17. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in case any such seaman or fisherman shall at any time wilfully absent himself from his duty or employ, without the leave and consent of his hirer or employer, or shall wilfully neglect or refuse to work according to the true intent and meaning of such contract or agreement, he shall, for every day he shall so absent himself, or neglect or refuse to work as aforesaid, forfeit two days pay to such hirer or employer; and if any such seaman or fisherman shall wilfully absent himself from his said duty or employ for the space of five days, without such leave as aforesaid, he shall be deemed a deserter, and shall forfeit to such hirer or employer all such wages as shall at the time of such desertion be due to him, (except so much as is herein-before directed to be reserved and retained for the purpose of paying his passage home); and it shall and may be lawful to and for the governor of _Newfoundland_, or his surrogates, or the commissary of the vice admiralty court for the time being, or for any justice of the peace in _Newfoundland_, to issue his or their warrant or warrants to apprehend every such deserter, and on the oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses to commit him to prison, there to remain until the next court of session which shall be holden in pursuance of the commission of the said governor for the time being; and if found guilty of the said offence at such session, it shall and may be lawful to and for the said court of session, to order such deserter to be publickly whipped as a vagrant, and afterwards to be put on board a passage ship, in order to his being conveyed back to the country whereto he belongs. [Sidenote: Disputes, and all offences, to be determined by the court of session, _etc._ at _Newfoundland_.] 18. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all disputes which shall arise concerning the wages of every or any such seaman or fisherman, and all offences which shall be committed by every hirer or employer of such seaman or fisherman, against this act, shall and may be enquired into, heard, and determined, and the penalties and forfeitures thereby incurred shall and may be recovered in the court of session herein-before mentioned, or in the court of vice admiralty having jurisdiction in the said island of _Newfoundland_. [Sidenote: Act 6 _Anne_, respecting sailors employed in trading ships, _etc._ in _America_ not liable to be impressed, repealed.]