LEGISLATION FOR INDUSTRIAL CLASSES. 551 



From a social point of view we have the Electric Lighting Act, 

 Women's Franchise, Smoke Prevention, Local Government, Second- 

 hand Dealers, Parliamentary Injections, and Careless Use of Fire 

 enactments. 



Lastly, in the realm of morals, we find the Games and Betting- 

 houses Act, Pawnbrokers, Vagrancy, Influx of Criminals, Habitual 

 Criminals, Money Lenders and Infants' Loans Acts. 



Of the laws comprised in the above list much might be stated in 

 terms of the highest praise, but space precludes. 



VII. — Decline of Life: We befittingly close our list of beneficent 

 laws by refoiTing- to those which appear at the close of our analytical 

 schedule, some of which have wrought incalculable blessings in the 

 past, and, in conjunction with the others of more recent date, will 

 bestow priceless boons on suffering humanity in the future. 



The friendly societies supply succoiir diu'ing sickness and in the 

 hour of death, and the Old Age Pensions Act affords ease and comfort 

 after a well-spent life of toil and usefulness. 



Industrial Legislation as a W^hole. 



With respect to the industrial laws viewed in bulk, it may be 

 stated, as in all mundane affairs, that they consist of three experi- 

 mental classes, viz. : — 



1. Proved failures. 



2. Those still in the tentative stage. 



3. Proved successes. 



Prominent examples of these may be noted— 



As to the first class . . . Labour Settlements. 

 As to the second class Industrial Disputes. 

 As to the third class . . . Early-closing of Shops. 



Failure may be attributable to various causes, such as miscon- 

 ception of the tme ideal; unripeuess of time as to the experiment 

 under notice, or, most fatal of all, maladministration. With respect 

 to these governing factors it is best to defer to the individual judg- 

 ment, but in eveiy case the obvious lesson should be laid to heart in 

 the interests of our common welfare. 



The types of laws which may l>e regarded as still in the natm-e of 

 experiments should be closely studied by the sociologist: and the 

 future developments should be watched, so that in the fullness of time 

 we may evolve the desires of the great heart of the State. 



The successes will readily speak for themselves, and require no 

 argument. And it must be confessed, looking down the vista of 

 twenty -years, that., in securing their intended objects, thei-e are many 

 of our statutes for which we should be jirofoundly thankful. 



Taking the sequence of tlie lists enumerated, we find that a 

 continuous and increasing attention has been paid to the needs of the 

 industrial classes, and to the uplifting of humanity in respect of their 

 mental, moral, and physical conditions. 



