Parliament of New South Wales

“ Any clerk of petty sessions may receive any complaint made to him personally by any master or servant, and after the same has been reduced into writing and signed by the complainant, may issue his summons against the defendant, and such summons shall have the same force and effect as if issued by a justice. ”

“ Any stipendiary or police magistrate or any two justices may in any case hear and determine in a summary manner any complaint, difference, or dispute which arises between any servant and his master, and may make such order against either party as to such justices shall seem meet, and may enforce every such order by cancelling the indenture or agreement between the parties if the justices think fit, or by imposing on either party a fine or penalty proportionate to the offence, but not exceeding ten pounds. ”

“ No warrant shall issue for the apprehension in the first instance of any instance of any person against whom any charge is made under this Act, unless it is made to appear on oath to the satisfaction of the justice before whom the complaint is preferred, that the complainant has reasonable cause to believe that the defendant has absconded or removed, or is about to abscond or remove, from his ususal place of abode, or from the district or place in which he has usually resided, and that the complaint of the party making the charge may be thereby defeated. ”

“ It shall not be neccessary, for the purpose of proving the execution of any agreement, in any proceedings under this Act, to call the attesting witness to such agreement, ort to account for the absence or to prove the handwriting of such winess; but every such agreement may be proved in like manner as if there were no attesting witness thereto.
17. Subject to the provisions of the Justices Act,1902, nothing in this Act shall authorize the imprisonment of any female. ”