Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/426

 64 C. 29. Anno duodecimo Georgii II. A. D. 1739. .After 1 Sept. 1739, J u dices to mak"e from time to time one general Affefiment, inlteacl of the Several Rates appointed by feveral Afts ; The Foiier of ihe Ju/lkes is extended by 1 3 Geo. 2. c. 18. §•7. to be paid out of the Poors Rate of every Parifh to the high Conftable, or to be levied on them by Diftrefs. Where there is no Pcors Rate, the Petty Conftable of the Place to levy and pay the County Rate. Counties ex- cepted from paying the Rate .of this Aft out of the Poors Rate. ' lecting the fame would have amounted to more than the Sum rated : And whereas many and great ' Doubts, Difficulties and Imonvcniencies have arifen in making and collecting other of the laid Rates ;' therefore that the good Ends and Purpofes of the faid feveral Statutes may be anfwered, and the feveral Sums of Money thereby intended to be raifed may effectually be collected, with as much Eafe and Cer- tainty, and as little Expence as can be to the Parties obliged by the faid Laws to pay the fame ; Be it therefore enacted by tire King's molt Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament aifembled, and by the Au- thority of the fame, That from and after the rirft Day of September one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-nine, the Juftices of the Peace in that Part of Great Britain called England, within the respective Limits of tfeir Commiffions, at their General or Quarter-Seffions, or the greater Part of them then and there affembled, fhall have full Power and Authority, from time to time, to make one general Rate or Affeffment for fuch Sum or Sums of Money as they in their Difcretions mall think fufficient to anfwer all and every the Ends and Purpofes of the before-recited Acts, inftead and in lieu of the feveral feparate and diftinct Rates directed thereby to be made, levied and collected ; which Rate fhall be affeffed upon every Town, Parifh or Place within the refpective Limits of their Commiffions, in fuch Proportions as- any cf the Plates heretofore made in purfuance of the faid feveral Acts have been ufually affeffed ; and the feveral and refpective Sums fo affeffed upon each and every Town, Parifh or Place within the re- fpective Limits of their Commiffions, fliall be collected by the high Conftables of the refpective Hun- dreds and Divifions, in which any Town, Parifh or Place doth lie, in fuch Manner, and at fuch Times, as is herein after directed. II. And, that the refpective Sum or Sums fo to be affeffed and collected may be well and truly paid to the refpective high Conftables, Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the Church- wardens and Overfeers of the Poor for the time being of each and every Parifh and Place within the refpective Counties, Cities and Liberties, in which they refpectively lie, fhall and they are hereby re- quired, out of the Money collected or to be collected for the Relief of the Poor of fuch Parifli or Place, to pay to the high Conftables of the refpective Hundreds or Divifions of the faid Counties, Cities and Liberties, the refpective Sum or Sums of Money fo rated and affeffed upon fuch Parifli or Place, within the Space of thirty Days after Demand thereof made in Writing, to be given to the faid Churchwardens or Overfeers of the Poor, or any of them, or left at their or either of their Dwelling-houfe or Houfes, or affixed on any of the Church-Doors of fuch Parifh or Place to which fuch Officer fliall belong, by the faid high Conftable or high Conftables of the refpective Hundreds or Divifions ; which Demand the refpective high Conftable or high Conftables is and are hereby required to make, at fuch Times as the faid Juftices of the Peace, or the greater Part of them, fliall by their Order in Seffions direct ; and the Re- ceipt or Receipts of fuch high Conftable or high Conftables fhall be a full and fufficient Difcharge to fuch Churchwardens and Overfeers of the Poor, or other Perfon paying the fame, and fliall be allowed in their Accounts as fuch by the Juftices of the Peace before whom fuch Accounts fhall be paffed : And in cafe fuch Churchwardens and Overfeers of the Poor or any of them, fhall neglect or refufe to pay any the Sum or Sums of Money hereby affeffed, after Demand made as aforefaid ; fuch high Conftable or high Conftables fliall and they are hereby impowered to levy the fame by Diftrefs and Sale of the Goods and Chatties of fuch Churchwardens and Overfeers or either of them fo refufirig or neglecting to pay the fame as aforefaid, by Warrant under the Hands and Seals of two or more Juftices of the Peace of the County, Riding, Divifion, City, Town Corporate, Liberty or Place, refiding in or near fuch Parifh or Place ; rendering the Overplus, if any there fhall be, after deducting the Money affeffed, and the Charges of the Diftrefs and Sale, to the Owner or Owners thereof. III. Provided nevenhelefs, and be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That in cafe no Rate is or fliall be made for the Relief of the Poor in any Parifli, Townfhip or Place ; the Juftices of the Peace in their refpective General or Quarter-Seffions, or the greater Part of them then and there affembled, fliall and may by their Order direct the Sum of Money affeffed on fuch Parifh, Townfliip or Place, for the Purpofes of this Act, to be rated and levied on any fuch Parifh, Townfliip or Place, by any Petty Conftables or other Peace Officer of or belonging to the fame, in fuch Manner as Money for the Relief of the Poor is by Law to be rated or levied ; which Sum fo rated and levied fliall be paid by fuch Petty Conftable or other Peace Officer to the refpective high Conftable for the Hundred, Divifion or Liberty, wherein fuch Parifh, Townfliip or Place fhall lie ; and fliall be demanded of, paid by, or levied on fuch Petty Conftable or other Peace Officer, in the fame Manner as any Rates are herein before directed to be demanded of, paid by, and levied on the Churchwardens and Overfeers of the Poor, or any of them ; and if fuch Petty Conftable or other Peace Officer fhall pay fuch Sum, before the fame fhall be fo by him rated and levied as aforefaid, he may afterwards rate and levy the fame, or fliall and may be allowed and reimburfed the faid Sum of Money out of any Conftables or other Rate made or to be made on any fuch Parifli, Townfliip or Place, which the faid Juftices of the Peace or the greater Part of them in their Sef- fions fhali order and direct. 6 IV. And whereas it will be very inconvenient to many Towns, Pariflies and Places, in the feveral 1 Counties of Tori, Derby, Durham, Lanca/ler, Chejler, Wejlmorland, Cumberland, and Northumberland, ' that the Rates by this Act directed to be paid by and levied on the Churchwardens and Overfeers of the ' Poor for the Purpofes aforefaid, fhould be paid out of any Rate to be made for the Relief of the Poor ' in fuch Towns, Pariflies and Places ; ' Be it therefore enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That it fhall and may be lawful to and for the Juftices of the Peace for the refpective Ridings, Divifions or Counties of York, Derby, Durham, Lancafter, Chejler, Wejlmorland, Cumberland and Northumberland, at their respective General or Quarter-Seffions, or the greater Part of them then and there affembled, if they fhall think convenient, to order the Sum of Money directed to be affeffed on any fuch Town, Pa- rifli