PASSAGE BROKER is a person who, at any place in the British Islands, sells or lets, or agrees to sell or let, ar is anywise concerned in the sale or letting of steerage passages from any place in Europe not within the Mediterranean Sea. In order to lawfully act as such, he must first enter into a bond to the Crown, executed in duplicate, for 011000, this bond being also executed by two good and sufficient sureties approved by the emigration officer nearest to his place of business. In lieu of the two sureties the emigration officer may accept the bond of any guarantee society approved by the Treasury. It is also necessary to obtain a licence. Any one who acts as a passage broker without complying with these requirements is liable to a fine of ..e5o ; but the Board of Trade, and persons contracting with them or acting under their authority, and any passage broker's agent duly appointed under the Merchant Shipping Act, are exempt from com pliance with the requirements. Application for the licence should be made to the licensing authority for the place in which the applicant has his place of business; and it will be granted if the applicant can prove that he has entered into the necessary bond and deposited one of the duplicate copies with the Board of Trade or the emigration officer, and has given to the Board of Trade at least fourteen days' clear notice of his intention to apply for the licence. The licensing authority is—(a) in the administrative county of London the justices of the peace at petty sessions ; (b) elsewhere in England, the council of a county borough or county district ; (c) in Scotland, the sheriff; and (d) in Ireland, the justices in petty session. The licence, unless
forfeited, remains in force until the 31st December in the year in which it is granted, and for days afterwards; it can be forfeited order of the magistrate if the broker convicted of a breach or Vormanca of his statutory obligations or duties. He cannot employ any one as an agent in his business unless that agent holds an appointment signed by himself— the broker, and countersigned by the emigration officer at the port nearest to his •place of business ; such an agent must, upon request, produce his appointment to any emigration officer, or to any person treating for a steerage passenger ; if any one acts in contravention of the foregoing he renders him self liable to a fine of £50. A fine of £5 is incurred if a broker does not keep conspicuously exhibited in his office or place of business a correct list, in legible characters, containing the names and addresses in full of every person for the time being authorised to act as his agent or as an emigrant runner for him. And also if he does not on or before the fifth day, or if that day be a Sunday, on or before the fourth day in every month, transmit a true copy of that list, signed by him, to the emigration officer nearest his place of business; and if he does not report to that emigration officer every discharge or fresh engagement of an agent or of an emigration runner within twenty four hours of same taking place.