LANCASTER COUNTY. 305 



'cants and settlers of the province, and the grievous bur- 

 dens of maintaining them in the manner hitherto used is 

 greater than the good people of this province, under their 

 present distressed circumstances, are well able to bear, 

 and for as much as there are numbers of children among 

 them whose real advantage and interest it would un- 

 doubtedly prove to be brought up in industry and fru- 

 gality, and bound out to learn husbandry, or some other 

 profitable art, whereby they might become reputable 

 inhabitants, entitled to the rights of the British subjects, 

 and their parents thereby eased of the charge of their 

 maintenance as well as the public, which by proper care 

 may be in a good degree relieved from the present heavy 

 expenses." 



It was enacted that the overseers of the poor of the 

 townships in which the Nova Scotians were dispersed, 

 were required and enjoined within two months of the 

 passage of the Act, or as soon afterwards as convenient, 

 by and with the consent and approbation of one or more 

 justices of the peace to bind out, such of the children of 

 the Nova Scotians, whose parents or friends were not 

 capable to maintain them, or neglected otherwise to pro-* 

 vide for them, to kind masters and mistresses, on the 

 best terms they could obtain; on condition the children 

 were taught to read and write the English language, and 

 such reputable and profitable occupations as would ena- 

 ble them to support themselves at the expiration of the 

 term of apprenticeship; males were to be bound out till 

 twenty-one ; females till eighteen. 



Further provision was also made for those, who, by 

 reason of age, impotence, or any bodily infirmity, were 

 rendered incapable to maintain themselves, that they, were 

 provided for, and maintained, as other poor of the town- 

 ship ; but at the charge of the province. 



26* 



