Kings Peace and EnglisJi Peace-Magistracy. 65 



sessions are allowed to retain only their judicial authority, 

 together with the general execution of certain license laws, 

 and a share in the management of the county police. Nearl}'- 

 all their general civil functions — the control of taxation and 

 finance, the appointment of the treasurer, coroner, and other 

 county officers, the supervision of county buildings and other 

 public property, jurisdiction over weights and measures, the 

 administration of roads and bridges — are transferred to 

 county councils chosen by the people.^ Thus the cycle is 

 complete. The royal commissioners are once more relegated 

 to their original sphere as peace-magistrates ; while the 

 ancient shiremoot is revived, though under a new name and 

 in a new form. Once more the people through their repre- 

 sentatives vote taxes and enact by-laws in their own assembly, 

 which again appears as the meeting-point of the national and 

 local organizations. 



1 The county council gains also the management and visitation of pauper 

 lunatic asylums; the establishment and control of reformatory and industrial 

 schools; the division of the county into polling and coroner's districts; and the 

 power to borrow money, audit the accounts of the treasurer, and fix the table of 

 fees of all county officials, save those of the clerk of the peace and the clerks of 

 justices. The appointment of the clerk of the peace, who is also clerk of the 

 council; and the appointment and control of the chief constable and the county 

 police force, and some other functions, are vested in a "joint committee " of the 

 quarter sessions and county council. For a summary of the powers transferred, 

 see Bazalgette and Humphreys, The Law relating to County Cottncils 5-26, 43, 

 III, etc.; Chambers, A Popular Sttmmary of the Lavj relating to Local Govern- 

 ment, 52 ff.; Hobhouse and Fanshawe, County Councillor' s Guide, 6 ff., 67 ff., etc. 



299 



