A BILL FOR Requiring annual Returns of the Expenditure on Highways in England and Wales to be transmitted to the Secretary of State and afterwards laid before Parliament. [Note.-The Words printed in Italics are proposed to be inserted in the Committee.] W c. 50. HEREAS by an Act passed in the Sixth Year of King Preamble. William the Fourth, intituled "An Act to consolidate and 5 & 6 W. 4. "amend the Laws relating to Highways in that Part of "Great Britain called England," it was enacted, that within One 5 Calendar Month after the Election or Appointment of Surveyor as therein directed the Accounts for the Year preceding of Monies received and disbursed by virtue of the said Act should be signed by the Surveyor, District Surveyor, or Assistant Surveyor for the Year preceding, and laid before the Justices of the Peace at a Special 10 Sessions for the Highways, holden at the Place nearest to the Parish or District for which such Surveyor should have been appointed; and that at the Special Sessions for executing the Purposes of the said Act, held next after the Twenty-fifth Day of March in every Year by the Justices of the Peace within their respective Divisions, the 15 Surveyor of each of the Parishes within such respective Divisions should verify his Accounts: And whereas it is expedient that annual Statements of the Receipts and Expenditure on Highways in England should be transmitted to One of the Secretaries of State, to the Intent that Abstracts thereof may be laid before both Houses of 20 Parliament: Be it enacted therefore by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That at the Special Sessions in Clerk to each Division at which the Accounts of any Surveyors, District Justices at 25 Surveyors, and Assistant Surveyors shall be produced and verified Special Ses 322. sions to as transmit Statements of Surveyors State. as by the said recited Act required, the Clerk to the Justices shall Accounts to prepare from such Accounts a separate Statement in Writing, Secretary of according to the Form in the Schedule to this Act, of the Receipts. and Expenditure on account of the Highways of each Parish in such Division, and shall, within Seven Days after such Special 5 Sessions, transmit all such Statements to One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State; and for the Preparation and Transmission of each such Statement, such Clerk shall be entitled to charge to the respective Parish the Fee of One Shilling; and if any such Clerk to such Justices shall neglect to transmit any such State- 10 ment within the Time herein-before prescribed for that Purpose, he shall for every such Offence, on Conviction, forfeit any Sum not exceeding Ten Pounds nor less than Five Pounds, and such Penalty shall be recovered and applied as Penalties are by the said Act made recoverable and applicable. Town Clerks of Cities and Boroughs, and Clerks to Trustees and Commissioners, to transmit Statements of Accounts respecting Highways to Secretary of State. 6 & 7 W. 4. c. 76. Abstracts of Statements to be laid 15 II. And be it enacted, That the Town Clerk of every City, Borough, Port, Cinque Port, or Town Corporate subject to the Provisions of the Act passed in the Seventh Year of King William the Fourth, "to provide for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in "England and Wales," and the Clerk to the Trustees or Commis- 20 sioners appointed under any Act of Parliament where the Council of such City, Borough, Port, Cinque Port, or Town Corporate, or such Trustees or Commissioners are authorized to pave, cleanse, or repair any Highway, shall, within Thirty Days next after every annual or other periodical Account of the Receipts and Expenditure of such 25 Council, Trustees, or Commissioners in respect of the Highways under their Management has been made out, or where Provision is made for the Settlement or Audit of such Account, then within Thirty Days after such Settlement or Audit, prepare from such Account a Statement in Writing, showing (as far as Circumstances 30 will permit) the like Particulars of such Receipts and Expenditure as are indicated under the Heads of Receipts and Expenditure respectively in the Form contained in the Schedule to this Act, and shall, within the Time aforesaid, transmit such Statement to One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State; and if such Town 35 Clerk or Clerk to the Trustees or Commissioners shall neglect to transmit any such Statement within such Time as aforesaid, he shall for every such Offence, on Conviction, forfeit any Sum not exceeding Ten Pounds nor less than Five Pounds, and such Penalty shall be recovered and applied as Penalties are by the said Act made 40 recoverable and applicable. III. And be it enacted, That such Secretary of State shall every Year cause the Statements transmitted to him under this Act to be before Par- abstracted, and the Abstracts thereof to be laid before both Houses liament. of Parliament. 45 IV. And |