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A

BILL

[AS AMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE]

ΤΟ

Prevent the holding of Vestry or other Meetings in Churches, and for regulating the Appointment of Vestry Clerks.

W

HEREAS the holding of Vestry or other Parochial Meetings Preamble, in the Parish Church or Chapel, or in the Vestry Room attached to such Church or Chapel, is productive of Scandal to Religion and other great Inconveniences: For Remedy 5 thereof be it enacted 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 it shall be lawful for the Commis- Application sioners for administering the Laws for Relief of the Poor in England, at of the Act. 10 any Time or Times after the passing of this Act, upon Application in Writing of the Churchwardens, or, where there are no Churchwardens, of the Overseers of any Parish in England the Population whereof exceeds One thousand Persons according to the then last preceding Census, such Application being made pursuant to a Resolution of the 15 Vestry of such Parish, to make an Order under their Seal of Office that this Act or any Part thereof shall be applied to and be put in force within such Parish; and a Copy of such Order shall be published in such Newspaper or Gazette, or both, as the said Commissioners may direct,

379.

A

Vestry and other Meet

ings not to be held in

Chapels of

direct, and shall be deposited with the Churchwardens or Overseers (where there are no Churchwardens) of any such Parish.

II. And be it enacted, That from and after the making and publishing of any such Order no Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Parish for the Purpose of holding a Vestry, or for any other Purpose 5 Churches or than that of Divine Worship, or some ecclesiastical or charitable Object, or some other Purpose approved by the Bishop of the Diocese, shall be holden in any Parish Church or Chapel, or other consecrated Church or Chapel, nor in the Chancel thereof, nor, except in case of Urgency, in the Vestry Room attached to such Church or Chapel, 10 in any Parish or Place named in such Order, any public or private Act of Parliament to the contrary notwithstanding.

Parishes where the Population exceeds 1,000.

Power to

provide

III. And be it enacted, That where any Vestry or other Meeting, other Places by virtue of any Statute, Law, or Custom, has heretofore been holden of Meeting. in the Church or Chapel of any Parish or Place named in any such 15 Order as aforesaid, or in the Vestry Room of such Church or Chapel, any such Vestry or other Meeting shall from and after the making and publishing of such Order be holden in such other Room or Place within the Parish or Place as shall be provided for the holding thereof in pursuance of the Provisions of this Act, and all Acts done 20 in such other Room or Place as aforesaid shall be as good, valid, and effectual in the Law, to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, as if such Vestry Meeting had been held in the Vestry Room of such Church or Chapel or in the Body of such Church or Chapel as aforesaid.

Proceedings

null and

25

IV. And be it enacted, That from and after the Expiration of at Meetings held contrary Twelve Calendar Months from the making and publishing of such hereto to be Order as aforesaid all Proceedings at any Meeting purporting to be a Vestry or other Parochial Meeting, which shall be holden in any Church or Chapel of any Parish or Place named therein, or in the 30 Vestry Room attached to any such Church or Chapel, shall be absolutely null and void.

void.

Power to purchase Lands, &c. under

8 & 9 Vict. c. 18.

V. And be it enacted, That the Churchwardens and Overseers, or Overseers alone, as the Case may require, of any Parish, with the Sanction of the said Commissioners and of a Majority of the Vestry, 35 may by Agreement hire any Room, or purchase or take upon Lease or exchange any Lands or Premises, or sell Lands belonging to such Parish, and invest the Proceeds of such Sale in the Purchase of other Lands for the Purpose of holding of any Vestry and other Meeting for the Transaction of any Business of or relating to the 40 Parish; and the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845, except the Parts

Parts and Enactments of that Act with respect to the Purchase and taking of Lands otherwise than by Agreement, and with respect to the Recovery of Forfeitures, Penalties, and Costs, and with respect to Lands acquired by the Promoters of the Undertaking, but which 5 shall not be wanted for the Purpose thereof, shall, in so far as the same is consistent with this Act, be incorporated with this Act; and for the Purposes of this Act the Expressions "the Promoters of the Undertaking" or "the Secretary," whenever used in that Act, shall respectively mean the Churchwardens and Overseers, or Over10 seers as aforesaid; and the Expression "Tolls or Rates," whenever used in the said first-mentioned Act, shall mean Monies to be raised for the Relief of the Poor mentioned in this Act; and all Lands and Premises which shall be so purchased or taken on Lease by the Churchwardens and Overseers, or Overseers as aforesaid, of any 15 Parish shall be conveyed, demised, and assured to such Churchwardens and Overseers, or Overseers alone as aforesaid, and their Successors, in trust for the Purposes of this Act, and shall be accepted, taken, and held by them as a Body Corporate, and the yearly Rent reserved by any Lease shall be chargeable upon and 20 paid out of the Monies to be raised for the Relief of the Poor of any such Parish, and shall be paid by the Churchwardens and Overseers, or Overseers as aforesaid, of such Parish as such Rent becomes payable; and if at any Time any such Rent be not paid within Thirty Days after it so becomes payable, and after Demand thereof 25 in Writing, the Person to whom any such Rent shall be payable may either recover the same from the said Churchwardens and Overseers, or Overseers as aforesaid, with Costs of Suit, by Action of Debt in any Court of Law, or may levy the same by Distress of the Goods. and Chattels of any of the said Churchwardens and Overseers, or 30 Overseers as aforesaid.

sioners, on

of the Vestry,

VI. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Poor Law Poor Law Commissioners, by an Order under their Hands and Seal, upon the CommisReceipt of a Copy under the Hands of the said Churchwardens, or, Receipt of where there are no Churchwardens, of the Overseers of any Parish, of a Resolution 35 a Resolution passed at a Vestry duly convened and held for the authorized Purpose, after public Notice of the Time and Place and Purpose of to require holding such Vestry shall have been given in like Manner as Notices borrowed Money to be of Vestry Meetings are published and given, consenting to the Issue for the Purof such Order, to direct the Churchwardens and Overseers, or, where poses of the 40 there are no Churchwardens, the Overseers, and such Churchwardens and Overseers, as the Case may be, are hereby required, if so directed by such Order and Resolution as aforesaid, to borrow any Sum of Money which may be required for the Purposes of this Act, and to charge the Poor Rates of the said Parish with the Repayment 379.

of

Act.

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