2<)2 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



to elect; provided that the amount 

 of the property for which such 

 majority shall be assessed to the 

 poor rate, shall be equal to at least 

 two-third parts of the property for 

 which the whole of the persons at- 

 tending such general vestry are as- 

 sessed; and the appointmentof such 

 select vestry should be made under 

 the hands and seals of two justices 

 of the peace, in the same manner as 

 the appointment of overseers of 

 the poor has heretofore been made; 

 that such select vestry should meet 

 once in each fortnight, or oftener 

 if necessary, and at such meeting 

 should examine into the state of 

 the poor, determine upon the na- 

 ture and qvuintity of relief re- 

 quired, superintend the collection 

 and administration of all funds 

 arising in and belonging to such 

 parishes, as well as the execution 

 of all laws relating to the poor, 

 and wliich have been heretofore 

 executed by the overseer ; and in 

 all cases relative to the poor, ex- 

 cept in those of urgent necessity, 

 the interference of justices of the 

 peace, acting in that capacity, 

 shall not be admitted, either di- 

 rectly or indirectly, until refer- 

 ence has been made to such select 

 vestry; but that in cases of ex- 

 treme necessity the overseers of 

 the poor shall have the power to 

 furnish temporary relief, or to 

 take such other steps as the ur- 

 gency of the case may require ; 

 and in all such lugent cases in 

 Avhich the overseers of the poor 

 shall have refused or neglected to 

 take cognizance thereof, any jus- 

 tice of the peace acting for the di- 

 vision should, upon complaint, to 

 be verified by oath, inquire into 

 such Cdj>e ; and if he shall find 

 matter which he shall de?»] gf 



sufficient importance to call for 

 the immediate consideration of the 

 select vestry, he shall have power 

 to require such select vestry to as- 

 semble forthwith, and to take such 

 case into consideration; and if 

 such select vestry shall refuse or 

 neglect so to assemble and to con- 

 sider such case, such magistrate 

 should then have power to make 

 such an order as he would have 

 been empowered to niake, had the 

 case been previously considered 

 and determined upon by the select 

 vestry ; and where the parties 

 shall not be satisfied with the de- 

 cisions of such select vestry, they 

 should have a right to apply to 

 two or more justices of the peace, 

 in petty sessions assembled, who, 

 upon the complaint being verified 

 by oath, shall have power to sum- 

 mon the overseers to inquire into 

 and decide upon the merits of the 

 case, and to make such older as 

 they may think proper, stating the 

 grounds upon which they make 

 their adjudication ; and in all pa- 

 rishes in which the select vestry 

 shall be established, general ves- 

 tries shall in future be held within 

 one week after Easter, and within 

 one week after Michaelmas, in 

 each year, for the pinpose of con- 

 sulting and determining upon pa- 

 rochial matters ; before which ge- 

 neral vestries, shall be laid for con- 

 sideration and approval, the pro- 

 ceedings and accounts of such se- 

 lect vestry, according to the prac- 

 tice of Scotland. It might also 

 be expedient that the accounts of 

 the parish should be kept in a 

 prescribed form. 



In such a body, acquainted as 

 they must be with the situation, 

 character, and habits, of the ap- 

 plicants, might well be vested 



that 



