Chap. 301.—An ACT to regulate the employment of children in factories, mer-
cantile establishments, workshops and mines in this Commonwealth, on and

after March 1, 1909, and to prescribe penalties for violations of such regula-
tions.

Approved March 13, 1908.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That on and
after March first, nineteen hundred and nine, no child under the age
of thirteen years, and on and after March first, nineteen hundred and
ten, no child under the age of fourteen years, shall be employed, per-
mitted or suffered to work in any factory, workshop, mercantile estab-
lishment, or mine in this Commonwealth; provided, this act shall not
exclude any child over the age of twelve, who is an orphan, or who for
‘any other reason is dependent on its own labor for support, nor any
child or children whose parent or parents are invalids, and solely de-
pendent upon the labor of such child or children for support;
in either of which cases a certificate shall be obtained from the
circuit court of the county, or corporation court of the city, or the
judge thereof in vacation, or from the mayor of the city or town, or a
justice of the peace of the magisterial district, as the case may be, in
which such child or children reside, setting forth the fact that a neces-
sity exists, and authorizing the employment of said child or children,
and a copy of such permit shall be forwarded to the commissioner of
labor within ten days from the granting thereof, by the clerk of the
court in which, or the officer by whom such permit was granted.

Any owner, superintendent, overseer, foreman or manager, who shall
knowingly employ or permit any child to be employed contrary to the
provisions of this act, in any factory, workshop, mercantile establish-
ment, or mine, with which he is connected, and any parent or guardian,
who allows any such employment of his child or ward, shall upon con-
viction of such offense, be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor
more than one hundred dollars; provided, that as to fruit and vegetable
canneries, and as to stores in the country and in towns of less than two
thousand population, and country workshops not in the suburbs of a
city, the law shall remain as if this act had not been passed. But
nothing in this act shall prevent a parent from working his or her child
in any factory, workshop, mercantile establishment, or mine, or other
place owned or operated by said parent.

Any employment contrary to the provisions of this act shall be prima
facie evidence of guilt, both as to the employer and the parent or
guardian of the child so employed.
2. All acts and parts of acts that are or may be in conflict with the
operation of this act on and after March the first, nineteen hundred and
nine, are to that extent hereby repealed, said repeal to take effect as of
March the first, nineteen hundred and nine.