Constables au

without Fee or Reward.

other Division, of the Parish of Westbromwich as one other Division, and of the Parish of Kingswinford as one other Division respectively, liable to be rated or assessed in such Townships or Parishes or Places respectively for the Purposes of this Act to the Amount of Twenty Pounds each or upwards, and of which Application or Requisition Notice shall be given by the Clerk of the Peace (with the Notice for holding the Sessions), to treat, contract, and agree with any Person or Persons for the Purchase of, or for the hiring for any Term or for any Number of Years of any fit and suitable Buildings and Premises, or of any Land or Ground for the Erection thereon of any Buildings for any of the Purposes aforesaid, and also to contract and agree with any Person or Persons for the erecting of any such Rooms, Offices, or Lock-up Places as aforesaid, or any of them, or for any Uses or Purposes incidental to the Execution of this Act, and from Time to Time to fit up, repair, alter, improve, and maintain the same respec tively, as the said Justices shall from Time to Time order and direct; and the Treasurer to be appointed for the Purposes of this Act shall and he is hereby authorized and required from Time to Time to pay the Purchase Money for such Houses, Buildings, Lands, Grounds, and Premises, and also the Costs and Expences of all Erections, Alterations, Fittings-up, Repairs, and Works made or done from Time to Time by the Order or Directions of the said Justices, for the Purposes of this Act, and also such yearly or periodical Rents or Payments as shall be agreed upon as aforesaid between such Justices and the respective Owners, Lessees, or Persons interested in such Houses, Buildings, and Premises, on Demand and Production of any Lease, Assignment, Contract, or Agreement made in pursuance of this Act, on an Order signed by any Three or more of the said Justices for such Payments; and all such Buildings, Land, Ground, and Premises shall be conveyed to the Clerk of the Peace of the County of Stafford for the Time being, and be vested in and held by him in trust for the Purposes of this Act.

XVII. And be it enacted, That for the better Administration thorized to take of the Police within the Limits of this Act it shall be lawful for in certain Cases, such Stipendiary Justice, by Writing under his Hand, to appoint One or more of the Constables in every Township within the Limits aforesaid, and at his Pleasure in like Manner to vacate any such Appointment, for the Purpose of taking, and every such Constable so appointed is hereby authorized to take, Recognizances, without any Fee or Reward, from any Person who shall be brought before him in the Night-time (or at any other Time when such Justice is not sitting for the Despatch of Business as aforesaid) on any Charge not amounting to Felony, for the Appearance of such Person before such Justice, or before any other Justice or Justices of the Peace of the said County of Stafford acting for the said Division, at his or their next public Sitting, for further Examination; and such Recognizances so to be taken as aforesaid shall be of equal Obligation to the Parties entering into the same, and liable to the same Proceedings for the estreating thereof, as if the same had been taken before any of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace; and every such Constable shall enter in a Book to be kept for that Purpose the Names, Residences,

Residences, and Occupations of the Parties and of their Sureties (if any) entering into any such Recognizance, together with the Conditions thereof, and the Sums respectively acknowledged, and shall lay the same before the Justice or Justices who shall be present at the Time and Place when and where the Parties are required to appear; and if the Parties do not appear at the Time and Place required, or within One Hour afterwards, such Justice or Justices shall cause a Record of the Recognizance to be drawn up, and to be signed by such Constable, and shall return the same to the next General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace, or the Adjournment thereof, for the said County of Stafford, with a Certificate at the Back thereof, signed by such Justice or Justices, that the Parties have not complied with the Obligation therein contained, and the Clerk of the Peace shall make the like Extracts and Schedules of every such Recognizance as of Recognizances taken in the Sessions of the Peace; but in case the Parties not appearing shall apply by any Person on their Behalf to postpone the hearing of the Charge against them, it shall be lawful for such Justice or Justices to enlarge the Recognizances to such further Time as he or they shall think proper; and in case of Appearance of the Parties before any Justice in pursuance of a Recognizance, then such Recognizance shall be discharged by such Justice, without a Fee.

XVIII. And be it enacted, That for raising the Monies necessary from Time to Time for Payment of the Salary of the Stipendiary Justice to be appointed under this Act, and of the Clerk and Treasurer to be appointed as aforesaid, and for Payment of the Expences of applying for, obtaining, and passing this Act (together with lawful Interest for any Money which shall have been advanced and paid for such Expences from the Time of advancing the same), and also for the Payment of the Charges and Expences of carrying this Act and the Purposes thereof into execution, it shall be lawful for the Justices of the Peace acting for the said County of Stafford, at any General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace holden in and for the said County, or at any Adjournment thereof, and they are hereby required, from Time to Time to make a Rate or Rates, Assessment or Assessments (not exceeding the Amount herein-after limited, and of which Rate or Assessment Notice shall be given with the Notice for holding the Sessions,) upon all Property rateable to the County Rate within the Limits of the said several Parishes, Townships, or Places, for the Purpose of raising so much Money as, together with the Fee Fund herein-before mentioned (the Amount or probable Amount of which shall from Time to Time be by the said Justices ascertained or estimated as correctly as may be), shall be sufficient for the Payment of the said several Salaries, Charges, and Expences herein mentioned, such Rate or Rates, Assessment or Assessments to be made in the same Manner as is now by Law directed, authorized, or practised for making County Rates.

Justices at General or Quarter SesRate for Payment of Expences of Act.

sions may make

rateable Pro

XIX. Provided always, and be it enacted, That the annual Mode of ascerValue of the rateable Property within the Limits of the said taining Value of several Parishes, Townships, or Places rateable under this Act as aforesaid, as such Value shall have been, or from Time to Time perty. may be, ascertained and determined for the Purpose of assessing

Ff 3

the

Powers of Acts relating to County Rates applied to this Act.

Rates in certain Parishes, &c. may be increased for

the County Rate upon or within the same Parishes, Townships, or Places respectively, shall be from Time to Time adopted and taken by the said Justices as the Basis of any Assessment and Rating to be made by them for the Purposes of this Act as aforesaid, without any separate or other Valuation of such Property or any Part thereof being made or required.

XX. And be it enacted, That all and every the Powers, Authorities, Provisions, Clauses, and Regulations given or contained by or in any Act or Acts of Parliament now subsisting and in force, for or relating to the making, assessing, collecting, levying, paying, or enforcing of County Rates in England, shall, so far as the Nature of the Case will admit, and except as is herein otherwise specially provided, be deemed and taken to apply to the said Rate or Rates so by this Act directed or authorized to be made as aforesaid, as if the same Powers, Authorities, Provisions, Clauses, and Regulations were here severally repeated and re-enacted with reference to such Rate or Rates, and in the same Manner, and as fully and effectually, in all respects, as if such Rate or Rates respectively were a County Rate assessed or to be assessed upon the said several Parishes, Townships, or Places intended to be hereby made liable to the Payment thereof as aforesaid: Provided always, that the Sum to be raised by a Rate or Rates under the Authority of this Act as aforesaid (except as herein-after mentioned) shall not in any One Year exceed the Sum of Two-pence in the Pound upon the annual Value of the rateable Property in the several Parishes, Townships, or Places aforesaid.

XXI. And whereas it may be necessary to increase the Amount aforesaid for defraying the Costs and Expences of purchasing, erecting, or providing Rooms, Lock-up Houses, and erecting Offices,other Buildings, Offices, and Land, for the Purposes of this Act,

&c.

Overseers of the several Parishes, &c. to levy and collect the Rates.

as aforesaid;' be it therefore enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Justices of the Peace acting for the said County of Stafford, at any General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace holden in and for the said County, or at any Adjournment thereof, to increase to any Extent, not exceeding the further Sum of Fourpence in the Pound altogether, nor Two-pence in the Pound in any One Year, the Rate or Charge on the Occupiers of rateable Property within the respective Parishes or Townships wherein any such Rooms, Lock-up Houses, Buildings, Offices, or Land shall be deemed requisite by the said Justices to be provided for the Purposes aforesaid, and wherein any Five or more of the Inhabitants liable to be rated or assessed as aforesaid shall make any such Application or Requisition as herein-before mentioned, and of which Application and Requisition Notice shall be given by the Clerk of the Peace with the Notice for holding the Sessions: Provided always, that no such increased Rate shall be made or assessed after the Expiration of Three Years from the passing of this Act.

XXII. Provided also, and be it enacted, That the Overseer or Overseers of the Poor of the said several Parishes, Townships, or Places liable to the Payment of any Rate to be made under the Authority of this Act as aforesaid, or other the Person or Persons whose Duty it shall be to collect and levy the County Rates, shall, within the Time to be limited or expressed for that Pur

pose in or by the Order of the said Justices making such Rate as
aforesaid (which Order shall of itself, and without any other Pre-
cept or Warrant whatsoever, be a sufficient Authority for the
levying of the said Rate by such Overseer or Overseers, or other
Person or Persons whose Duty it shall be to levy the same as
aforesaid,) levy and collect such Rate, and pay the Amount thereof
into the Hands of the Treasurer of the said Fee Fund, or, if there
be no such Treasurer, into the Hands of the Clerk to the said
Stipendiary Justice, who shall carry the same to the Account of
the said Fee Fund herein-before directed to be formed; and in
case any such Overseer or Overseers of the Poor, or other Person
or Persons whose Duty it shall be to collect or levy such Rate as
aforesaid, shall neglect, make default, or refuse to pay the same
within the Time to be limited or specified for that Purpose as
aforesaid, to the said Treasurer or Clerk hereby appointed and
authorized to receive the same as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for
any
Justice of the Peace of the said County of Stafford, upon
Complaint thereof made by such Treasurer or Clerk as aforesaid,
to levy the same by Distress and Sale of the Offenders Goods.

XXIII. Provided also, and be it enacted, That all or any For. feitures or Penalties to be inflicted or recoverable under or by virtue of any of the statutable Powers or Provisions hereby extended or made applicable to the said Rate hereby directed to be made and levied as aforesaid, in respect of such Rate, or any Proceed ing relating thereunto, shall, when recovered, be paid to the said Treasurer of the said Fee Fund, or to the said Clerk as aforesaid, and shall be by him carried to the Account of the said general Fee Fund, and be applied as Part thereof.

Penalties applicable to Rate

to be carried to the Account of

the general Fee Fund.

Penalties payable to Her Majesty, &c.

shall be paid to County Treasurer, in aid of

County Rate.

XXIV. And be it enacted, That all other Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures, except such as are herein-before referred to, and which shall be imposed by such Stipendiary Justice, either alone or together with any other Justice or Justices of the Peace for the said County, which are or shall be by any Act limited and made payable to Her Majesty, or to any Person whomsoever, save and except the Informer who shall sue for the same, or any Party aggrieved, shall be recovered for and adjudged to be paid to the Treasurer of the Public Stock of the County of Stafford, and shall be applied in aid or reduction of the general County Rate: Pro- Proviso. vided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend to any Penalties or Forfeitures to be recovered under any Act relating

to the Customs, Excise, or Post Office, or to Trade or Navigation,

or any Branch of Her Majesty's Revenue.

XXV. And be it enacted, That the several Words herein-after Interpretation particularized, used in this Act, shall bear the Interpretation fol- of Act. lowing, unless there shall be something in the Subject Matter

or Context repugnant thereto; (that is to say,)

Words importing the Singular Number shall include the Plural Number, and Words importing the Plural Number shall include the Singular:

Words importing the Masculine Gender only shall include

Females.

XXVI. And be it enacted, That this Act shall be a Public Public Act. Act, and shall be judicially taken notice of as such.

CA P. LXVI.

No Person to be removed

from any Parish in which he or she shall have

Years.

Time during which Persons are serving in the Army or Navy, &c. not to be computed

An Act to amend the Laws relating to the Removal of the
Poor.
[26th August 1846.]

WHEREAS it is expedient that the Laws relating to the

Removal of the Poor should be amended:' 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 resided for Five same, That from and after the passing of this Act no Person shall be removed, nor shall any Warrant be granted for the Removal of any Person, from any Parish in which such Person shall have resided for Five Years next before the Application for the Warrant: Provided always, that the Time during which such Person shall be a Prisoner in a Prison, or shall be serving Her Majesty as a Soldier, Marine, or Sailor, or reside as an In-Pensioner in Greenwich or Chelsea Hospitals, or shall be confined in a Lunatic Asylum, or House duly licensed or Hospital registered for the Reception of Lunatics, or as a Patient in a Hospital, or during which any such Person shall receive Relief from any Parish, or shall be wholly or in part maintained by any Rate or Subscription raised in a Parish in which such Person does not reside, not being a bona fide charitable Gift, shall for all Purposes be excluded in the Computation of Time herein-before mentioned, and that the Removal of a Pauper Lunatic to a Lunatic Asylum, under the Provisions of any Act relating to the Maintenance and Care of Pauper Lunatics, shall not be deemed a Removal within the Meaning of this Act: Provided always, that whenever any Person shall have a Wife or Children having no other Settlement than his or her own, such Wife and Children shall be removable whenever he or she is removable, and shall not be removable when he or she is not removable.

as Time of Residence.

Removal of
Widows.

No Child under
Sixteen Years of
Age liable to
be removed.

Sick Persons

not to be removed except in certain Cases.

Settlement not

II. And be it enacted, That no Woman residing in any Parish with her Husband at the Time of his Death shall be removed, nor shall any Warrant be granted for her Removal, from such Parish, for Twelve Calendar Months next after his Death, if she so long continue a Widow.

III. And be it enacted, That no Child under the Age of Sixteen Years, whether legitimate or illegitimate, residing in any Parish with his or her Father or Mother, Stepfather or Stepmother, or reputed Father, shall be removed, nor shall any Warrant be granted for the Removal of such Child, from such Parish, in any Case where such Father, Mother, Stepfather, Stepmother, or reputed Father may not lawfully be removed from such Parish.

IV. And be it enacted, That no Warrant shall be granted for the Removal of any Person becoming chargeable in respect of Relief made necessary by Sickness or Accident, unless the Justices granting the Warrant shall state in such Warrant that they are satisfied that the Sickness or Accident will produce permanent Disability.

V. Provided always, and be it enacted, That no Person hereby to be gained by exempted from Liability to be removed shall by reason of such Exemption acquire any Settlement in any Parish.

Nonremoval.

VI. And