No. 1. Empowers the Governor and the Executive Council to license persons to procure seamen for merchant ships.

Clause 2. Provides that every such license, or revocation of such license, shall be made by minute or resolution of the Executive Council.

Clause 3. That no person not so licensed, or not being interested in the vessel, as owner, part owner, master, or person in charge, shall demand or obtain the certificate of discharge of any seaman, for the purpose, or under the pretence of engaging him on board any merchant ship.

Clause 4. That no person interested in any ship or vessel shall receive any seaman, to be entered on board such ship, except under the provisions of this Act.

Clause 5. That every person offending against the Act shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding �20 for each offence, or for every seaman knowingly received on board contrary to its provisions.

Clause 6. That no unlicensed person shall be engaged in procuring seamen under a penalty of �20.

Clause 7. That no advance note or wages to be given to any seaman until six hours after the ship's articles have been duly signed by the said seaman, and the master or owner of the said ship; and then, only to the seaman himself.

Clause 8. That any person receiving remuneration for hiring seamen, other than the owner or master of a vessel,, shall be subject to a penalty of �5 for each once.

Clause 9. That no person shall be allowed to go on board any merchant vessel to engage seamen until such vessel has arrived at her place of discharge, under a penalty not exceeding �20, and the captain of such vessel is authorised to seize and detain in custody any offender against such provision.

Clause 10. That any person soliciting sailors to become lodgers in houses of unlicensed persons, or removing sailors' effects from on board any ship without the permission of the seaman and the master or owner, to be subject to a penalty of �5.

Clause 11. That any person receiving remuneration for the board of sailors for a longer period than is due, or refusing to return any money, documents, or effects, which. may have been lodged in his hands by such. seaman, after deducting the amount of his board, shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding �10.

Clause 12. That all penalties shall be recoverable summarily before two Justices ; and in default of payment, offenders may be committed to the common gaol, or the house of correction, at the discretion of the Justices, and all penalties to be paid - one half to the informer and one half to the Colonial Treasurer, for the public uses of the colony ; provided that although interested, any seaman may be heard in evidence in his own behalf.

Clause 13. The form of conviction under the Act.

Clause 14. That proceedings under the Act shall not be quashed for. want of form, or removeable by writ of certiorari into any superior Court.

Clause 15. Is the interpretation clause, and enacts that the words merchant ship shall include every description of seagoing, trading, or passage vessel lying and being within the limits of the, said colony, &c.

SG & SGTL ; Vol 4 ; Page 316.

Port Phillip - Merchant Seamen.- His Excellency the Governor has directed it to be notified, that a license has been issued to Mr. James M'Farlane of Williams Town, Pert Phillip, to enable him to hire, engage, supply, and provide seamen, to be entered on board merchant ships during the year commencing on the 19th of August.

SG & SGTL Vol 7, p. 246 ; 16 Sep 1850.

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