In pursuance of §4, paragraph 2, of the Act regulating the employment of children in industrial occupations, dated 30th March, 1903.* (R.G.Bl. p. 113), the Federal Council has resolved as follows:

:

Children shall not be employed in cleaning steam boilers.

8. Bekanntmachung betr. die Einrichtung und den Betrieb der Buchdruckereien und Schriftgiessereien. Vom 5 Juli 1907. Nr. 3351. (R.G.Bl. Nr. 31, S. 405.)

8. Notification respecting the establishment and management of printing works and type-foundries. 5th July, 1907.

In pursuance of §120e of the Industrial Code, the Federal Council has resolved as follows:

The provisions of Division III. of the Notification respecting the establishment and management of printing works and type foundries, dated 31st July, 1897 (R.G.Bl., p. 614), shall be replaced by the following: Exemptions from the provisions of §3, paragraphs 1 and 3, may be granted, on application being made by the occupier, by the Higher Administrative Authority for premises where not more than five persons are regularly employed, provided that the workrooms used in the undertaking were already in the occupation of the present occupier or a member of his family on the 31st July, 1897.

RULES FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS SANCTIONED BY THE STATE

INSURANCE OFFICE.

1. Lippe Agricultural Trade Association: Rules for the prevention of accidents in agriculture.

Part I., agricultural machinery; Part II., agricultural implements and explosives; Part III., agricultural cattle-keepers and waggoners; Part IV., agricultural building repairs. Sanctioned by the State Insurance Office, 3rd December, 1906.

2. Silesian Agricultural Trade Association: Rules for the prevention of accidents in agriculture.

Part III., agriculture proper (implements, cattle-keepers, waggoners, buildings). Sanctioned by the State Insurance Office, 27th December, 1906. 3. Shipping Trade Association: Third supplement to the amended rules for the prevention of accidents in steamers. (Ed. 1903.):

Rules relating to water-tight compartments for passenger steamers sailing to non-European ports, Edit. 1907. Sanctioned by the State Insurance Office, 1st February, 1907.

4. Schleswig-Holstein Agricultural Trade Association: Rules for the prevention of accidents.

Part I., Agricultural machinery; Part II., agricultural implements and explosives; Part III., agricultural cattle-keepers and waggoners; Part IV., agricultural building repairs; Part V., industries allied to agriculture; Part VI., forestry. Sanctioned by the State Insurance Office, 1st May, 1907.

*See G.B., II., p. 1.

BULLETIN

3

I.

1.

(B) FEDERAL STATES.

1. KINGDOM OF PRUSSIA.

Der Minister für Handel und Gewerbe an die Herren Regierungspräsidenten, betr. Geschäftsbetrieb der Gesindevermieter und Stellenvermittler. Vom 15 März. (Ministerialblatt der Handels- und Gewerberverwaltung, vom 19 März, 1907, Nr. 6, S. 55).

The Minister of Commerce and Industry to the Administrative Presidents of Government Districts with reference to the businesses of registry-office keepers and employment agents. (5th March, 1907.)

I have, in accordance with §38, paragraphs 1 and 3 of the Industrial Code (Gewerbeordnung) issued new regulations for the business carried on by registry-office keepers and employment agents to replace, as from the Ist of July, 1907, the existing regulations of the 10th August, 1901 (H.M. Bl., p. 184). Kindly publish the supplement to the Amtsblatt at once. The requisite number of copies of the supplement will be furnished to you by the printing firm of Julius Sittenfeld.

The local police authorities are charged with the careful supervision of all businesses carried on by employment agents. For this purpose, these businesses shall, in the first place, be inspected by surprise visit at least once (or in towns with a population exceeding 10,000, at least twice) in every year. The numeration of the contract notes (Ausweise) will be found of great use in this connection, as enabling the completeness of the entries in Register A of concluded contracts of employment to be tested, and also affording a guide as to whether a contract note has been issued on the conclusion of every such contract. In accordance with numbers (4) and (5), the registers are to be delivered up to the local police authorities, not later than 14 days after the close of the calendar year. The said books should on this occasion be examined with a view to ascertaining whether they have been properly kept. Where any offence has been committed, the employment agent should be punished, provided that prosecution is not barred by lapse of time. Independently of this, it should also be considered in each case, whether the closer acquaintance with the business, derived from examination of the books, discloses any ground for the withdrawal of the licence on the ground of unreliability.

At the end of the extract printed on the back of the contract note (Form C) persons concerned are notified that they should apply to the local police authorities in all cases where an employment agent refuses to return any fees. The local police authorities shall, in such cases, carefully inquire as to whether there are circumstances justifying the said refusal. If it is proved that the said refusal cannot be justified, then the local police authorities shall briefly explain the law, and inform the employment agent that in the event of the ordinary Courts of Justice declaring the said refusal to be unjustifiable, he may be in peril of losing his licence. Executive officers on duty at railway stations should have their special attention called to the enforcement of number 19 of these regulations.

Appendix-Draft regulations relating to the extent of the privileges and duties and the conduct of the business of employment agents, with the exception of theatrical agents.

In accordance with §38, paragraphs 1 and 3 of the Industrial Code, it is decreed as follows with regard to the extent of the privileges and duties and the

conduct of the businesses of employment agents, with the exception of theatrical agents :

(1) Persons carrying on the business of employment agents shall keep a register corresponding to Form A. appended. Separate registers may be kept for male and female persons respectively. The said register shall be durably bound, shall have its pages numbered consecutively, and shall, before use, be sealed by the local police authority with a certificate of the page numbers.

(2) Contracts of employment entered into in the course of business of an employment agent, shall, on the conclusion of such contract, forthwith be entered in full under consecutive numbers. The receipt of payments shall be entered in the course of the day on which they are made. Under the heading "Remarks," a note shall be made in the case of all employees who are under age to the effect that the consent of their lawful guardians has been obtained.

(3) All entries and all documents shall be written in the German language, and in ink. The employment agent shall be responsible for the proper conduct of his register even where he may have entrusted this duty to a third person.

(4) The said register shall be closed every year, and also when the business is given up, and shall be delivered to the local police authorities within fourteen days from the commencement of the next ensuing calendar year, or from the giving up of the business respectively, for the purpose of enabling the said closing to be verified and the said entries to be examined. After closing the said book as aforesaid, no further entries shall be made therein.

(5) Employment agents shall also keep a register corresponding to Form B, in which they shall, in the course of each day, enter in full, under consecutive numbers, the instructions given to them by persons seeking employment. The provisions of Rules 1, 3 and 4 hereof shall also apply to this register, provided always that instructions which have not been carried out by the end of the calendar year shall be carried forward to the new register.

(6) Registry-office keepers and employment agents shall affix their surnames and at least one of their Christian names in full, together with the description "registry-office keeper or employment agent" in plain characters on, over, or close to the house door, on the side facing the street, and also at the entrance to their business premises.

The addition of the word "licensed to the sign is forbidden.

(7) All newspaper advertisements, posters or circulars, etc., published by registry-office keepers and employment agents shall contain their surnames and Christian names and also the particulars mentioned in the foregoing Rule 6, paragraph 1. Paragraph 2 shall also be applicable in this instance. No information shall be given as to the number of vacant situations, or as to the number of persons seeking employment.

On the conclusion of contracts of employment, registry-office keepers and employment agents shall enter their Christian names and surnames in full, the correct address of their business premises, and the date, in legible German characters, in the prescribed place in the service books (Gesindebücher), or where the said books do not contain a special column for such entries, then under column 7 thereof. The use of a rubber stamp is permissible. Moreover, employment agents shall not affix their advertisement

cards to service books, employment books, work books, receipts, or identity papers, or, save as aforesaid, write their addresses, etc., on the same.

(8) Registry-office keepers and employment agents who have been granted the licence mentioned in §34 of the Industrial Code shall have the privilege of carrying on their business by means of a representative in accordance with §47 of the said Code. The local police authorities shall, in all other cases, decide whether registry-office keepers and employment agents shall be permitted to delegate their duties. The employment of assistants, apprentices, agents, etc., including members of the employment agent's family, shall only be permitted when sanctioned by the local police authority. Such sanction shall only be granted in the case of persons whopossess the necessary degree of trustworthiness for the business, and may be revoked at any time without any reasons being given.

(9) Registry-office keepers and employment agents shall make careful inquiries into the conditions of service tendered by persons offering employment, also in the case of persons seeking employment, into their qualifications for the service on which they propose to enter. They shall not conclude any contract of employment in cases where the conditions of service or labour are unknown to them.

Registry-office keepers and employment agents shall not give their services to any person whom they know, or ought to know, as having left their last situation before the expiration of the period of legal notice, except where good grounds in law are proved for such leaving of the situation, and they shall not employ such persons in their own domestic service. Similarly, they shall not offer their services to persons who, contrary to law, do not possess a service book or work book which has been properly compiled and duly kept, or who are unable to show that they have obtained the consent of their guardians, should the same be necessary under §113 of the Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch).

Registry-office keepers and employment agents may only find places for such wet-nurses as are able to produce a certificate as to their state of health from a duly qualified medical practitioner. The said certificate must not be more than 8 days old.

(10) Registry-office keepers and employment agents who have found for a person seeking employment a situation completely corresponding to his or her capacity, shall not find another place for the said person until the expiration of the legal period of notice in such employment, provided always that no sufficient legal ground exists to justify the action of the person prematurely leaving the said situation.

(11) Registry-office keepers and employment agents shall not detain service books, work books, testimonials, identification papers or similar articles which have come into their possession in the course of negotiations for a situation, and, in particular, they shall not exercise any rights of lien or pledge in relation to such articles.

(12) Registry-office keepers and employment agents shall not induce employees to change their situations. Similarly, they shall not induce employers to dismiss their employees.

(13) Persons offering employment or persons seeking employment who do not require or who decline to avail themselves of the service of registryoffice keepers and employment agents, or who refuse to furnish particulars which are necessary for the conduct of negotiations or for entry in the register, shall be required to leave the business premises forthwith. No fees shall be charged or contract notes (Rule 15) issued in respect of contracts

of employment entered into by such persons without the assistance of an intermediary.

(14) Registry-office keepers and employment agents procuring employment for female persons abroad shall furnish the local police authorities with detailed information as to such employment. The above provisions shall apply to the procuring of employment within the realm for waitresses and other female persons employed in taverns, and wet-nurses.

(15) Registry-office keepers and employment agents shall immediately, after entering the conclusion of a contract of employment in their register, issue both to the employer and the employee a contract note in accordance with Form C in respect of every such contract. Such contract notes shall be numbered consecutively, and the number of every contract note which is issued shall be entered in column 12 of the register.

(16) The following trades shall not be carried on by registry-office keepers and employment agents or their assistants, including members of their families :-Hotel or tavern keeping; retail dealing in beer, brandy and spirits; dealing in clothes, utensils or provisions, or lottery tickets; money changing; pawnbroking; and lodging-house keeping. The local police authorities may also forbid persons to conduct the business of an employment agency in houses in which, or in the immediate vicinity of which, the business of an hotel or tavern or retail shop for the sale of beer, brandy or spirits is carried on.

(17) Registry-office keepers and employment agents holding the licence mentioned in §34 of the Code may be authorised by the local police authorities to lodge persons seeking employment, provided that they have accommodation suitable for this purpose. They shall not, however, lodge male and female persons at one and the same time. The above-mentioned authority may be revoked by the local police authorities at any time without any reason being given.

The scale of prices for such entertainment and any alteration therein shall be submitted for the approval of the local police authorities, and shall be posted in the sleeping apartments.

(18) The persons designated in §17 hereof may be authorised by the local police authorities to supply food and non-alcoholic beverages to persons lodging on the premises. The price list of such food and berverages, and any alteration therein, shall be submitted for the approval of the local police authorities, and shall be posted in all rooms where the said food and beverages are supplied. The above-mentioned authority may be revoked by the local police authorities at any time, without any reason being given.

(19) Registry-office keepers and employment agents and their assistants, including members of their families, shall not enter into business negotiations with persons offering employment or seeking employment, by whom they have not been previously instructed, outside their business premises and, in particular, in public streets, squares, roads or other public places (railway stations or trains, etc.). They shall not order third parties, so-called touts, (Schlepper) to bring to them persons seeking employment, nor shall they find situations for persons seeking employment who are brought to them in this fashion. The carrying on of business by travellers is forbidden.

(20) Registry-office keepers and employment agents and their assistants, including members of their families, shall not accept presents from persons offering employment or from persons seeking employment, and shall not demand their fees until after a contract of employment has been