THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 501 



of removal could not take place when it involved the separation of a laborer 

 from his wife, or of a parent from his children."" The imperial abolition act 

 forbade the removal of apprentices from the Colony without the consent of two 

 or more special justices.'"' The services of the apprentice, as property, were 

 alienable by sale, gift, deed, or in any other manner of conveyance, but in every 

 such case the transfer had to be made under the attestation of one or more 

 witnesses. The laborer's services were not transferable at public auction except 

 under judicial process, or in case of a judgment for debt against the person 

 entitled to them.'™ In any such case the separation of families was forbidden, 

 or of those reputed to be in such relations to each other."" A husband became 

 entitled to the services of apprentices belonging to the wife previous to mar- 



• SSI 



riage. 



Bight to return runaways. — Eunaways and deserting apprentices were to 

 be returned again to service. An apprentice being absent from service for 

 seven and a half hours in any one week could be declared a deserter. He thus 

 became liable to a penalty of hard labor for one week; for an absence of two 

 days the penalty was two weeks of confinement, and fifteen lashes, and for an 

 absence of a week, one month of hard labor and thirty lashes."^ But in lieu of 

 or in addition to these punishments, vagabonds and runaways, and others un- 

 faithful to their obligations, except those working under pecuniary contracts, 

 were punishable by additions to time. These additions were limited to fifteen 

 hours in any one week. Deserters absenting themselves for any considerable 

 length of time could be punished and the employers remunerated by additions 

 to their term of service equivalent to the time during which they were absent.'" 

 These additions to time could not in any case be extended so that serving out 

 the penalty would continue beyond August 1, 1841, one year after the expira- 

 tion of the term of the praedials.'" On the whole there were not many offenses 

 involving additions to time as the penalty.'" 



'"Loc. cit. 



"^Imp. Stats., 3 and 4 William IV, 73 (9). 



™ 5 "William IV, 8 (11), and 4 William IV, 21. 



™4 William IV, 21. 



'^ Loc. cit. 



™4 William IV, 21. 



'^Loc. cit. 



""Imp. Stats., 3 and 4 William IV, 73 (20). 



"' In one case a penalty of ten months' extension of the term was added for an 

 absence from service for that length of time. The Secretary of State for the 

 Colonies was much concerned about it, but withdrew the objection to the extreme 

 penalty on being Informed of the facts of the case. Sess. P., 1836, 49, p. 537, Ds., 

 Colebrooke to Glenelg and reply. 



