Onward 1902, p7

Abstract

The passing of the Licensing Act,1902 , is celebrated in this issue of Onward from the same year. It was not made illegal to serve children under 14 with alcohol until 1902 (the result of fifty years of temperance campaigning), although they could still purchase drink in a sealed or corked container.

The Life of the British Soldier.

and laughter of his comrades, who, the angrier he grows, the more heartily enjoy the fun. This naturally riles him, and often he gets up full of fight and makes for the bully, always to be found in the barrack-room, who is just spoiling for a “pitch in”, especially with a raw recruit, who, after the melee, retires to his cot a sadder and a wiser man. “Tattoo” sounds, the orderly sergeant comes round to see that every man is at his bed, and then “Lights out.” The lights go out and the wearied and depressed youngster tumbles into bed for a quiet time at last.

Hardly half an hour passes when there’s a great thud ; the recruit’s bed has been “set”, that is, arranged as a trap. Bed cots in the army are divided into two parts, and can be fixed so that a piece of string being attached to one part, it will come away, while the other falls to the floor, leaving the unfortunate man with his les up in the air. So wander the soldier who, as he gets up to fix his bed as best he may, feels that life in the army is a bit rough.

The horse-play, however, rough and tumble as it is, and trying to the temper of the uninitiated, may do its part in developing men, but the other things of which this frolicsomeness is but a small evidence, do much to unmake men, and need every counteracting influence.
(To be continued).

The “Lancet,” the leading Medical Journal, says – “If children are sent out as messengers twice or thrice a day to the neighbouring… ‘public’ all the teaching of the school will go for nothing.”

Take Notice
That on and after New Year’s Day, 1902,
By Act of Parliament,
It is rendered a
Punishable offence to serve children under 14 years of ae with intoxicating liquors,
Except in sealed and corked vessels, in quantities of not less than one reputed pint, seller and sender being both liable.
Thinking parents,
Anxious for the Children’s welfare, will know that the best way to observe this law will be to
Keep the children from the Public-House.