The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-12-30 00:00:00

THE NEW PEDLARS' ACT

On the let of January, 1872, "The Pedlars' Act,
1871," takes the place of the Act passed in the previous
year, and an abstract of seine of its provisions may be
of use. No person is to be allowed to act as a pedlar
without a certificate obtained from the chief officer
police of the district in which the person applying has
resided for one month previous to the application; and
any one acting as a pedlar without a certificate, or in a
district in which he is not authorised, is liable for a first
offence to a penalty not exceeding 10s., and for any subse-
quent offence to a penalty not exceisling £l. The police
otl icer must he =atisli ed that the applicant is above seven-
teen years of age, of goo.l character, and intends in go!
faith to carry ..n the trade of a issllar. A fee of Is. is now
to be iiahl for the certificate, which remains in force for
one year from the date of issue thereof, and no
longer, and which has the same effect as a hawker's
license for the purposes of "The markets and Fairs
Clauses Act, 1847," and any Act incorporating the
same. Any pedlar who, having obtained a certificate,
desires to act in some other police district, may have
his certificate endorsed by the police officer of tl.e
district in which he wishes to act, on payment of a
fee not exceeding' sixpence. A register of cer-
tificates is to be kept in each district, and forms
of application are to be kept at every police office in
every district, to be given gratis to applicants. No
pedlar is allowed to lend, transfer, or assign his certifi-
cate to another pecan, under a pen.lty not exceeding
21,18., the person who borrows it being liable to a like
penalty. Any person making false representations in
order to obtain a certificate, or who forges or aids in
forging a certificate, or travels with a forged certifi-
cate. will be liable to a penalty not exceeding ell for
the first offence; and for any subsequent offence, either
instead of or in addition to such penalty, to be iill•
prisoned for any term not exceeding six months,
with or without hard labour. Convictions are to
be endorsed on the certificate of the offender, and
may be used as evidence against him; and a pedlar
who is convicted of any offence may be deprived of his
certificate. For begging, the Act directs that he shall
be deprives! of his certificate. A pedlar may also be
summoned before any court of summary jurisdiction,
and if he tail to appear, or to satisfy the court that

he is in good faith carrying on the business of a pedlar,
he shall be deprived of his certificate. A pedlar is
bound, on demand, to show his certificate to a
magistrate, a police officer or constable, any person to
whom he offers his rods for sale, or any person in
whose private premises he may be found, under a
penalty not exceeding r,s. A pedlar refusing to
show his certificate, or attempting to prevent the
inspection of his pack, may be apprehended and
conveyed before a magistrate. A police officer or
constable may at any time open and inspect a
pedlar's pack, any one refusing bring liable to a penalty
not exceeding L'Os.
The term " pedlar " means any hawker, pedlar,
petty chapman, tinker, roster 1 metals, mender of
chairs, or other person who, with, at any horse or
other beast bearing or drawing burden, travels and
trades on foot from town to town, or to other men's
houses, to sell goods, or procure orders for g, sods im-
mediately to be delivered, or selling or offering for sale
his skill in handicraft.

Commercial travellers, sellers of vegetables, fib,
fruit, r victuaLs, and sellms of goods in markets or
fairs, do nut require a certificate.