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Informations before justices to be within twelve calendar months. Ibid. s. 27.

Pawnbroker offending as to making entries, P. not exceeding 10l. for each offence; and for every other offence against this act, from 40s. to 10l. where no other penalty is specially imposed. R. distress and sale. A. half to the complainant, half to the poor. Ibid. s. 26.

No fee to be taken for any summons or warrant, as far as relates to goods pawned, exchanged, or unlawfully disposed of. 30 G. 3. c. 24. s. 13.

Ap. sessions, on entering into recognizance at the time of conviction, with two sureties for double the sum. 39 & 40 G.. 3. c. 99. s. 35.

PLAGUE.

ALL vessels, persons, or merchandises, coming from places where the plague is judged to be, shall perform quarantine in such manner as shall, in the Gazette, be directed by the king in council. 6 G. 4. c. 78. s. 2.

Persons quitting vessels liable to quarantine, may be apprehended. 1 J. Ibid. s. 19.

Vessels and persons having performed quarantine are not to be further detained.. Ibid. s. 23.

All offences for which no specific penalty, forfeiture, or punishment is provided, may be tried, heard, and determined before three justices at the place where the offence or disobedience shall happen; and if offender convicted, P. not exceeding 500l. or imprisonment (not exceeding) twelve months for any one offence. Ibid. s. 32. 35.

POLYGAMY.

THE offence of polygamy does not come within the jurisdiction of a justice, otherwise than as being made by 35 G. 3. c. 67. s. 1. liable to the same pains and penalties with grand or petit larceny.

POOR.

THE legislative enactments for the regulation and maintenance of the poor, and the decisions arising out of them, are so numerous, as to render it impossible to enter into a detail of their provisions in this volume, without swelling the article far beyond its proper size. A brief outline only of the system will therefore be given; and for the minute distinctions which unfortunately too frequently prevail in this branch of our jurisprudence, the reader must be referred to the larger treatises upon the subject, which contain all the decided cases at length, and every other information which the magistrate can require.

OVERSEERS.

Overseers may be appointed for parishes, or townships, vills, or hamlets, but not for other extra-parochial places.

When overseers are appointed improperly, the appointment may be questioned: 1st, by appeal to the sessions; 2d, by removal of appointment to the King's Bench by certiorari; 3d, by mandamus to the justices to appoint overseers for another place.

Overseers of the poor are to be appointed yearly, in Easter week, or within one month after Easter, under the hands and seals of two or more neighbouring justices. P. 57. A. poor. R. by distress, to be levied by the parish-officers, under a warrant from the quarter sessions.

But justices may appoint after the month has expired. Appointment to be of two, three, or four substantial householders of the parish, &c.

Overseer dying or becoming incapable of acting, two justices may appoint another.

If justices appoint more than four overseers, the whole appointment is void.

A churchwarden cannot be appointed overseer.

Appointment of one overseer only is void.
A woman may be appointed overseer.

Barristers, attornies, clergymen, high constables of hundreds, and revenue officers, are exempted from this office.

So also are members of the college of physicians, and corporation of surgeons in London, apothecaries serving seven years apprenticeship, or practising within seven miles of London, soldiers, and dissenting ministers.

Dissenters are allowed to act by deputy.

Overseers, not having a lawful excuse, are to meet at least once a month in the church on Sunday after afternoon service. P. 20s. R. distress, under warrant of two justices, or imprisonment till paid. Ap. sessions.

Overseer neglecting his duty, P. 40s. R. distress, and in default commitment not exceeding ten days. A. poor. Ap. sessions, giving ten days notice.

The duties of overseers are: 1st, to make a rate for the maintenance of the poor; 2d, to ascertain what poor the place for which they are appointed is bound to maintain; 3d, to remove such persons as it is not liable to support so soon as they become actually chargeable; 4th, upon going out of office to make up and pass their accounts, and deliver over any balance in their hands to their successors, together with the property and documents of the parish.

RATE.

Poor's rates are to be made by the parish-officers, and allowed by two justices; and must be published in church on the Sunday next after their allowance.

Inhabitants may inspect rates at all seasonable hours, on payment of 1s.; and parish-officers must give them copies on payment of 6d. for every twenty-four names. P. 20s. A. to the party aggrieved.

A justice, or a medical man, or clergyman, by warrant of a justice, may visit workhouses, and examine the state of

them, and hear complaints, and certify to the sessions; and if there should be any infectious disorder, the visiting justice shall apply to another justice, or any other person visiting, to two justices; which two justices shall order such regulations as they deem necessary, till the next sessions.. 30 G. 3. c. 49. s. 1. 2.

Names of persons receiving parish relief, to be entered in a book. 3 W. c. 11. s. 11.

And no other person to be relieved, but by order of a justice. Ibid.

No relief to be ordered by a justice, unless for a reasonable cause, proved on oath, and unless the pauper shall have first applied to a parish-officer or a vestry, nor before the justice shall have summoned the parish-officers. 9 G.

1. c. 7. s. 1.

The name of such person to be entered with the others; and no parish-officer, except on sudden emergency, shall bring any charge on the parish for persons not so registered. P. 51. R. distress. J. 2. A. poor. Ibid. s. 2.

Father, grandfather, mother, or grandmother, of persons wanting relief, shall maintain them. P. 20s. per month. R. distress; and in default, commitment till paid. J. 2. A. the poor. Ibid. s. 2. 11.

Fathers leaving their wives and children, and mothers their children chargeable to the parish, having ability to maintain them, the parish-officers, where such are left, may, by warrant of two justices, seize so much of the goods and chattels, or receive so much of the annual rent as such justices shall appoint, to reimburse the parish; and such order to be confirmed by the sessions. 5 G. 1. c. 8. s. 1.

Parish-officers, with consent of the lord of the manor, may, by order of two justices, erect cottages on waste lands, for the poor. 43 El. c. 2. s. 5.

They may also with consent of two justices, set up trades, &c. for the employment of the poor. 3 Car. 2. c. 4. s. 22.

Parish-officers, with consent of two justices, shall set children to work, whose parents cannot maintain them, and all persons, married or single, who cannot maintain themselves, and have no regular trade or calling; and one justice may send persons to the house of correction who will not work; and the parish-officers, not having an excuse, to be allowed by two justices, shall meet once in a month, at least, in the church on a Sunday after evening service, to consult. P. 20s. R. distress, and in default, commitment till paid. J. 2. A. the poor. Ap. sessions. Ibid. s. 1. 2. 6. 11.

Persons aggrieved by an assessment. Ap. sessions.

Two justices, with consent of parish-officers, may discharge paupers from payment of parish rates.

Goods of persons refusing to pay, may be distrained in any part of the county; and of any other county, on oath made before a justice of such other county, which oath shall be certified in the warrant. Ap. to the sessions of the county where the assessment was made.

If two justices perceive that the inhabitants of any parish are not able to levy money sufficient for the relief of the poor, they shall assess any neighbouring parishes within the hundred, in aid; and if the hundred shall not be of sufficient ability, then any parishes within the county.

RELIEF.

Parish-officers, with consent of the majority of the inhabitants, may contract with any person for the lodging, keeping, maintaining, and employing the poor; but, notwithstanding such contract, parish-officers, upon the order of one justice in writing, are to relieve any industrious person at his own habitation, under certain circumstances of temporary illness or distress; and such order may be made for any time not exceeding three months, and continued by indorsement from time to time.

Justices cannot order a larger weekly sum to be paid than

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