PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 445 



possible, emanating as it does from a Government Department. 

 Under the second portion, no member of the crew can 

 claim his discharge except by giving ( ) hours' notice to the 

 master or owner previous to the time of settlement. This, 

 in the generality of cases, means the end of the expedition 

 or voyage, when the agreement would be terminated, and 

 the crew their own masters, without needing any ( ) hours' 

 notice to be given. Moreover the agreement itself proves 

 that only one final settlement is expected, as, in the space 

 for wages, a column is reserved which is headed " Amount 

 of weekly allotment," and space is provided for only one 

 settling up. To sum up, clause 13 gives an owner or 

 master power at any time to break the contract and dis- 

 charge any member of the crew, and purports in the latter 

 part to give the crew a like privilege, but practically does not 

 do so. Thus an owner under clause I and clause 13 can 

 terminate a voyage and break the agreement at any time, and 

 the crew have no redress. This is neither just nor equitable. 



Page 3 of the agreement is too cramped to be practically 

 properly kept. 



Page 4 is devoted to space for particulars of certificates 

 and their endorsements. 



Page 5 is space for report of character, the utility of which 

 it is very difficult to see, as it would simply, under the 

 present arrangements, be taken to the office of the Superin- 

 tendent of Mercantile Marine, and there would be an end of 

 it. It would not affect the fisherman, and it would be 

 impossible for a Superintendent of Marine to keep a register 

 of the characters of fishermen, for many make a practice of 

 changing their names. 



Page 6 gives instructions as to what entries are required 

 to be made in the log under section 282 of the Act of 

 1854. Under this there is a note by which the Board of 



