1 OS LEGISLATIVE ACTS, PROCLAMATIONS, "ETC., 



every person so hired or employed, a sum of money equal to the then 

 current price of a man's passage home, not exceeding forty shillings 

 for each man, which money such hirer or employer shall, at the end 

 of each fishing season, or at the expiration of the covenanted time 

 of service of such seaman or fisherman, pay or cause to be paid, to 

 the master of a passage or other ship, who shall undertake or agree 

 to carry such seaman or fisherman home to the country whereto 

 he belongs, and shall also convey such seaman or fisherman to and 

 on board such passage or other ship, taking the master's receipt 

 for the passage money, which receipt he shall immediately there- 

 upon deliver to such seaman or fisherman. 



XIV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That 

 no hirer or employer of any such seaman or fisherman shall pay 

 or advance, or cause to be paid or advanced to such seaman or 

 fisherman, in money, liquor and goods, or either of them, during 

 the time he shall be in his service, more than one-half of the wages 

 which shall at any time be due to him; but such hirer or employer 

 shall, and is hereby required and directed, immediately at or upon 

 the expiration of every such man's covenanted time of service, to 

 pay either in money, or in good bills of exchange, payable either in 

 Great Britain or Ireland, or in the country to which such seaman or 

 fisherman belongs, the full balance of his wages, except the money 

 hereinbefore directed to be retained for his passage nome; and it 

 shall not be lawful for any such hirer or employer to turn away or 

 discharge any such seaman or fisherman, except for wilful neglect 

 of duty, or other sufficient cause, before the expiration of his cove- 

 nanted time of service ; and in case the hirer or employer of any such 

 seaman or fisherman shall refuse or neglect to comply with any of 

 the terms hereinbefore mentioned, or shall otherwise offend against 

 this act, every such person so offending shall forfeit and pay for 

 every such offence, besides the balance that shall be due to such 

 seaman or fisherman, the money herein-before directed to be retained 

 for his passage home, the sum of ten pounds, to the use of such 

 person or persons who shall inform or sue for the same. 



XV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That 

 in all cases w T here disputes shall arise concerning the wages of any 

 such seaman or fisherman, the hirer or employer shall be obliged to 

 produce the contract or agreement in writing, hereinbefore directed 

 to be entered into with every such seaman or fisherman. 



XVI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That 

 all the fish and oil which shall be taken and made by the person or 

 persons who shall hire or employ such seaman or fisherman shall be 

 subject and liable, in the first place to the payment of the wages of 

 every such seaman or fisherman. 



XVII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That 

 in case any such seaman or fisherman shall at any time wilfully ab- 

 sent himself from his duty or employ, without the leave and consent 

 of his hirer or employer, or shall wilfully neglect or refuse to work 

 according to the true intent and meaning of such contract or agree- 

 ment, he shall, for every day he shall so absent himself, or neglect or 

 refuse to work as aforesaid, "forfeit two days' pay to such hirer or em- 

 ployer; and, if any such seaman or fisherman shall wilfully absent 

 nimself from his said duty or employ for the space of five days, with- 



