REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [384] 



Be it further enacted [Sect. 3], That in every town where such goods 

 are packed up for sale, the gager or packer of such town, or of the 

 town wherein they are put to sale or shipped, shall see that it be well 

 and orderly performed; that is to say, beef and pork, the whole half and 

 quarter, and so proportion ably that the best be not left out; and so fish 

 and mackerel, that they be packed all of one kind ; and that all casks 

 so packed be full, and the fish sound and well seasoned, setting his seal 

 on all casks so packed ; and he shall receive of the owners for so pack- 

 ing and sealing, four shillings per ton. And if any such provisions be 

 put to sale or shipped off without the packer's mark, they shall be for- 

 feited. 



[Sect. 4.] And it is further enacted, That all sorts of green or pickled 

 fish, sturgeon, or flesh that shall be put up for transportation to a foreign 

 market shall be searched, surveyed, and approved by a sworn packer, 

 who shall take strict care that the same be put in tight cask of full 

 gage, salted with suitable salt. And such as shall be so saved, and for 

 its condition found merchantable and full, the packer shall seal with such 

 brand-mark as shall be assigned to the town, and such other cut-mark 

 added as may denote the sort of provision and the time when packed. 

 And all such other provisions as the packer shall find wholesome and 

 useful, though for its quality it be not merchantable, he shall cause to 

 be well packed, salted, filled, and sealed with the letter R, and such 

 other letters as may signifie the town, specie, and time of packing. 

 And if any master of a ship or other vessel, or any officers or mariners 

 belonging thereto, shall receive such provisions not marked and sealed, 

 as aforesaid, aboard any of their ships or vessels, he or they who shall 

 offend therein, shall forfeit double the value of all such provisions; and 

 he that owns the provisions shall forfeit the same. And if any cooper 

 or other person shall shift any fish or flesh, either on board or on shore, 

 after the same has been so sealed and marked by the packer, and ship 

 and export the same, the packer having not allowed thereof, and anew 

 sealed and marked the cask whereinto such provisions are shifted, all 

 persons acting, ordering or assisting therein, shall be set in the pillory, 

 not exceeding one hour, and shall likewise pay double damages to per- 

 sons wronged thereby. 



And, it is further enacted [Sec. 5], That when any such provisions 

 have lain above three months under the packer's mark, betwixt the 

 months of May and October, they shall again, upon exportation or sale, 

 be viewed or searched by the packer; that is to say, so many of them 

 as may probably discover the condition of the whole ; and if any bo 

 decayed or deceitfully dealt with, the packer shall cull and repack the 

 same, so as to distinguish and mark them for merchantable or refuse, 

 according to their condition. And if those who ship or export any such 

 provision shall neglect or refuse such second search or survey, the 

 packer is hereby ordered and impowered to deface his former mark, and 

 for so doing shall be paid as if he had repackt the same. And if the 



