Hosiery Act 1843

XVII Recovery of Wages and Sums due for Work.

And be it enacted, That if any Manufacturer or other Party employing, contracting, or engaging with any Person for any Work in any of the said Manufactures, or connected therewith or incidental thereto, or any Parts, Branches, or Processes thereof, and whether such Work is to be performed by the said Person, or by any Person or Persons to be employed by or under him, or by himself jointly with any Person or Persons to be employed with, by, or under him, and whether the Contract or Engagement shall be to work or be employed for such Manufacturer or other Party exclusively, or for all or Part of his Time, or for specific Work, or otherwise, and whether such Person is to be paid according to the Nature or Amount of the Work done, the Time employed, or any other Manner, shall not from Time to Time pay and discharge all such Sums of Money, Wages, and Hire as shall be justly due and payable to any such Person, it shall be lawful for a Justice of the Peace, on Complaint made for that Purpose, to summon such Manufacturer or other Party to appear at a Time and Place to be named in such Summons, and for any Two or more Justices of the Peace to hear and determine such Complaint, and order Payment of such Sum as shall appear to such Justices to be justly due and payable, together with Costs for Loss of Time and recovering the same, and in default of Payment immediately, or within such Period as the said Justices shall direct, the said Justices shall issue their Warrant to levy the same by Distress and Sale of the Goods and Chattels of the said Manufacturer or other Party ; and the said Justices, if they shall think fit, may also, by Order in Writing, authorize such Person to return his Work unfinished, in which Case such Person shall not be liable to the Penalties awarded by this Act.