Exclusive Pri vileges and Rights as to exercising Trades in Cities, Towns, or Boroughs in Ireland to cease. Actions, &c. commenced by any Guild, &c. for Recovery of Penalties to be discontinued. Officers of any Towns, or Boroughs, as well by making Bye Laws in relation thereto, as otherwise; and Claim is made, on the Part of Bodies styled Guilds, Crafts, Incorporations, or Fraternities, to the Existence and Exercise of Rights and Powers entitling them to prevent Persons not being Members, or not conforming to the Regulations thereof, from dealing in such Merchandize, or from carrying on or exercising such Trades, Occupations, Mysteries, or Handicrafts, or from being apprenticed to learn the same, ' within such Cities, Towns, or Boroughs, and also to the Existence and Exercise of Rights, Powers, and Authorities enabling them 'to impose Pains, Punishments, Penalties, Forfeitures, Fines, and 'Imprisonment in respect of the said Matters or some of them : And whereas it has become expedient that any such exclusive Privileges, Rights, Powers, and Authorities should be abolished :' Be it therefore 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 from and after the passing of this Act no such exclusive Privileges, and no such Rights, Powers, or Authorities as aforesaid, shall be exercised or enjoyed, or shall be henceforth treated as existing in Ireland; and it shall be lawful for any Person or Persons to deal in any Merchandize, and to carry on, use, and exercise any lawful Trade, Occupation, Mystery, or Handicraft, and to take Apprentices to learn the same, in any City, Town, or Borough, and elsewhere, in Ireland, without being a Member of any Guild, Craft, Incorporation, or Fraternity, and free from any Control, Regulation, Restraint, or Interference of any Guild, Craft, Incorporation, or Fraternity whatsoever; any Royal Charter, Grant, or Letters Patent, or any Prescription, Custom, or Bye Law, to the contrary notwithstanding. II. And be it enacted, That after the passing of this Act it shall be lawful for any Person or Persons against whom any Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall have been sued out, commenced, or prosecuted by or on behalf of any Body or Persons claiming to be or styling itself or themselves as such Guild, Craft, Incorporation, or Fraternity, for the Recovery of any pecuniary Penalty or Penalties, Forfeiture or Sum, incurred or payable on or before the Day of the passing of this Act, under or by virtue or in respect of any such alleged exclusive Privilege, or any such alleged Rights, Powers, or Authorities as aforesaid, or in respect of any of the Matters aforesaid, to apply to the Court in which such Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall have been sued out, commenced, or prosecuted, or to any Judge of any of the Superior Courts at Dublin, for an Order that such Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be discontinued upon Payment of the Costs thereof which were incurred on or before the First Day of April in the Year One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, such Costs to be taxed according to the Form of such Court; and every such Court or Judge, upon such Application, shall make such Order as aforesaid; and upon the making of such Order, and Payment or Tender of, such Costs as aforesaid, such Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be forthwith discontinued. III. And be it enacted, That if any Person shall, in a Memorial to be presented to the Lord Lieutenant within Three Calendar Months whose Offices have been abolished by this Act may me rister. Months after the passing of this Act, claim to have been at the Time of the passing of this Act an Officer of any such Guild, Craft, Incorporation, or Fraternity holding any Office to which he was appointed on or before the Sixteenth Day of February in the Year morialize Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and shall in such Lieutenant, who Memorial allege that such his Office has been abolished, or has may cause Inceased or become unnecessary by reason of this Act, and that quiry to be thereby or that otherwise by Force of this Act he has been de- made by a Barprived of Salary, Fees, or Emoluments to which he would have been entitled if this Act had not passed, and shall specify in such Memorial the Nature and Tenure of such Office, and the Time and Manner of his Appointment to the same, and the Duties thereof, and the Salary, Fees, or Emoluments respectively to which he shall allege that he would have been entitled if this Act had not passed, and of which he shall allege that he has been so deprived, and the Services for which and the Right under which he shall allege that he enjoyed the same, and the Amount of such Salary, Fees, and Emoluments respectively received by him in each Year for Six Years next before the passing of this Act, then and in any such Case it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant by Warrant under his Hand (if he shall so think fit) to authorize and direct a Barrister to be named in such Warrant (which shall be conclusive Evidence of his Authority) to inquire into such Claim, and the Grounds thereof, and the Matter of such Memorial, and all the Facts and Circumstances relating to such alleged Office, and the original Appointment to and the Enjoyment of the same, and to such alleged Salary, Fees, or Emoluments, and to such Claim, and (if he shall think fit) into the Amount and Receipt and Right to any Salary, Fees, or Emoluments of such Officer claimed or enjoyed by him since the Sixteenth Day of February in the said Year One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and it shall be lawful for such Barrister accordingly to inquire on Oath into the same, and to administer an Oath to, or in any Case in which an Affirmation is allowed by Law instead of an Oath to take the Affirmation of the Claimant and any Person to be examined before such Barrister, and to issue a Summons signed by such Barrister to be served upon such Claimant or Person, requiring such Claimant or Person to attend before such Barrister, at a Time and Place to be specified in such Summons, to give Evidence touching the Matter of such Inquiry, and further (if such Barrister shall so think fit) requiring such Claimant or Person to produce before such Barrister all such Writings and Documents relating to the Matter of such Inquiry as shall be specified in such Summons; and such Claimant or Person being served with such Summons shall attend accordingly at the Time and Place specified in such Summons, and shall produce all such Writings and Documents as he shall be required to produce as aforesaid, and shall submit to be sworn or affirmed, as the Case may be, and examined by or before such Barrister, and if upon such Oath or Affirmation any Claimant or Person making the same shall wilfully and corruptly give any false Evidence, any Person so offending shall be deemed and taken to be guilty of Perjury, and shall be prosecuted and punished accordingly. IV. And I i 4 Barrister to report to Lord Lieutenant. Nothing in this Act to repeal or alter Provisions of 23 & 24 G. 3. c. 25. or 47 G. 3. sess. 2. c. 15. Act not to alter or affect Provisions of 3 & 4 Vict. c. 108, and 31 G. 3. (I.) Interpretation of Act. Act may be amended, &c. IV. And be it enacted, That the Barrister who shall make any such Inquiry as aforesaid shall report to the Lord Lieutenant the Result of such Inquiry, and also, if so required by the Lord Lieutenant, the Evidence given before him upon such Inquiry, and the Lord Lieutenant shall, if he shall deem it proper so to do, lay such Report, either with or without such Evidence, before both Houses of Parliament: Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained or in any Proceeding thereunder shall operate or be deemed or construed to operate to create or affirm any Right in any such Officer to any such Compensation. V. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this. Act contained shall repeal or alter any thing contained in an Act passed in the Parliament of Ireland in the Session held in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act to regulate the Assay of Gold, and promote the Manufacture of Gold and Silver Wares in this Kingdom, or an Act passed in the Forty-seventh Year of the Reign of His said late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act to provide for the regulating and securing the Collection of the Duty on Gold and Silver Plate wrought or manufactured in Ireland, or so much of the said recited Acts as is now in force. VI. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained shall in any Manner alter or affect the Provisions of an Act passed in the Session of Parliament held in the Third and Fourth Years of the Reign of Her present Majesty, intituled An Act for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in Ireland, or the Construction thereof, but the same shall be construed and applied as if this Act had not passed: Provided also, that nothing herein contained shall in any Manner alter or affect any thing contained in an Act passed in the Thirty-first Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for the more effectually preserving the Health of His Majesty's Subjects, for erecting an Apothecaries Hall in the City of Dublin, and regulating the Profession of an Apothecary throughout the Kingdom of Ireland, or the Rights, Privileges, or Immunities of the Governor and Company of the Apothecaries Hall of Dublin. VII. And be it enacted, That in the Construction of this Act, unless there be something in the Subject or Context repugnant to such Construction, every Word importing the Singular Number only shall extend and be applied to several Persons and Things as well as to one Person or Thing, and the converse, and the Words "Lord Lieutenant" shall be construed to mean the Lord Lieutenant, Lords Justices, or other Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland. VIII. And be it enacted, That this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act to be passed in this present Session of Parliament. САР. 6 6 6 CA P. LXXVII. An Act to amend the Acts relating to the Offices of the 6 [26th August 1846.] HEREAS an Act was passed in the Fifty-second Year WHI of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act to repeal an Act passed in the Thirty-ninth_52 G. 3. c. 11. and Fortieth Year of His present Majesty, for establishing certain Regulations in the Offices of the House of Commons; and to establish other and further Regulations in the said Offices: And whereas another Act was passed in the Third Year of the Reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled An 2&3 W.4.c.105. the House of Commons, and for disabling the Speaker of the An Act to regulate the Salaries of the Officers of the House 4 & 5 W. 4. c. 70. of Commons, and to abolish the sinecure Offices of Principal 'Committee Clerks and Clerk of Ingrossments: And whereas in pursuance of the said Acts, and of the Recommendations contained in several Reports from Select Committees of the House ' of Commons, the whole of the Fees and Sums payable in the 'several Offices and Departments of the said House, as well those mentioned and provided for in the said recited Acts as all other the Fees, Perquisites, and Emoluments payable in the said several Offices and Departments, are now paid to the Account of the 'Commissioners for regulating the Offices of the House of Commons appointed by virtue of the said first-recited Act, and an "Estimate of the Salaries and Expences of the said House is ' annually laid before the House of Commons; and it is expedient to amend the said Acts:' Be it therefore 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 the Person or Persons appointed by the said Commissioners All Fees, &c. acting under the Provisions of the said first-recited Act to collect to be collected the Fees, Perquisites, and Emoluments of the Clerk of the House by the Collector of Commons, the Clerks Assistant, the Serjeant-at-Arms, and the appointed under Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms shall in like Manner collect the Fees, Perquisites, and Emoluments appertaining to the Offices of the Speaker of the House of Commons and of the Speaker's Secretary, and also all Fees, Perquisites, and Emoluments payable in the several Offices of the Clerk of the House of Commons and in the Department of the Serjeant-at-Arms, and shall pay the Money colMoney so collected into the Bank of England to the Account lected to be directed to be established by the said first-recited Act, and called paid into Bank "The Account of the Commissioners for regulating the Offices of of England to the House of Commons ;" and the Person so collecting such Sums directed by the shall from Time to Time, and at such Times and in such Manner said Act. as the Speaker of the House of Commons or the said Commissioners shall direct, render to the said Speaker or Commissioners a full first-recited Act. the Account Application of the Monies so paid to the said Account. So much of the said first-recited Act as requires before House of a Plan to be laid Commons repealed, and instead thereof an Estimate to be prepared of the probable a full and true Account of all the Sums of Money to be received by him by virtue of this and the said recited Acts. II. And be it enacted, That the Money so paid to the said Account shall be applied, first, in Payment of the Salaries of the Clerk, Clerks Assistant, Serjeant-at-Arms, Deputy Serjeant-atArms, and Speaker's Secretary, as directed by the said Acts, or any other Act for the Time being in force relating to such Offices, and, next, in Payment of the Salaries and Superannuation and other Allowances and Expences in the Offices of the Clerk of the House, and in the Departments of the Speaker and the Serjeantat-Arms, and in Payment of any other Charges and Expences of the House of Commons, as such Payments may from Time to Time be directed by the said Speaker or by the said Commissioners, in conformity with the Estimate of such Salaries, Allowances, Superannuations, Charges, and Expences directed to be laid before the House of Commons as herein-after mentioned; and in case the Monies standing to the said Account shall in any Year be more than sufficient to pay and discharge all such Salaries and other Charges, the said Commissioners (after retaining in their Hands a Sum sufficient to answer all Demands in respect of the same which may be likely to arise to the First Day of July in the following Year) shall, within Six Weeks after the End of the Session, pay the Surplus into the Receipt of the Exchequer to the Credit of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. III. And be it enacted, That so much of the said first-recited Act as requires a Statement of the Money remaining to the Account of the said Commissioners, with a Plan of the proposed Expenditure thereof, to be in every Session laid before the House of Commons, shall be repealed; and instead thereof an Estimate shall annually be prepared by the Clerk of the House, the Serjeant-at-Arms, and the Speaker's Secretary respectively of the Sums which will probably be required in their several Departments for the Payment of Salaries, Allowances, and contingent Sums required. Expences during the Year ending on the First Day of April in the following Year; and such Estimates shall be submitted to the Speaker for his Approbation, and, subject to such Approbation, and to such Alterations as the Speaker shall consider proper, shall be embodied, together with an Estimate of the Sums which will be required for the Payment of retired Allowances and Compensation for Loss of Office in One Estimate; and there shall also be prepared under the Direction of the Speaker an Estimate of the Money which will probably remain in the Hands of the Commissioners after the Payments of the current Quarter ending on the First Day of April, and of the Fees expected to be received during the then Session, and of any Sum which may be required to be provided by Parliament, in addition to such Sums for the Estimates to be Payments set forth in the said Estimate of Expenditure; and such Estimates, signed by the Speaker, shall be transmitted by him to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury for their Approval, and shall be laid before the House of Commons with the other Estimates. transmitted to Treasury, and laid before House of Com mons. Salaries, &c. to be paid by the IV. And be it enacted, That all the said Salaries, Allowances, and Expences shall be paid according to the Directions of the Speaker |