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imperial affairs it is quite different. Indeed, from the Socialist point of view, one might almost say that more has been gained from the Conservatives in the way of progressive legislation than from the Liberals. And, after all, why should the Radical capitalist be any better than his Tory brother?

Concerning the attitude of Socialists in West Ham towards Christianity and the Church much might be said. It is utterly false to stigmatize the Labour Party as anti-religious. Some of them are men of strong and definite religious principles, and, as a body, they are no more anti-religious than the Conservatives or Liberals. On the other hand, the attitude towards Socialism adopted by people who profess and call themselves Christians has been not a little provoking, and the gospel that is preached in the churches is largely a gospel of " peace at any price" (for is it not a Christian's duty to be contented with other people's evil plight?). However, there has been a great change for the better of late years; and quite a number of church goers are beginning to believe that God, and not the devil, created the world and all that is therein. But the change must go much further before the multitudes learn that the gospel message is for them here and now, and come back to hear it in the churches to which they are still bound by many old associations. I have looked through a considerable number of election papers, and can find very little sign of hostility to religion. In one School Board election leaflet I find the following:

"Do not consign the educational care of your little ones, either to bigoted sects, or to reactionary obstructives. The first will sow the seeds of religious hatred and superstition, and the second will repress the progress of knowledge, and starve education, by overcrowding, understaffing, and badly equipping your schools." And, again: "No education of a theological or dogmatic character to be given in the Board Schools. Moral lessons and ethical training to be substituted."

Now, we may deplore such hostility to religious education, and pity the frame of mind which contemplates the possibility of any permanent ethical training apart from definite religious teaching; but such sentiments are not confined to men who profess and call themselves Socialists. And, indeed, it is impossible to be

surprised that the gospel of faith without works has caused a reaction in which many earnest men preach the gospel of works without faith; or to wonder that many ardent social reformers are made to stumble when church folk regard the Board Schools as they often do, and when some of the worst slum property in this district is owned by a Nonconformist lay preacher and a clergyman of the Church of England.1

According to the Christian doctrine, every man is bound to perform his duty towards God and his duty towards his neighbour; he should love the Lord his God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself—that is, his whole duty lies in the practical realization in daily life of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. And when we see a great movement which derives its true strength from faith in the second of these two great doctrines, is it not a matter for heartfelt thankfulness to Him from Whom all good counsels and all just works do proceed?

HUGH LEGGE.

The former of these properties has been sold lately by its owner. This sale coincided remarkably with an article in the West Ham Herald from the pen of a lay churchman drawing attention to the circumstances.

IT

THE NEW LIVERPOOL BYE-LAWS

REGULATING STREET TRADING.

THE GENERAL LAW.

T is impossible to consider the effect of the new Liverpool bye-laws affecting juvenile street trading without in the first instance discussing the general law of England to which they form a supplement.

It is unnecessary to dwell at length on the law affecting all persons, whether young or old, who trade in the street. There is, indeed, little to say.

No person, whether selling or otherwise employed, may cause a nuisance or obstruction. Many articles, such as tea, tobacco, alcoholic liquor, plate, etc., may not be sold without a license; and it may also be observed that pedling and hawking without a license is forbidden. A pedlar is a man who goes on foot from house to house selling small wares or practising his craft. He requires a certificate under the Pedlars Act, and must be seventeen years old before he can get it. A hawker is a man who carries on the same sort of business with the assistance of a horse or donkey and generally a cart. He needs a license, which costs £2. It seems that a person standing in the street to sell does not come within the Pedlars Act, and no license is needed by any one who confines his trade to vegetables, fish, fruit, victuals, or coal. Any person who begs in the street is a rogue and vagabond.

Turning now to the laws which affect children, the case is widely different. They are all of recent origin, frequently amended, and, though simple in their effect, extremely complicated in their form. The following is an attempt to arrange them in an intelligible shape, under three heads: I. School

attendance; II. The employment of children; and III. Neglected and destitute children.

I. LAW AFFECTING ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL.

The following will be the law after January 1, 1900. At present the minimum age for exemption is not twelve, but eleven. The law applies to all children who live within two miles of a public elementary school who are not prevented, by sickness or some other reasonable cause, from attending school, and who are not being properly educated at home or in some other way. 33, 34 Vict., c. 75, s. 74, & 39, 40 Vict., c. 79, s. 11.

1. All children between five and twelve must attend school fulltime.

Provided that

(a) A child of eleven may be employed half-time in a workshop or factory under the Factory Acts, conditionally upon a rigid half-time attendance at school up to the age of at least thirteen.

(b) In agricultural parishes the school bye-laws may permit a child of eleven who has reached a specified standard to be employed in agriculture, conditionally upon making 250 attendances per annum up to the age of at least thirteen.

The statute 39, 40 Vict., c. 79, ss. 5, 11 & 12 fixes the age at ten, and not twelve, but twelve is in fact the age, for the following reason: Under the same sections of the Act a child must attend school up to fourteen, unless exonerated by the school bye-laws, or unless employed under the Factory Acts, or unless he or she has a certificate of proficiency or of attendThis certificate does not release a child from his duty under the school bye-laws, and the school bye-laws may not exonerate children under twelve from attendance. 56, 57 Vict., c. 51, s. 1, & 62, 63 Vict., c. 13.

ance.

EMPLOYMENT UNDER THE FACTORY ACTS.

By order of the Home Secretary dated August 8, 1893, a factory child of thirteen becomes exempt from school on passing Standard V., or on having made 250 attendances per

annum for five years, otherwise the child attends school to fourteen.

No child under eleven may be employed in a factory or workshop. 54, 55 Vict., c. 75, s. 11.

A register must be kept of all children (i.e. persons under fourteen) employed in a factory or workshop. 41, 42 Vict., c. 16, s. 77; 58, 59 Vict., c. 37, s. 15. Children may be so employed only for half-time-41, 42 Vict., c. 16, ss. 12, 14, 16; 46, 47 Vict., c. 53, s. 14; 58, 59 Vict., c. 37, s. 36,—and may not be employed unless they bring certificates of attending school half-time. 41, 42 Vict., c. 16, ss. 23 to 26.

These provisions are enforced by the factory inspectors39, 40 Vict., c. 79, s. 7-by means of money penalties on the employers and parents. 41, 42 Vict., c. 16, ss. 83, 84.

EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULture.

This is newly enacted by 62, 63 Vict., c. 13, and only comes into force on January 1, 1900. Under 39, 40 Vict., c. 79, s. 9 (3), the school authority may, by notice, grant exemption for six weeks to children over eight in agricultural districts, for the purposes of husbandry.

2. All children between twelve and fourteen must (unless employed in factories or agriculture as above explained) attend school full time, unless—

(a) Made exempt by the bye-laws of the local school authority. This applies to children who have passed a certain standard, and to some other cases noted below.

or (b) Certified as having reached Standard IV. or as having

made 250 attendances per annum, in not more than two schools, during any five years. This generally applies to children over thirteen.

Provided that children of twelve or thirteen who have made 300 attendances per annum, in not more than two schools for any five years, are entitled to partial exemption.

This is enacted by 39, 40 Vict., c. 79, s. 5, & 62, 63 Vict., c. 13. A short explanation of the grounds of exemption may be added.

(a) EXEMPTION BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL AUTHORITY. The local authority under the Education Acts-that is to VOL. IX.-No. 4.

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