542 Assembly Proceedings, Feb. 23-May 22, 1756.

No. 15

Liber H. S.
No. 1

An Act to impower the Justices of the several County Courts, to
make Provision for the late Inhabitants of Nova-Scotia, and for
regulating their Conduct.

Whereas the Governor and Council of Nova Scotia have thought

[Preamble.]

it most advantageous to the British Interest, in North America, to
transport many of the Inhabitants thereof, into other of his Majesty's
Colonies, Numbers of whom have been brought into this Province,
and in Compassion to their unhappy Circumstances have been per-
mitted to Land, and have been dispersed into different Counties

p. 280

within this Province, in order to give them an Opportunity of ex-
ercising their own Labour and Industry, thereby to procure a com-
fortable Subsistence for themselves: Notwithstanding which, many
of them, through Obstinacy, and others, from Indolence, have ab-
solutely refused and declined making Use of such Means of Sub-
sistence, and have thereby become a considerable Burthen upon the
charitable and well disposed People in the several Counties: For
the Prevention whereof for the future, and to prevent such of them
as are not able to subsist themselves from perishing.
Be it Enacted by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary, by

[Justices to
take care of
and provide
for such of
the French
Neutrals, as
shall be real
Objects of
Charity.]

and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governor, and
the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly and the Authority of
the same, That the Justices of the several Counties within this Prov-
ince, shall, and they are hereby impowered, in the same Manner
that they now take Care of and provide for the Poor of their
respective Counties, to take care of and provide for such of the said
French Neutrals in their respective Counties, as they shall deem
to be real Objects of Charity. And if there shall be in any County, a
greater Number of the said French Neutrals than is already allotted
by his Excellency the Governor, that then the Justices of such
County shall, and they are hereby authorized and impowered to
convey or transport such Overplus or Part thereof to any other
County or Counties, as will make up the Number allotted them as
aforesaid: And the Justices of such Counties are hereby obliged
and required to receive and dispose of the French Neutrals, so sent,
in the best Manner they can, so as that they may become Residents
of their respective Counties. Provided always, That none of the
said Neutrals shall be sent into Frederick County.
And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That if

[Justices to
bind out
such of their
Children, as
they shall be
unable to
support.]
p. 281

any of the said Inhabitants of Nova-Scotia shall be unable to sup-
port their Children by their own Labour and Industry, that then,
and in such Case, it shall and may be lawful for the Justices of the
several County Courts respectively to bind out such Child or Children
to some Person, upon the best Terms they can make, for the Ease
of the County, as well as the Benefit of such Child, in the same
Manner that Orphans are bound out by the Laws of this Province.