Answer:
This government legislation is a child labor reform. It sets a minimum age of employment of 9 years, which means that children under 9 years old are not allowed to work. It also limits the working day for children under 14 years old to 12 hours, which means that children under 14 can only work for 12 hours a day. This reform aims to protect children from the negative effects of working long hours at a young age and ensures that they are able to have a childhood and an education. This legislation is an attempt to improve the health and morals of the working children by protecting them from physical and moral harm. This was an early step in addressing the issues of child labor, which was a widespread problem in the 19th century.