24 August 2014

Masters and Servants

A complaint having been brought before the Justices of Peace of Banffshire, by Mr Ogilvie, farmer at Tillynaught, against William Duncan and James Pirie, his servants, who had refused to do some necessary work after six o'clock (at night), and had soon after deserted their service, the Justices, after considering the complaint, and hearing parties, found that the servants had forfeited their wages from Whitsunday last to the period of desertion (being nearly three months), fined them in £1 15s. sterl. of expences each, besides the expence of extracting; - And were of opinion that it is a very mistaken idea, which has become but too prevalent in the country, that farm servants are not bound to work after six at night - there being no such law in existence; but on the contrary, they are bound to obey the orders of their masters at all hours when he may necessarily require their labours; and the farmer who permits such customs, in order to gain low popularity in the country, is doing a very serious injury to himself, and to the agricultural interest at large.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 24th August 1814.

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