'An Act for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights 5 G. 4. c. 74. ' and Measures: And whereas another Act passed in the Sixth Year of the Reign of His said late Majesty, intituled An Act 6 G. 4. c. 12. to prolong the Time of the Commencement of an Act of the last Session of Parliament, for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity ; of Weights and Measures; and to amend the said Act: And whereas, notwithstanding the Provisions of the said recited 'Acts, many Sets of Weights and Measures of old accustomed ' and different Shapes have been made and verified and stamped 'by the Chamberlains as well as by the Auditor in the Exchequer, ' as Models of the said new Standards, and have been used as 'Standard Weights and Measures under the said recited Acts, 'although different in Shape and Form from the Standards pre'scribed by the said recited Act of the Fifth Year aforesaid and it is therefore expedient that such Standard Weights and 'Measures should be made legal, and that the Auditor or Comp'troller General, or some other superintending Officer of the 'Exchequer, should be empowered to compare and verify, and stamp as so compared and verified, Standards of Length, Weight, or Measure, although not exact Models and Copies in Shape and Form of the respective Standards of Length, Weight, ' and Measure deposited under the Provisions of the said first' recited Acts in the Office of the said Chamberlains and Auditor: And whereas it is expedient that after a limited Period the Use of all Weights and Measures, not in conformity with the Weights and Measures established by the said recited Acts, 'should be prohibited, and that the Use of the Heaped Measure 'should be abolished: Be it therefore enacted by the King'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 so much of the said recited Acts as require that all Weights and Measures shall be Models and Copies in Shape or Form of the Standards deposited in the Exchequer, and also so much of the said recited Acts as allow the Use of Weights and Measures not in conformity with the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures established by the said Acts, or allow Goods or Merchandize to be bought or sold by any Weights or Measures established by local Custom or founded on special Agreement, shall be and the same are hereby repealed. Provisions in recited Acts as to Models and Copies of Standard Weights and Measures repealed. stamped at the Exchequer declared legal. II. And be it enacted, That all Weights and Measures which Weights and have been so verified and stamped at the Exchequer as Copies Measures of the Standard Weights and Measures, corresponding in Weight and Capacity with those established by the said recited Acts, shall be deemed and taken to be legal Weights and Measures, and may be legally used for Comparison as Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures, although not similar in Shape to those required under the Provisions of the said recited Acts." III. And be it enacted, That the Auditor or Comptroller General, or some other Superintending Officer of the Exchequer at Westminster, may compare and verify, and stamp as so compared and verified, as correct Standard Measures of a Yard, and as correct Standard Weights, and as correct Standard Measures of Capacity, any Weights and Measures which shall correspond in Superintending Officer may verify and stamp Weights and Measures of other Form than those pre scribed by 5 G. 4. c. 74. Heaped Measure abolished after 1st Jan. 1835. Copies of the Imperial Standards to be provided, by Order of Magistrates in Quarter Ses sions for Counties in England and Wales, and by Meetings of Justices in Scotland. Copies to be provided by Grand Juries in Ireland. in Length, Weight, and Capacity with the Standards, or Parts or Multiples thereof respectively, deposited in the Exchequer under the said Act of the Fifth Year aforesaid, although such Weights and Measures may not be Models or Copies in Shape or Form of the Standards so deposited as aforesaid; any thing in the said recited Acts to the contrary notwithstanding. IV. And whereas the Heaped Measure is liable to consider. 'able Variation, and the Use of Weights made of soft Materials 'affords Facilities to Fraud;' be it therefore enacted, That from and after the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five so much of the said recited Acts as relate to the Heaped Measure shall be and are hereby repealed, and that the Use of the Heaped Measure shall be abolished, and that all Bargains, Sales, and Contracts made by the Heaped Measure after the said First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five shall be null and void; and thereafter no Weight made of Lead or of Pewter shall be stamped or used. V. And be it enacted, for carrying more fully into effect the Provisions of the said recited Acts regarding the providing of Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures, That at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace next after the passing of this Act the Magistrates of every County or County of a City in England and Wales in Quarter Sessions assembled, and in Scotland the Justices of the Peace at a Meeting to be called for the Purpose by the Sheriff of each County, and the Magistrates of each Royal Burgh, within Three Months after the passing of this Act, shall respectively determine the Number of Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures which they shall deem requisite for the Comparison of all Weights and Measures in use within their Counties, Counties of Cities, and Burghs respectively, and shall direct that such Copies, verified and stamped at the Exchequer, shall be provided for the Use of the same, and shall be deposited at certain central and convenient Places, to be fixed upon by the said Magistrates so assembled, under the Care of an Inspector or Inspectors of Weights and Measures, to be by the said Magistrates appointed and dismissed as Occasion may require. VI. And be it enacted, That in Ireland the Grand Jury of every County, County of a City, or County of a Town shall, at the Spring Assizes next ensuing after the passing of this Act, determine the Number of Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures which they shall deem requisite for the Comparison of all Weights and Measures in use within their Counties, Counties of Cities, or Counties of Towns respectively, and, where Copies shall not have been already provided, shall direct that such Copies, verified and stamped at the Exchequer, shall be procured for the Use of the same, and such Copies shall be deposited at certain central and convenient Places, to be fixed upon by the said Grand Juries so assembled, under the Care of an Inspector or Inspectors of Weights and Measures, to be by the said Grand Juries appointed and dismissed as Occasion may require; and the Expences attending the providing such Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures, and for affording the necessary Remuneration to the Inspectors, shall be provided for for and paid by Presentments to be made by the Grand Juries on such Counties, Counties of Cities, and Counties of Towns respectively. in Counties it has not been VII. And be it enacted, That in Ireland the senior Judge Judges may shall, before the Close of the Spring Assizes aforesaid, inquire order Copies whether One complete Set of such Copies of the Imperial Standard in Ireland when Weights and Measures has been provided or ordered in each County, County of a City or Town; and in every Case in which done by Grand it shall not appear to him that One set at least of such Copies Juries. has been provided or ordered, such Judge shall forthwith order the Treasurer of the County, County of a City or Town, to provide One complete Set of such Copies, and every such Order shall have the Effect of a Presentment on the County at large for such Sum as may be necessary to procure a complete Set of such Copies; and such Treasurer shall, within Three Calendar Months next after he shall receive such Order, fully execute the same, or failing so to do shall forfeit the Sum of Fifty Pounds Sterling. VIII. And be it enacted, That in case the Number of Copies Power of proof the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures provided as viding addiaforesaid for Comparison in any County, County of a City, or tional Copies Royal Burgh, or County of a Town, in the United Kingdom, when requisite. shall be found insufficient, or that any of them shall have been lost or injured, it shall be lawful in England and Wales and in Scotland for the Magistrates so assembled as aforesaid, between the First and Twenty-fifth Day of October in each Year, and in Ireland for the Grand Juries at the Spring Assizes in each Year, to direct that new or additional Copies shall be provided for the Use of their respective Counties, Counties of Cities, Royal Burghs, and Counties of Towns, and to determine the Places in which such Copies shall be kept, and to appoint an additional Inspector or Inspectors for the Care of such Copies as Occasion may require, and that all Expences incurred thereby shall be provided for and paid according to the Modes herein-before set forth. IX. And be it enacted, That the Clerk of the Peace of every County of the United Kingdom shall, on the First Day of March One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, transmit a Return to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Return shall be forthwith laid before Parliament, specifying the Dates and Terms of all Determinations of Magistrates of Counties, or of Counties of Cities, or of Counties of Towns, or of Magistrates of Royal Burghs, as to the Number of Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures which they shall have deemed requisite for their Counties, Counties of Cities, or Counties of Towns, and Burghs respectively, as also of all such Determinations made by any Grand Jury, or of Orders made by any Judge of Assize, in Ireland, and which Return shall specially set forth how far such Determinations and Orders have before the Date of such Returns been complied with by the Weights and Measures so ordered having been provided in the several Instances set forth in such Determinations or Orders; and any Clerk of the Peace who shall neglect to make such Return shall be liable to a Penalty of Fifty Pounds. X. Pro Return to be made by Clerks of the Peace on 1st of March 1836. Power to Magistrates of provide Copies of the Imperial Standards. Weighmasters in Ireland to be supplied with Beams and Scales and X. Provided always, and be it enacted, That in all other Cities or Towns, Liberties or Places, possessing corporate or other legal Jurisdiction, and which have been or shall be hereafter supplied with Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures, it shall be lawful for the Magistrates of such Cities, Towns, Liberties, or Places to appoint an Inspector or Inspectors of Weights and Measures within the Limits of their respective Jurisdictions; and that such Inspectors so appointed shall, within such Limits, have the same Powers and discharge the same Duties as the Inspectors of Weights and Measures appointed under this Act by the County Magistrates or Grand Juries for their respective Counties. XI. And be it enacted, That in every City or Town not being a County of itself, every Individual or Individuals or Body Corporate in Ireland, exercising the Privilege of appointing a Weighmaster, shall, on or before the First of July One thousand eight accurate Copies. hundred and thirty-five, or within Three Months after the Set of Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures for the County in which such Right shall be exercised shall have been provided, supply such Weighmaster with accurate Beams and Scales, and with a Set of accurate Copies in respect of Weight, Capacity, and Length, of the County Set, under a Penalty of Twenty Pounds; and the Accuracy of such Set of Copies shall be certified under the Hand of some Inspector of Weights and Measures; and such Set of Copies shall, for the Purpose of Comparison and Verification, be considered Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures required by this Act, and shall be used for no other Purpose whatever, under a Penalty of Five Pounds; and once at least in every Five Years, under the like Penalty, the same shall be re-adjusted by some Set of Copies of the Standard Weights and Measures which shall have been verified by the Exchequer Standard; and the Weighmaster shall produce to every Magistrate requiring the same, and to any Person whose Weights or Measures shall have been detained on Comparison with the Copies under the Care of such Weighmaster, the Certificate of the Adjustment or Re-adjustment thereof, under the Hand of the Inspector in Charge of the Set of Copies with which the same shall have been compared and re-adjusted; and such Weighmaster may demand and receive the same Fees as may be demanded by any Inspector under this Act. The Stone Weight, Hundred Weight, and Ton. XII. And whereas by local Customs in the Markets, Towns, and other Places throughout the United Kingdom, the Denomi nation of the Stone Weight varies, being in the Country generally deemed to contain Fourteen Pounds Avoirdupois, and in London commonly Eight of such Pounds, or otherwise, as may be; be it therefore enacted, That from and after the First of January One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five the Weight denominated a Stone shall in all Cases consist of Fourteen Standard Pounds Avoirdupois, and that the Weight denominated an Hundred Weight shall consist of Eight such Stones, and that the Weight denominated a Ton shall consist of Twenty such Hundred Weight; and all Contracts made by any other Stone, Hundred Weight, or Ton, from and after the First Day of January One One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, shall be null and void. XIII. And be it enacted, That from and after the First Day of All Articles January One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five all Articles to be sold by sold by Weight shall be sold by Avoirdupois Weight, excepting Avoirdupois, Gold, Silver, Platina, Diamonds, or other precious Stones, and except as herein Drugs when sold by Retail; and that such excepted Articles, and none others, may be sold by Troy Weight. XIV. And whereas the Bushel Measure commonly called or known by the Name of the Winchester Bushel, and also the 'Lineal Measure commonly called the Scotch Ell, and other cus'tomary or local Measures, still continue to be used in divers Places in the United Kingdom, contrary to the Provisions of the said recited Acts; be it therefore enacted, That in England and Wales the Magistrates at Quarter Sessions assembled, and in Scotland the Justices of the Peace at a Meeting called by the Sheriff, and in Ireland the Grand Jury of each County and County of a City or Town, shall procure for the Use of the Inspectors good and sufficient Stamps for the stamping or sealing all Weights and Measures used or to be used in such County, which Stamp, so procured, shall be taken to be the Stamp for such County, and none others shall be considered legal Stamps; and that all Weights and Measures whatsoever used for buying and selling, or for the collecting of any Tolls or Duties, or for the making of any Charges on the Conveyance of any Goods or Merchandize, shall be examined and compared with one of the Copies of the Imperial Standard Weights and Measures provided under the Authority of this Act for the Purpose of Comparison by such Inspectors appointed as aforesaid, who shall stamp, in such Manner as best to prevent Fraud, such Weights and Measures when so examined and compared as aforesaid, if found to correspond with the said Copy, the Fees for which Examination, Comparison, and Stamping shall be according to the Scale contained in the Schedule to this Act annexed; and all Persons who, after the First of January One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, in England and Wales and in Scotland, or after the First of July One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five in Ireland, shall make any Weights or Measures other than those authorized by this Act, or shall sell, expose to sale, or use any Weights or Measures which have not been so stamped as aforesaid, or which shall be found light or otherwise unjust, shall on Conviction forfeit a Sum not exceeding Five Pounds; and that any Contract, Bargain, or Sale made by any such Weights or Measures shall be wholly null and void, and that all such light or unjust Weights and Measures so used shall be seized, forfeited, and condemned. XV. And be it enacted, That in Scotland, from and after the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, the Fiar Prices of all Grain in every County shall be struck by the Imperial Quarter, and all other Returns of the Prices of Grain shall be set forth by the same, without any Reference to any other Measure whatsoever; and that any Sheriff Clerk, Clerk of a Market, or other Person who shall offend against this Provision shall forfeit a Sum not exceeding Five Pounds or less than Twenty Shillings. 4 & 5 GUL. IV. L XVI. And stated. All Weights and Measures to be stamped by Inspectors. Penalty for making any other Measures or Weights, or using any unstamped, light, or defective Weights and Measures. Regulation as to Fiar Prices of Commodities in Scotland. |