EMIGRATION.
Her Majesty's Colonial Land and Emigration
Commissioners have prepared the following abstract of an
Act recently passed by the Legislature of Nova Scotia,
for the regulation of emigrant vessels arriving in that
province. It is very important that it should be known
as widely as possible amongst those interested in
emigrant ships proceeding to North America. The
following is a copy of the abstract alluded to of an Act
to regulate emmigrant [emigrant?] vessels and passengers
arriving at any port in Nova Scotia ; passed 15th of March,
1848:
1. The master or person having charge of the ship shall
at the time of reporting its arrival, pay the Customs officer
for every passenger on board, if the ship arrives between
the 31st of March and the 1st of September, 10s; if between
the 31st of August and the 1st of October, 15s ; if between
the 30th September and the 1st April, 20s.
2. If the ship shall be placed in quarantine for any other
account than merely for the purpose of clearing or
observation, the master or person in charge shall pay, in
addition to the above sums, 5s for every passenger on board,
and a further sum of 5s if the ship shall remain in quarantine
for any longer period than ten days.
3. The sums so payable are made recoverable in a
summary way, before two justices of the peace; and in case of
default the ship may be distrained upon, and will not be
allowed to proceed to the sea until payment is made.
4. The owner and charterer are also made answerable for
the payment.
5. The master, before the ship is admitted to an entry, is
to sign a list setting forth the age, trade, occupation, and
profession of every passenger respectively, who may have
embarked or sailed, and who may arrive on board such ship.
6 and 7 Relate to the accounting for and disposal of the
moneys so received by the Legislature.
8 Imposes a penalty of œ500 on the master for making a
false list.
9 Imposes a penalty of œ10 on the master for landing
passengers before making the entry.
10. Exempts Queen's ships and ships employed by
Government, as transports or store ships,
11. Declares that two children under fourteen shall be
calculated as one passenger ; and that children under one
year shall not be counted.
12. That if any passenger, landed from any ship, not
having cleared for any port in Nova Scotia, shall have
obtained aid of the treasury or poor fund, or the overseers of
the poor in any township or settlement in Nova Scotia, the
owner, charterer, and master will be liable to repay the
moneys so advanced, and the ship will not be allowed to
proceed to sea until they are paid.
13. In case of wreck it may be sold; and proceeds of
sale, after paying the amount due for salvage and the wages
of seamen may be applied to the maintenance of
passengers. The balance, if any to be paid to the owner or
master.
14. The Government may relieve the owner, charterer
master, or agent of the ship, upon such terms as to the
governor may seem just and reasonable, from the payment
or quarantine or head money.
15. The act not to apply to passengers born or domiciled
in Nova Scotia, nor to any inhabitant of the United States,
or any of the British North American colonies, visiting the
province only for a temporary purpose, of which the
Customs Officer must be satisfied.
16, 17, and 18, Relate to forms of procedure in pursuing
for penalties.
19 Repeals 6th Victoria, relating to passengers, also the
7th Victoria amending that Act.
20 Declares that the Act shall be in force for one year,
and from thence to the end of the next session of the
Govneral Assembly.
