Extra Wages Collected for American Seamen.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4326, 28 March 1884, Page 2

Extra Wages Collected for American Seamen.

With reference to the complaint made in connection with the discharge of seamen belonging to the Sarah Hunt, to which allusion was made in an extract from a Canterbury paper published last night, an idea appears to prevail amongst those not acquainted with the laws of the United States that the three months' extra wages collected by the American Consul for every seaman ordered to be discharged by him belong to the seaman. According to section 4,550 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, one month's extra wages is the property of the United States Government, and is credited to the Relief Fund. The remaining two months' extra wages belong to the seaman, provided lie is not a charge on the Consulate. In the event of his remaining at the Consulate, or desiring transportation home, the extra wages are applied toward the maintenance and passage of the seamen. The statute reads : " The three months' oxtra wages are to bo credited in the proper consular account; the two-thirds thereof are not to bo paid to the seaman until he shall havo engaged on board some vessel, and is about to sail, and then they should be paid in full only when no disbursement shall hare been made on his account. Expenses incurred for his board or other necessaries for transportation, including passage paid on consular certificate at the Treasury,aro first to be paid,and the residue only of two months' extra wages, if there be <(«(/, is to be delivered to him. if the seaman is detained at the Consulate either through illness or for tho purpose of awaiting transportation home, the Consul is empowered to pay all necessary expenses incurred on account of the seaman, even after the extra wages are exhausted. Tho principle is to return the laaman safely to his home. In countries where opportunities seldom occur for sending seamen home by American vessels, tho destitute seaman is Often a very heavy exponso to tho United States, as, for instance, in tho crow of the Sarah \V. Hunt. Tho Consul has no power ta assess damages in lieu of wages, as on whalers, where the mon aro shipped by tho day, or receive compensation by a certain interest in tho catch. Evon if tho voyago should terminate unfortunately, tho Consul's duty in that case is to collect tho thrco months' extra wages, and to provido for the seaman as horeinboforo described. Should the seaman havo an Interest in the catch, an order is given him on tho owners for said interest, provided that tho ordor is duly signed by the master and authenticated by tho Consul,