The wages of clerks, mechanics and laborers due from the assignor at the time of the general assignment including wages fully earned though not then payable, shall be preferred and shall be paid by the assignee before any other claim or debt. In case any such wages have been partly earned at the time of the assignment, but are not then payable, the same shall be equitably apportioned and shall be paid as preferred debts insofar as they have been earned up to the said time. No payment of more than $300 shall be made as a preferred debt to any one person. In case any claim shall receive a preference to the extent of $300 under this section, any balance thereof remaining unpaid shall be entitled to all dividends to be calculated upon such balance as upon a claim of a general creditor.
N.J.S. § 2A:19-30