556 Assembly Proceedings, July 11-August 8, 1732.

Session
Laws

Length or Breadth, abused, defaced or impaired, to be proved by the
Oath of any sufficient Person to whom the Tobacco is consigned in
Great-Britain, or other sufficient Witness, taken before any Magis-
trate, and sent hither under his Hand and Seal, or by any other legal
Proof whatsoever, made in this Province, or elsewhere, shall forfeit
and pay the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds of Tobacco, or Fifty Shil-
lings Sterling, to the Party grieved: To be recovered in any Court
of Record in this Province, against such Master or his Sureties, by
Action of Debt; or on the Case, within Two Years after the Date of
the Bill or Bills of Lading of such Tobacco.
And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the
Security or Securities, of any Master of Ship or Vessel, within this
Province, shall be liable to make Satisfaction, according to this Act,
for the cropping, cutting, abusing, defacing, or impairing, any Hogs-
head or Hogsheads of Tobacco, as aforesaid, and prosecuted in any
Court of Record within this Province, that can hold Plea thereof;
and that every Naval Officer within this Province, shall, on Pain of

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Fifty Shillings Sterling, certify under his Hand and Seal, who are
the Security or Securities of any such Master, which shall be sufficient
Evidence in any Court of Record, where such Action is commenced,
to prove who are the Security or Securities of such Master; for which
Certificate, the Naval Officer may have and receive One Shilling, and
no more: And that the several and respective Naval Officers within
this Province, shall hang a fair Copy of this Act in their respective
Offices, for the Perusal of Masters of Ships and Vessels: The said
Naval Officer to have and receive for the said Copy, One Hundred
Pounds of Tobacco, to be allowed in the County Levy.
Be it Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or
Persons having the immediate Rule, Direction, or Government of any
Plantation where Tobacco is or shall be made, shall false pack any
Hogshead, or use any fraudulent or deceitful Practice or Means to
conceal or hide any Frost-bitten, Trashy Ground Leaves, small
Scrubs, Stalks, Stems, Wood, Dirt, or any manner of Trash, or
decayed old Tobacco, and shall offer to tender or pay away the same
as good merchantable Tobacco, and shall be convict of such false
packing, before any Justice of the Peace, who shall, by Virtue of this
Act, have Cognizance thereof, as in Case of Small Debts, shall, for
every such Offence, forfeit Four Hundred Pounds of Tobacco, to
the Party to whom such Tobacco shall be paid or tendered, or offered
to be paid, if such Party will prosecute for the same within Two
Months after the Offence committed: And in Case such Party should
neglect or refuse to prosecute, the said Penalty shall and may be
recoverable by any other Person, to his own Use, that will inform and
prosecute for the same within Three Months after such Neglect or
Refusal aforesaid, before any such Justice; any Law, Usage, or
Custom, to the contrary, notwithstanding.