CAP. VII.-IRELAND.

AN ACT for the temporary Relief of destitute Persons in Ireland.

(26th February 1847.)

ABSTRACT OF THE ENACTMENTS.

1. Relief Commissioners appointed by the Lord Lieutenant to superintend the execution of this Act, to appoint officers, and to pay salaries, &c., when sanctioned by the Treasury.

2. Appointment of Relief Commissioners, &c. to be published in the Gazette.

3. Relief committees to be formed under orders from the Lord Lieutenant.—Justices, guardians, &c., to be members of such committee.-Relief committee discontinued after Nov. 1.

4. Power to relief and finance committees to appoint assistants, &c.—Salaries, &c., to be charged upon the rates.

5. Inspectors of unions and electoral divisions to be appointed by Relief Commissioners.

6. Lord Lieutenant to appoint finance committees in every union in which this Act shall be in force.

7. Lists of persons to be relieved to be made out, and estimates to be prepared, from time to time by relief committees.

8. Power to finance committee to examine lists and estimates, and amend the same if necessary.-Lord Lieutenant to issue war.. rant to guardians to defray expenses out of monies raised under 1 & 2 Vict. c. 56.

9. Guardians to collect the money required with poor rates.—Any rate made for the purposes of this Act to be deemed a rate made under the last-recited Act.

10. If guardians neglect or refuse to pay money authorized by this Act, Poor Law Commissioners may dissolve the board, and appoint paid officers to carry the same into execution.

11. After any rate made, notice to be given of the amount, and when payable, &c.

12. Monies to be paid to relief committees or expended in purchases for them.

13. Charges may be apportioned between the union and the several electoral divisions, with the sanction of the Lord Lieutenant. 14. Inspector to certify to the Relief Commissioners the amounts to be levied and the sums paid.

15. Treasury may cause advances to be made for enabling Relief Commissioners to grant loans on the credit of rates in course of making and collecting.

16. As soon as guardians shall have resolved on making rate Relief Commissioners may grant loans on the credit of the same. 17. As to the repayment of loans.

18. On application of Relief Commissioners Treasury may make grants in aid of rates or contributions for the purposes of this Act. 19. Rules and regulations to be made by Relief Commissioners for the purposes of this Act.-Relief to be administered subject to such rules, &c.

20. Guardians, officers, and members of relief committees, &c. not to be concerned in contracts while in office.

21. Produce of sales to be applied for the purposes of this Act, subject to certain regulations.

22. No grant or loan to be made by the Treasury after 1st October.

23. Interpretation of Act.

24. Act may be amended, &c.

By this Act,

After reciting the passing of 9 & 10 Vict. c. 107, but by reason of the great increase of destitution sufficient relief cannot be given according to the provisions of the said Act, and it is necessary to make further provision for the relief of the destitute poor in Ireland for a limited time: and that the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland has appointed certain persons, by the title of Commissioners for Relief of Destitution in Ireland :—

It is Enacted,

1. That the said Commissioners, hereinafter called Relief Commissioners, or such persons as shall be hereafter from time to time appointed by the Lord Lieutenant to act as such Relief Commissioners, shall have authority to superintend the execution of this Act, and shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, a sufficient number of persons to be inspectors, for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, and also a secretary, and such officers and servants as shall be necessary for the due execution of this Act, and may from time to time, at their pleasure, remove any inspector, secretary, officer, or servant so appointed, and may pay and allow to such inspectors, secretary, officers, and servants such salaries, wages, and allowances, and defray such other expenses necessarily incurred in the execution of this Act, as shall be from time to time sanctioned by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury.

II. That the names of the persons already appointed Relief Commissioners shall be published in the Dublin Gazette before they begin to act in the execution of this Act; and whenever any person shall be hereafter appointed, or shall cease to be a Relief Commissioner or inspector, notice thereof shall in each case be published in the Dublin Gazette.

III. That it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to give orders for the constitution of a relief committee in any one or more electoral divisions of an union formed for the relief of the destitute poor in Ireland in which it shall appear to him that this Act should be put in force, and such relief committee shall be constituted of such persons or in such manner as the Lord Lieutenant, by any general order or orders to be from time to time published in the Dublin Gazette, or by any special order applicable to the peculiar circumstances of any one or more such unions or electoral divisions, and

to be published in the Dublin Gazette, shall from time to time direct: Provided always, that the Justices resident in such electoral divisions, if any, and the guardian or guardians of the poor elected for such electoral divisions, and one of the inspectors to be appointed as aforesaid by the Relief Commissioners, shall in every case be constituted members of such relief committee: Provided also, that no relief committee constituted under this Act shall be continued after the 1st of Novem ber in this year, unless for the purpose of settling and closing their accounts.

IV. That every relief committee or finance committee constituted under this Act shall appoint so many assistants and servants, and at such salaries and allowances, as shall be sanctioned by the Relief Commissioners, on the report and recommendation of the inspector who is upon such committee, and all such salaries and allowances shall be a charge upon the rates to be made and levied for the purposes of this Act.

v. That whenever this Act shall be put in force in any such union the Relief Commissioners shall appoint an inspector to act for such union, who shall be deemed to be also the inspector for each electoral division of such union, unless it shall appear expedient to the Lord Lieutenant that an inspector shall be appointed to act specially for any one or more such electoral divisions, in which case such appointment shall be made accordingly.

vi. That it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in every case in which it shall appear to him expedient, to appoint, in every union in which this Act shall be in force, a finance committee, which shall consist of the inspector to be appointed as aforesaid by the Relief Commissioners for such union, and of such Justices resident in the union, or guardians elected for the union, or such other persons as the Lord Lieutenant shall think fit, not being less than two and not more than four persons in addition to such inspector, and from time to time to dissolve any such finance committee and appoint another, instead thereof, or where an inspector shall have been specially appointed for one or more electoral divisions of an union it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant to appoint such finance committee specially for such electoral division or divisions, and in such case the inspector to be appointed specially as aforesaid for such electoral division or divisions shall be a member of the finance committee to be appointed for such division or divisions.

VII. That in every union in which this Act shall be in force the several relief committees shall from time to time make out lists of persons to be relieved under the provisions of this Act within each electoral division for which they severally act, according to such regulations and instructions as shall be from time to time issued to them for their guidance by the said Relief Commissioners, with estimates of the sums which shall appear to them to be needed from time to time to defray the necessary expenses for the purchase, preparation, distribution, or sale of food, and such other relief as they shall be authorized by any such regulations or instructions to afford, and for providing and fitting up the necessary buildings and cooking utensils, and for payment of the persons employed in the purchase, preparation, distribution, or sale of food and relief as aforesaid, and shall from time to time send every such list and estimate to the finance committee acting for the union or for such electoral division or divisions, and shall state to the finance committee the time or times when in their opinion any such sum or any part thereof will be needed.

VIII. That the finance committee shall examine such lists and estimates, and shall have authority to revise and amend the same, in any manner which shall appear to them expedient, and they or two of them, of whom the inspector shall be one, shall allow and sign every such amended list and estimate, and thereupon the inspector of the union, or electoral division or divisions (as the case may be), shall report the amount of each allowed estimate to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and the time or times when any such sum or any part thereof will be needed, and thereupon it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant to cause a warrant to be issued under the hand of his chief secretary, under secretary, or assistant secretary for the amount thereof, or such proportion thereof as the Lord Lieutenant shall approve, directed to the guardians of the poor for the union to which such electoral division or divisions may belong, requiring the guardians, out of the monies collected for defraying the expenses incurred in the execution of an Act, 1 & 2 Vict. c. 56, intituled An Act for the more effectual Relief of the destitute Poor in Ireland,' to pay to such person as shall be named in the warrant to receive the same, on behalf of the finance committee acting for such union, electoral division or divisions, within a time or times to be mentioned in the warrant, the sum of money mentioned therein, such sum not being greater than the proportion of the amount set forth in the estimate allowed and signed as aforesaid, which shall be specified by any regulations to be from time to time made by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, and that the guardians shall pay over the said sum to the person mentioned in any such warrant, within the time or times mentioned therein.

Ix. That the guardians of any union to whom any such warrant shall be directed shall pay the sum mentioned in the warrant, within the time or times mentioned therein, out of any monies in their hands collected for defraying the expenses of the last-recited Act, or so much of the sum mentioned in the warrant as the monies in their hands shall amount to; and if there be no such money in their hands, or an insufficient sum, they shall levy the sum required as a part of the rates to be made and levied for defraying the expenses of the last recited Act, and for that purpose shall proceed in the same manner and have the same powers, remedies and privileges as are provided by the Acts in force for relief of the destitute poor in Ireland for levying money for defraying the expenses of the last-recited Act, and from time to time shall pay over the sums so collected to the person mentioned in the warrant; and any rate made and levied for the purposes of this Act shall be deemed a rate made and levied for defraying the expenses of the last-recited Act, and the same persons shall be liable, and the same hereditaments rateable thereunto, and all the provisions of the Acts in force for relief of the destitute poor in Ireland shall apply to the rates so made and levied as if they were made and levied under the authority of the last-recited Act, and the receipt of the person named in the warrant shall be a sufficient discharge to the guardians for the sum so paid by them, and shall be allowed as such in auditing and passing their accounts.

x. That if the guardians shall refuse or wilfully neglect to pay the sum mentioned in any such warrant out of any monies in their hands as aforesaid, or to procure payment thereof to be made by any of the ways and means authorized by this Act, or, where such monies shall be insufficient, if they shall refuse or wilfully neglect to make and levy such rate as aforesaid so that the sum mentioned in the warrant shall not be paid to the person mentioned in the warrant within the time or times

mentioned therein, or if the said guardians shall fail in any respect duly and efficiently to discharge their duties in the execution of this Act, it shall be lawful for the Commissioners appointed for carrying into execution the said Act, 1 & 2 Viet. c. 56, to declare such board of guardians to be dissolved, and thereupon to appoint such and so many paid officers as they may think fit to carry into execution the Acts in force for the time being for the relief of the destitute poor in Ireland, and this Act, and from time to time to revoke and determine any such appointment and from time to time as they shall see fit to define and direct the execution of the duties of such officers, and the amount and nature of the security to be given by snch of them as the last-mentioned Commissioners shall think ought to give security, and to regulate the amount of salaries payable to such officers respectively, and the time and mode of payment thereof, and such salaries shall be chargeable on and payable out of the rates levied for the relief of the destitute poor of such union, and all officers so appointed shall continue to hold their offices during the continuance of this Act, unless their appointment shall be sooner revoked and determined by the last-mentioned Commissioners.

XI. That as soon as may be after making any rate for the purposes of this Act the guardians shall give notice in one or more newspapers usually circulating in the county of the amount of such rate, and of the time when it will be payable, and of the place where the book containing the particulars of such rate may be inspected by the rate-payers.

XII. That the sums so paid over to the person mentioned in any such warrant on behalf of the finance committee of any union, electoral division or divisions, and also all sums which shall be raised by voluntary contributions, shall be either paid over to the Relief Committee of the electoral division or divisions on account of which they were severally demanded, at such times and in such manner as shall be directed by any instructions or regulations to be from time to time issued to them by the Relief Commissioners, or shall be employed by the said finance committee, pursuant to the like instructions and regulations, in procuring such food and necessaries as may be needed by any such relief committee, for enabling them most effectually to carry out the purposes of this Act.

XIII. That the said Relief Commissioners, with the sanction of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, shall be empowered from time to time to direct whether the whole or any part of the sum mentioned in any such warrant so issued on behalf of any electoral division shall be borne by and charged exclusively against such electoral division, or whether the whole or any part thereof shall be borne by and charged against the whole union; and the guardians shall charge the whole union and the several electoral divisions accordingly; and in the absence of any directions by the said Relief Commissioners, the whole sum for which any such warrant shall issue on behalf of any electoral division shall be borne by and charged against such electoral division exclusively; and whenever any such directions shall be made directing that the whole or any part of any sum mentioned in any such warrant shall be charged against the whole union, such directions shall be annexed to the warrant and sent to the guardians therewith.

XIV. That the inspector of any such union or electoral division or divisions shall from time to time certify under his hand to the Relief Commissioners the amount of the several sums mentioned in such allowed estimates, and also the several amounts for the levy of which the guardians shall have proceeded towards making rates, and the actual amounts which shall have been paid pursuant to the said warrants.

And after reciting that it is expedient to give facilities for the advance of money on the credit of rates which are in course of collection, or which are to be made ;

It is Enacted,

xv. That it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, or any three or more of them, to cause to be issued, as a temporary advance from time to time, at any time before the 1st of October in this year, as they may find necessary, out of the growing produce of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, any sum or sums of money not exceeding 300,000, by way of imprest, to the said Relief Commissioners for the execution of this Act, to be by them applied by way of loan on the security of the rates made or to be made as hereinafter provided, for the purposes of this Act; and all such sums of money shall be repaid to the Consolidated Fund by the said Relief Commissioners, in such manner as the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury may direct, from and out of the rates to be levied in the union on behalf which such loan shall have been made.

XVI. That as soon as any board of guardians shall have resolved on making any rate for the purposes of this Act, and the inspector of the union shall have certified under his hand to the Relief Commissioners that such resolution has been passed, and that to the best of his belief the guardians are proceeding with all possible despatch to make and levy such rate, the Relief Commissioners may, if they shall think fit, make such loans on the credit of the rates so about to be made as shall be authorized by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury.

XVII. That the amount of any such loan, or any proportion thereof which the Relief Commissioners shall think fit to advance from time to time, shall be paid by the said Relief Commissioners to the persons mentioned in the warrant to receive money on behalf of the finance committee of the union, electoral division or divisions, on whose behalf such money is to be paid, to be by them applied in the manner hereinbefore directed as to the sums received under any such warrant, and thereupon the treasurer of the union shall pay to the Relief Commissioners the rates levied in such union, except such part as he shall be allowed to retain for the other purposes of the Acts in force for the relief of the destitute poor in Ireland, by any regulations to be from time to time made by the Relief Commissioners, until the whole amount of the loan, or advances made on account of such loan, shall be reimbursed to the said Relief Commisioners; and any treasurer of any union who, after notice of any such loan or advance given to him in writing under the hand of any one of the said Relief Commissioners, shall pay away to any person other than the person appointed in and by such notice to receive the rates on behalf of the Relief Commissioners any part of any rate collected in such union, beyond what he shall have been so allowed to retain by the regulations of the said Relief Commissioners, until the whole of such loan or advances shall have been reimbursed to the said Relief Commissioners, shall be liable to pay to the said Relief Commissioners the sum which

he shall have so wrongfully paid away; and in case of non-payment thereof it shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace, on complaint of any one of the said inspectors, to levy the amount so wrongfully paid away by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of such treasurer; and the receipt of the receiver mentioned in and by such notice shall be a sufficient discharge to the treasurer for so much money as shall be paid by him to such receiver, and shall be allowed in auditing and passing his accounts.

XVIII That, on the application of the Relief Commissioners, the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury shall be empowered to cause to be issued and paid from time to time, as they shall find necessary, out of any monies which may be granted for that purpose, any sum or sums of money, under such regulations and conditions as the said Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury shall think fit, in aid of the rates so to be made as aforesaid or of voluntary contributions for the purposes of this Act, and all such monies shall be paid over to the finance committee of the union, or electoral division or divisions, on account of which it shall have been issued, and shall be applied and accounted for in like manner as the monies paid pursuant to any warrant as aforesaid,

XIX. That the said Relief Commissioners shall be authorized and required from time to time to make rules and regulations in regard to the proceedings of any such finance committees and relief committees, and in regard to the making out the lists of destitute persons, the making or revising and allowing estimates as to relief funds, the mode of application for relief, the mode of inquiry into the circumstances of the applicants for relief, the description of relief to be afforded, and whether by gift or sale, the mode of granting, ordering, and giving such relief, the keeping the accounts thereof, the security to be given by any person who shall receive any monies for the purposes of this Act, the making of reports, and such other matters as the said Commissioners shall deem necessary; and the relief to be furnished under this Act shall be administered subject to the rules and regulations so to be made by the said Relief Commissioners.

xx. That no guardian, paid officer, member of any finance committee or relief committee under this Act, or other person in whose hands the collection of any rates, grants, loans, or voluntary contributions, or the providing for, ordering, management, controul, or direction of the relief of the destitute poor, under the provisions of this Act, shall or may be placed, shall, either in his own name or the name of any other person, provide, furnish, or supply for his own profit any materials, goods, or provisions for the use of the destitute poor under this Act during the time for which he or they shall retain such appointment, nor shall be concerned for his own profit directly or indirectly in furnishing or supplying the same, or in any contract relating thereto, under pain of forfeiting the sum of 1007., with full costs of suit, to any person who shall sue for the same by action of debt or on the case in any of Her Majesty's courts of record at Dublin.

XXI. That when, pursuant to any such regulations as aforesaid, any food or necessaries shall have been sold under the direction of any relief committee, the monies arising from such sale shall be applied for the purposes of this Act by such relief committee, subject to such instructions and regulations as they shall from time to time receive in respect thereof from the said Relief Commissioners.

XXII. That no warrant shall be issued under this Act, nor shall any grant or loan be made by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury in aid of any rates to be levied under this Act, after the 1st of October in this year.

XXIII. That in this Act the words "Lord Lieutenant" shall be construed to extend to any Lords Justices, or other chief governor or governors of Ireland.

XXIV. That this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act to be passed in this session of Parliament.

CAP. VIII.

AN ACT to apply the Sum of Eight Millions out of the Consolidated Fund to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.

This Acr directs that

(18th March 1847.)

I. There shall be applied for the service of the year 1847, the sum of 8,000,000l. out of the Consolidated Fund.

II. The Treasury may cause 8,000,000l. of Exchequer bills to be made out in manner prescribed by 48 Geo. 3. c. 1; 4&5 Will. 4. c. 15, and 5 & 6 Vict. c. 66.

III. The clauses &c. in recited Acts extended to this Act.

IV. Interest on Exchequer bills.

v. Bank of England may advance 8,000,0007. on the credit of this Act, notwithstanding 5 & 6 W. & M. c. 20.

vi. Bills prepared by virtue of this Act to be delivered to the Bank, as security for such advances.

VII. Monies raised by bills to be applied to the Services voted by the Commons.

VIII. Exchequer bills made chargeable upon the growing produce of the Consolidated Fund.

CAP. IX.

AN ACT for raising the Sum of Eight Millions, by way of Annuities.

ABSTRACT OF THE ENACTMENTS.

(18th March 1847.)

1. Every contributor of 891. 10s. to be entitled to 1001. in the Three per Cent. Consols from 5th Jan. 1847.

2. Contributors who have made deposits to pay remainder of subscriptions by instalments.

3. Guardians, &c., having the disposition of monies of infants may contribute for them.

4. Contributors entitled to annuities of three pounds per centum, payable half-yearly.

5. Time at which stock may be transferred.-Bank to prepare books for entering names of contributors, &c.

6. Periods for payment of first dividend.

7. Annuities payable and transferable at the Bank.

8. Money to be issued out of the Consolidated Fund for payment of annuities and charges in respect of the said sum of 8,000,000%;

9. And shall be charged upon the said fund.

10. The Bank to appoint a cashier and an accountant-general, and the Treasury to order money to be issued to the cashier for payment of annuities.

11. Cashier to give receipt for subscriptions which may be assigned before 15th October 1847.—Cashier to give security for paying the money he receives into the Exchequer.

12. A book to be kept in the accountant-general's office for entering contributors' names, a duplicate whereof to be transmitted to the Auditor of the Exchequer.

13. Contributors duly paying their subscriptions entitled to annuities tax-free.

14. In case contributors fail to advance the residue of the sums subscribed for, the deposit of 121. to be forfeited.

15. Annuities to be deemed personal estate.

16. Treasury may apply the money paid into the Exchequer for any of the purposes for which it might be advanced under 9 & 10 Vict. c. 107. &c.

17. Accountant-general to keep books for entering assignments and transfers.—Transfers not liable to stamp duties.

18. Treasury to defray incidents attending execution of this Act.

19. Bank may retain a certain sum, and apply it to their own use, for services performed.

20. Annuities created under this Act to be added to and be deemed part of the Three per Cent. Consols.

21. Punishment of persons found guilty of forging or counterfeiting receipts for contributions, &c.

22. Bank to continue a corporation for the purposes of this Act until the annuities hereby granted shall be redeemed.

23. Penalty on taking any fee or gratuity for receiving contributions or paying or transferring annuities.

24. Persons sued may plead the general issue.-Costs.

By this ACT,

After reciting that the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled, being desirous to make the necessary provision for the exigencies of the public service, have resolved that the sum of 8,000,000%. be raised by annuities in manner hereinafter mentioned ;—

It is Enacted,

1. That every contributor towards raising the said sum of 8,000,000l. shall for every sum of 891. 10s. contributed and paid be entitled to the principal sum of 1001. in Consolidated Annuities after the rate of 31. per cent., to commence from the 5th of January 1847.

And after reciting that, pursuant to and upon the terms and conditions expressed in the said resolution, several persons have, in books opened at the Bank of England for that purpose, subscribed together the whole of the said sum of 8,000,0001. to be raised by annuities, and made deposits of 121. per cent. on the respective sums by them so subscribed to the said sum of 8,000,000l. to be raised by annuities with the cashiers of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England;—

It is Enacted,

II. That it shall and may be lawful to and for such contributors who have made such deposits with the cashier or cashiers of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England (which cashier or cashiers is and are hereby appointed the receiver and receivers of such contributions, without any other warrant to be had in that behalf,) to advance and pay unto the said cashier or cashiers of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England the several remainders of the sums by them respectively subscribed towards the said sum of 8,000,000l. at or before the respective days and times and in the proportions hereinafter limited and appointed in that behalf, (that is to say,) the further sum of 121. per cent. on or before the 9th of April 1847, the further sum of 121. per cent. on or before the 7th of May then next following, the further sum of 121. per cent. on or before the 11th of June then next following, the further sum of 12. per cent. on or before the 9th of July then next following, the further sum of 121. per cent. on or before the 6th of August then next following, the further sum of 124. per cent. on or before the 3rd of September then next following, and the remaining sum of 161. per cent. on or before the 15th of October then next following.