CO129-087 - Sir Robinson - 1862 [7] & Acting Governor Mercer - 1862 [7-9] — Page 252

10

Control over them- Ships often remain in

China

many years

at a time,

and

ship.

- Masters would have but little fear of suffering, on their return to their natine ~

Countries, the

Emsequences of any neglect

or misconduct of which thin might have

been guilly-

The alteration of clause IV as in the draft Ordinance does not appear

the

w to the

Complete -

regard

considerable penalty

m

249

Seamen wilfully

or

Negligently remaining in the Colony after the departure of the bessels to which they belong_

The

Offence

in point of fact is little short

of desertion although it may often be difficult

to

prove

تلف

as

such. In Hoongthing where

and are

Seamen's wages vary immensely

often Execefsively high, it is a great temptation

auggested

to a

portion of the clause with

penalty; being repeated, and

no penatly named in the addition to the

Clause.

As to the unnecessary rigour~-~- alluded to in the latter part of Clanse)

a man

Small

who has probably

wages

in

been

Shipped

to get

on

England to endeavour

quit of his ship,

and if he can do so at

the last moment by apparently being Megligently left behind, he is very likely to Besides if the master

try that couse -

- a vessel were to be punished for leaving man behind and there were no

of

VIII

I am decidedly of opinion that

a

the Seaman

it is necessary

to be enabled to enforce

for

a

penalty

an

so staying is it not probable