The Upper House. 205

A Message from the Lower House by M^rs Hooper & Smith with
the Bill for ascertaining the Gauge & Tare of Tob^o Hhds.

By the Lower House of Assembly 21^st April 1735
May it please your Honours.
This House hath agreed to the Amendments proposed by your
Honours to the Bill herewith sent except the Clause Subjecting
Masters of Ships to a Penalty for taking tob^o hh^ds on board that
may exceed the limitted Gauge which clause We conceive would
be very inconvenient in this Bill because there are large Quantitys
of Tob^o already packed & prised fit for Shipping and all the hh^ds now
ready for what remains unpacked of the last Crop of which a great
many may very probably exceed the Gauge ascertained by this Bill
and those hh^ds being made when there was no Law in being relating
to their Gauge It cannot be expected the people were very careful
to confirm themselves to any Gauge and the Season so far advanced
that (besides the Loss that cannot be avoided by unpacking and
repacking Tob^o actually prized It is impossible to get hh^ds ready in
any reasonable time this year. And therefore We apprehend that
this Clause would occasion so great an Obstruction of lading the
Ships now come & expected as would be very detrimental to the
Country And that as this Bill is but for one year if It shall be thought

U. H. J.
Lib. No. 33

proper to continue it for a longer time and such a provision as is
proposed by the said Clause be found necessary It may without any
Inconvenience be provided for hereafter.
We therefore desire your Concurrence with the present Bill with-
out the aforesaid Clause
Signed p Order M Macnemara Cl Lo Ho.

A Message from the Lower House by M^rs Key & Hemsley

By the Lower House of Assembly 21 April 1735
May It please your Honours.
As this House is in hopes the present Session is very near an End
and do not apprehend there is any present necessity for the apply-
ing of the mony mentioned in your Message of the 19^th Instant by
Philip Lee Esq^r at this Time they chuse to defer the Consideration
thereof until the next meeting
Signed p order M Macnemara CiLo Ho.

Read the first Time the Bill prepared in this House entituled an
Act for Limitation of the Time of Shipping Tob^o and Ordered to
lye on the Table
Adjourned until to morrow Morning 9 of the Clock

p. 356