Hi Richard,
You may have already found this via Trove searching, but I stumbled across an article in "The Moreton Bay Courier" from 14 May 1853 (link:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3716294).
"Harbouring a Runaway Seaman"On Thursday John Baxter, lessee of the North and South Brisbane ferry, was charged at the Police Office, on the information of Captain Bell, of the barque Agricola, with having harboured and employed one Pierce, a seaman absent without leave from that ship.
It was proved that Pierce was pulling in the ferry boat when Captain Bell crossed the river, and that he received the fare from the latter. Defendant alleged that Pierce had stated himself to be a discharged seaman from the ship, in want of employment, but as he had not his discharge ticket, defendant refused to employ him permanently until he obtained it, which he said that he could do when the Captain came to town.
In the meantime he was only temporarily acting as a ferryman. The Bench, however, in the ab-
sence of evidence to this effect, held the charge to be proved, and inflicted the lowest penalty, namely £10 and costs ; in default of payment, defendant to be imprisoned for two months. One half the fine was payable to Captain Bell, who requested that it might be handed over to the Hospital. Under all the circumstances, particularly considering the absence of all secracy on the part of the defendant in employing the man, it appears to us that he is more likely to have been guilty of a
want of due precaution than a knowledge of the seaman's condition ; and although the Bench had
no discretion but to convict and sentence, it is a case which might be considered deserving of the
Governor's mercy.......