(Translation.)

LAW FORBIDDING THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN
VAGRANT PROFESSIONS, DEC. 21, 1873.

Article 1.—Whoever should entrust, or under any plea should deliver, to Italian subjects or to aliens, persons of either sex under the age of 18, although children or under the guardianship of the persons entrusting them, and whoever, whether Italian subjects or aliens, should receive them for the purpose of employing them within the kingdom in any way and under any name in the exercise of vagrant professions such as jugglers, conjurers, clowns, itinerant players or singers, tight-rope dancers, diviners of dreams, exhibitors of animals, mendicants, and such like, shall be punished with imprisonment from one to three months, and with a fine from 51 to 250 lire.

Article 2.—Whoever within the kingdom should keep with him in the exercise of the said vagrant professions persons under the age of 18, not being his children, shall be punished with imprisonment from three to six months, and a fine from 100 to 500 lire.

Article 3.—Whoever should entrust, or deliver, within the State, or should take abroad for the purpose of entrusting or delivering to Italian subjects or aliens, persons under the age of 18, although children or under the guardianship of the persons entrusting them; and whoever, whether an Italian subject or alien, should receive such minors in order to take them, entrust, or deliver them abroad for the purpose of employing them in any way and under any name in the exercise of the before-said vagrant professions, shall be punished with imprisonment from six months to a year, and with a fine from 100 to 500 lire.

Article 4.—Italian subjects who should keep with them in a foreign State, in the exercise of the before-said vagrant professions, persons of Italian nationality, under the age of 18, shall be punished with imprisonment from one to two years, and a fine from 500 to 1000 lire.

If it should appear from the proceedings that the minor had been abandoned, or that he had seriously suffered in health through want of food, bad treatment, or ill-usage, or had on that account to turn away or abscond from the person in whose charge he was, the imprisonment may be extended to three years.

Article 5.—This article treats of persons who should take these minors by violence or fraud for the purpose of employing them as above, in which case the punishment may be as much as seven years' imprisonment.

Article 9.—This article makes it compulsory, under penalty of fine, for parents or guardians who have entrusted minors for the above purpose, to declare them to the Mayor of the town in which they reside in Italy, or to the Diplomatic or Consular Authorities, if abroad, within three months from the date of the law.

Article 10.—This article makes it compulsory for persons, whether in Italy or abroad, who keep minors with them, to declare them under penalty of fine, and within four months from the date of the law, to the Mayors in Italy, and to the Ministers and Consuls abroad.

The minors must at the same time be returned to their families both in Italy or from abroad at the expense of the persons who have them in charge, or through the Diplomatic or Consular Authorities.

Articles 11 and 12.—The said Diplomatic or Consular Authorities must keep a register of such minors with all particulars, and give information to the Minister of the Interior.

Article 13.—When there are no parents, or guardians, or other persons who can take care of such minors, they shall be placed in a public educational or industrial establishment until they are of full age, or when they have learnt a trade or business.