13. And whereas in several acts, passed in the eleventh and twelfth years of _William_ the third, the eighth of _George_ the first, and second and twelfth of _George_ the second, provision has been made to prevent seamen and mariners in the merchant service being wilfully left beyond sea, and to secure and provide for their return home to such part of his Majesty’s dominions whereto they belong: and whereas, for want of such provisions being extended to seamen and fishermen going out as passengers to _Newfoundland_, and hired and employed in the fisheries carried on there, great numbers of them remain in that country at the end of every fishing season, who would otherwise return home, and some of them have frequently turned robbers and pirates; for remedy of which evil, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons whatsoever shall, from and after the first day of _January_ one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, employ, or cause to be employed at _Newfoundland_, for the purpose of carrying on the fishery there, any seaman or fisherman going as passengers, or any seaman or fisherman hired there, without first entering into an agreement or contract in writing with every such seaman or fisherman, declaring what wages such seaman or fisherman is to have, and the time for which he shall serve, which shall be signed by both parties; wherein it shall be stipulated (amongst other things) that the person so hiring or employing shall be at liberty to reserve, retain, and deduct, and he is hereby authorised, required, and directed to reserve, retain, and deduct, out of the wages of every person so hired or employed, a sum of money equal to the then current price of a man’s passage home, not exceeding forty shillings for each man, which money such hirer or employer shall, at the end of each fishing season, or at the expiration of the covenanted time of service of such seaman or fisherman, pay, or cause to be paid, to the master of a passage or other ship, who shall undertake or agree to carry such seaman or fisherman home to the country whereto he belongs, and shall also convey such seaman or fisherman to and on board such passage or other ship, taking the master’s receipt for the passage money, which receipt he shall immediately thereupon deliver to such seaman or fisherman. [Sidenote: Employers to pay to fishermen, _&c._ only half of their wages, and the other half in bills, _etc._ at their return home. Penalty on employers neglecting to comply.]