33 



contributions from the several parishes within the Union in pro- 

 portion to their rateable valuable as determined by the valuation 

 list. Though the Guardians were primarily the Poor-Law 

 authority several matters unconnected with poor rehef had 

 recently been entrusted to their management. In rural districts 

 where there was no School Board, a committee of the Guardians 

 constituted a School Attendance Committee. In the Burnley 

 Uaion such a committee enforced the attendance of 12,700 

 children, at a cost of about £280. Then there was the Rural 

 Sanitary Authority, the enforcement of the Vaccination Acts, 

 and other duties appertaining to Guardians. 



THE MUNICIPAL BOROUGH. 



The great majority of towns in England had no legal existence 

 or recognition. A certain number of favoured towns were 

 incorporated, and had a legal existence under the Municipal Cor- 

 porations Act. The latter provided for the creation by charter of 

 new municipalities. The Committee of the Privy Council was em- 

 powered to settle a scheme for absorbing into proposed new 

 corporations existing local authorities. This concentration of 

 petty local authorities into one central authority on the creation 

 of a new borough, was perhaps one main reason why so few 

 charters were apphed for. The existing authorities objected to 

 being extinguished. At the present day municipal government 

 was of one type, and the mechanism by which its operations 

 were carried on was practically the same in every borough. The 

 boundaries of municipal boroughs were on no defined prmciple. 

 Where a town, not a city, was governed by the Corporations Act, 

 the corporation of the place consisted of mayor, aldermen and 

 bm-gesses. If it had a cathedral and bishop it was entitled to 

 be called a city. The qualifications and appointment of coun- 

 cillors, aldermen and the mayor were described. The functions 

 of the Town Council, were legislative as well as administrative. 

 The Act empowered them " to make such bye-laws as to them 

 seem meet for the good rule and government of the Borough." 

 A large number of Boroughs had special Acts under whicli their 

 Councils were intrusted with special powers to carry out particu- 

 lar works of local utility, such as water or gas supply. The 

 ordinary functions of the Council consisted in the management 

 of the Corporate property, the maintenance of a proper pohce 

 force, the regulation of markets and burial grounds, the levying 

 of rates, and when necessary, the raising of loans. In the 

 absence of special local Acts it was the duty of the Council to 

 see that the town was properly paved, hghted, cleansed and sup- 

 phed with gas and water. In most boroughs the Council had all 

 the powers and duties of an ordmary Urban Sanitary Authority 

 under the Public Health Acts. Again, in a borough where there 

 is no School Board, the Council had to elect from its own m^jj^^^. 



