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38 & 39 VICT. c. 39 (9th July, 1875).

An Act to amend the provisions of "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872," with respect to the annual returns from Mines.

"WHEREAS by section ten of 'The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872,' the owner and agent of every mine was required to send annually such return as is mentioned in that section, and it is expedient to make further provision with respect to such return :"

Be it enacted as follows:

1. From and after the commencement of this Act, the owner or agent of every mine to which "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872,” applies shall, on or before the 1st day of February in every year, send to the inspector of the district on behalf of a Secretary of State a correct return, specifying with respect to such mine, for the year ending on the preceding 31st day of December, the quantity in statute weight of the mineral dressed, and of the undressed mineral which has been sold, treated or used, during that year, and the number of persons ordinarily employed in or about such mine, below ground and above ground, distinguishing those who are employed below ground and above ground, and distinguishing the different classes and ages of the persons so employed whose hours of labour are regulated by "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872."

The return shall be in such form as may be from time to time prescribed by a Secretary of State, and the inspector of the district on behalf of a Secretary of State shall from time to time, on application, furnish forms for the purpose of such return.

Every owner or agent of a mine who fails to comply with this section, or makes any return which is to his knowledge false in any particular, shall be guilty of an offence against "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872."

Provided that

(1.) In any mine where not more than twelve persons are employed
underground, the returns specifying the quantity of mineral
produced shall be made by the barmaster or other local
officer, if any, employed to collect the dues or royalty; and
(2.) Where there is such a barmaster or other officer the owner or
agent of such mine shall not be required to send any return
specifying the number of persons employed in or about such
mine.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the 2nd day of August, 1875, which day is in this Act referred to as the commencement of this Act.

3. This Act shall be construed as one with "The Metalliferous Mines

Regulation Act, 1872," and that Act and this Act may be cited together as "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Acts, 1872 and 1875," and this Act may be cited separately as "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1875."

4. Section 10 of "The Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872," is hereby repealed as from the commencement of this Act.

Provided that such repeal shall not affect anything done or suffered in pursuance of the said section, or any obligation or liability incurred under the said section, or any penalty incurred in respect of any offence committed against the said section, or any legal proceeding or remedy in respect of such liability or penalty; and any such legal proceeding or remedy may be carried on as if this Act had not been passed.

CHAPTER VII.

AGRICULTURAL GANGS.

30 & 31 VICT. c. 130.

An Act for the Regulation of Agricultural Gangs.

[20th August, 1867.]

WHEREAS in certain counties in England certain persons known as gangmasters hire children, young persons, and women with a view to contracting with farmers and others for the execution on their lands of various kinds of agricultural work: And whereas it is expedient to make regulations with respect to the employment of children, young persons, and women by gangmasters :

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1. This Act may be cited for all purposes as "The Agricultural Gangs Act, 1867."

2. This Act shall come into operation on the first of January one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

3. The following words and expressions shall in this Act have the meanings hereby assigned to them, unless there is something in the context inconsistent with such meanings; that is to say,

"Child" shall mean a child under the age of thirteen years: "Young Person" shall mean a person of the age of thirteen years and under the age of eighteen years :

"Woman" shall mean a female of the age of eighteen years or upwards:

"Gangmaster" shall mean any person, whether male or female, who hires children, young persons, or women with a view to their being employed in agricultural labour on lands not in his own occupation; and, until the contrary is proved, any children, young persons, women employed in agricultural labour on lands not in the occupation of the person who hired them shall be deemed to have been hired with the aforesaid view:

or

"Agricultural Gang" shall mean a body of children, young persons, and women, or any of them, under the control of a gangmaster. 4. The following regulations shall be observed by every gangmaster with respect to the employment of children, young persons, and

women:

[(1.) No child under the age of eight years shall be employed in any agricultural gang: (a)]

(2.) No females shall be employed in the same agricultural gang with males:

(3.) No female shall be employed in any gang under any male gangmaster unless a female licensed to act as gangmaster is

also present with that gang:

And any gangmaster employing any child, young person, or woman in contravention of this section, and any occupier of land on which such employment takes place, unless he proves that it took place without his knowledge, shall respectively be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty shillings for each child, young person, or woman so employed.

5. No person shall act as a gangmaster unless he has obtained a licence to act as such under this Act.

Any person acting as a gangmaster without a licence under this Act shall incur a penalty not exceeding twenty shillings for every day during which he so acts.

6. No licence shall be granted to any person who is licensed to sell beer, spirits, or any other exciseable liquor.

7. Licences to gangmasters shall be granted by two or more justices in divisional petty sessions, on due proof to the satisfaction of such justices that the applicant for a licence is of good character, and a fit person to be intrusted with the management of an agricultural gang.

The justices shall annex to their licence a condition limiting, in such manner as they think expedient, the distances within which the children employed by such gangmaster are to be allowed to travel on foot to their work, and any gangmaster violating the condition so annexed to his licence shall for each offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten shillings.

Any person aggrieved by the refusal of the justices to grant him a licence to act as gangmaster may appeal to the next practicable Court of General or Quarter Sessions; and it shall be lawful for such court, if they see cause, to grant a licence to the applicant, which shall be of the same validity as if it had been granted by the justices in Petty Sessions.

8. Licences under this Act shall be in force for six months only, and may be renewed on similar proof to that on which an original licence is granted.

(a) 36 & 37 Vict. c. 67, s. 16, substituted ten for eight. By s. 5 of the Elementary Education Act, 1876,

39 & 40 Vict. c. 79, employment of children under ten is generally prohibited.

9. There shall be charged in respect of each grant or renewal of licence a fee of one shilling, and such fee shall be accounted for and applied in manner in which the fees ordinarily received by the authority granting the licence are applicable.

10. On any conviction of a gangmaster of any offence against this Act the justices who convict him shall endorse on his licence the fact of such conviction; and on any conviction of such gangmaster of a second offence against this Act the justices may, in addition to any other penalty, withhold his licence for a period not exceeding three months ; and on any conviction of any gangmaster of a third offence against this Act the justices may, in addition to any other penalty, withhold his licence for a period not exceeding two years.

And after a fourth conviction for an offence against this Act the gangmaster shall be disqualified from holding or receiving a licence under this Act.

11. All penalties under this Act may be recovered summarily before two or more justices in manner directed by an Act passed in the session holden in the eleventh and twelfth years of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, chapter forty-three, intituled, An Act to facilitate the Performance of the Duties of Justices of the Peace out of Sessions within England and Wales with respect to summary Convictions and Orders, or any Act amending the same.

12. This Act shall not apply to Scotland or Ireland,

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