and Police. 3. The inspector shall have power to examine any persons employed in a factory inspected by him with respect to anything relating to their occupation and duties. 4. The inspector shall, unless his official duties otherwise require, maintain the strictest secrecy in respect of the business and management of the factories inspected by him, and also in respect of any arrangements, apparatus, and technical process which the occupier of the factory declares to be secrets of his firm. 5. The inspector shall, once in every year, submit to the Department of Justice and Police, a detailed and reasoned report of his proceedings and of such measures as he desires to recommend for adoption in the future. The said report shall also contain the statistical returns which are to be transmitted to the federal authorities. II. PARLIAMENTARY ACTION LABOUR LEGISLATION Child Labour. I. United States of America ΤΟ Senate, 5th December, 1906. Bill introduced by Mr. Beveridge, read twice, and referred to the Committee on Education and Labour. A Bill to prevent the employment of children in factories and mines. 1. Six months from and after the passage of this Act no carrier of interstate commerce shall transport, or accept for transportation, the products of any factory or mine in which children under fourteen years of age are employed or permitted to work, which products are offered to said interstate carrier by the firm, person or corporation owning or operating said factory or mine, or any officer or agent, or servant thereof, for transportation into any other State or territory than the one in which said factory is located. 2. No carrier of interstate commerce shall transport or accept for transportation the products of any factory or mine offered it for transportation by any person, firm or corporation which owns or operates such factory or mine, or any officer, agent, or servant of such person, firm or corporation, until the president, or secretary, or general manager of such corporation, or a member of such firm, or the person owning or operating such factory or mine shall file with said carrier an affidavit to the effect that children under fourteen years of age are not employed in such factory or mine. 3. The form of said affidavit shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labour. After the first affidavit is filed, a like affidavit shall be filed, on or before 1st July and on or before 31st December of each year, with the interstate carrier to which such factory or mine offers its products for transportation; and after the first affidavit subsequent affidavits shall also state that no children under fourteen years of age are employed or permitted to work in said factory or mine, or have been employed or permitted to work in said factory or mine at any time during the preceding six months. 4. Any officer or agent of a carrier of interstate commerce who is a party to any violation of this Act, or who knowingly violates any of the provisions of this Act, shall be punished for each offence by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars nor less than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than six months nor less than one month, or by both said fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. Any person by this Act required to file the affidavit herein provided for who fails or refuses to file such affidavit, or who shall make a false statement in said affidavit, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars nor less than five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year nor less than three months, or by both said fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. 4th/17th May, 1907. Introduction of Government Bill to regulate work in bakehouses. (Parl. Papers, No. 14.) 2.-Industrial Legislation. 12th/25th May, 1907. Introduction of Government Bill to regulate industrial undertakings. (Parl. Papers, No. 16.) III. Great Britain and Ireland 1.-Old Age Pensious. (See also 21, Social Legislation.) H.C., 13th Feb., 1907. Amendment to the motion for an Address (King's Speech), moved by Mr. Barnes, regretting that the King's Speech contained no promise of a measure to provide Old Age Pensions. Rejected, 61 votes to 213. H.C., 15th Feb., 1907. A Bill to provide pensions for aged persons. Mr. H. H. Lever. 1 R. H.C., 15th Feb., 1907. A Bill to provide pensions for the aged deserving poor. Mr. S. Roberts. I R. H.C., 25th April, 1907. Q., Mr. H. Cox (effect of old age pensions on poor relief and friendly societies). H.C., 10th May, 1907. Old Age Pensions Bill (Mr. Lever), 2 R. Debate. Amendment to postpone consideration of the question until the country had had the opportunity of expressing an opinion as regards the necessary taxes. Rejected. Bill passed Second Reading. 2.-Housing of the working classes. 12th Feb., 1907. Speech from the Throne: "You will be invited to consider proposals for the better housing of the people." H.C., 26th Feb., 1907. Bill to amend the law relating to the housing of the working classes. Mr. Bowerman. H.C., Ist Mar., 1907. Acts, etc. Sir W. Foster. H.C., 10th Apr. Q., I R. Bill to amend the housing of the Working Classes Mr. Brodie. Ans., Mr. Burns: Housing of the Working Classes Bill will be introduced as soon as practicable. H.C., 22nd Aug., 1907. Housing of the Working Classes in Ireland. Q. Mr. McHugh. 3.-Unemployment. (See also 22. State Employees.) H.C., 14th Feb., 1907. Unemployment in Johannesburg. Q., Mr. Mackarness. |