|
May bo
compelled
to labour,
&c.
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SEC. 13, And be it enacted, That all apprentices, except those
bound to tradesmen or mechanics residing in any town, shall
be compelled to perform reasonable labour in wheat, rye and
hay harvests only, unless the particular contract shall be other-
wise.
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Widow
way assign
apprentice,
&c.
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SEC. 14. And, whereas apprentices are not, nor is it intended
that they should be, assignable, and on the death of the master,
the apprentice, although he has been maintained and considera-
bly advanced in the art of his trade, is either bound out to a
new master, who derives an immediate profit from his skill and
labour, or is suffered to go at large, and it is reasonable that the
widow of the deceased master, if he leave any, should derive
some benefit from the expense, care and instruction, given the
said apprentices, Be it enacted, That the widow of any master
of a male apprentice, bound agreeably to the directions of this
act, whose time shall not have expired at the death of his
master, may, with the approbation of the orphans court, if the
said apprentice was bound by the trustees of the poor, by the
court, or if the said apprentice was bound by his father, with
the approbation of the father, assign the whole residue of the
contract, on such consideration as she may agree for, to some
other person of the same trade with the first master, and
the new master and the apprentice, shall be bound to perform
the residue of the contract, as if the new master had been an
original party thereto ; and the gratuity or consideration, if any,
received by the widow for such apprentice's time, shall be to
her own use, and shall not be considered as assets of the
deceased husband ; and where female children are bound out
to married men, as the qualities of their wives make a leading
motive for such preference, and the girls are chiefly benefitted by
the care of the wives, such apprentice girls shall serve out the
residue of their time with the widow, on the death of the hus-
band, and the widow shall make good, and strictly comply with,
the terms of the contract made with her deceased husband; but
if the widow shall not think proper to keep such apprentice girl,
then the said widow shall carry the said apprentice to the
orphans court of the county, and deliver her up, when she shall
be again bound out as heretofore directed by this act.
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Judge, &c.
may ap-
point three
persons,
&c.
|
SEC. 15. And be it enacted, That in every case where the
consent of the father cannot be obtained by the widow of any
deceased master to assign the residue of the contract of any
apprentice, that it shall and may be lawful for any judge, or
any two justices of the peace in the county where the deceased
master did last reside, to appoint three persons of the same trade
or occupation with the deceased master, any two of which shall
have power to value, upon oath or affirmation, the residue of
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