Trunk Drainage. 
29 
law, no individual, or combination of individual proprietors, or 
these assisted by a skilful company, had power to put in opera- 
tion any plan embracino^ an entire district against a minority of 
even one dissentient owner. This being, then, a most important 
statute, I shall give an outline of its provisions ; so that hence- 
f jrth no party can plead ignorance of the present state of the 
law as his excuse for delaying the furtherance of Trunk- 
drainage. 
Tlie Act applies to England and Wales ; the Commissioners to 
carry it into execution are the Tnclosure Commissioners for Eng- 
land and Wales, assisted by officers, &c., appointed to assist 
them under the Act of 8 and 9 Vict., cap. 118, the powers of 
which are to extend to this Act. Any persons interested in 
lands capable of being drained or improved, yet unable to exe- 
cute the requisite works by reason of the objection or disability 
of any person whose land would be cut through or interfered 
with, may apply by memorial to the Commissioners, annexing a 
JMap or Plan, Schedules and Estimates, and depositing copies of 
these for open local inspection. Notice of such application and 
deposition is to be given by advertisement in the county news- 
papers, and to be served on all persons, both occupiers and pro- 
prietors, not parties to the application, whose lands are proposed 
to be entered upon ; and Notices of Objections are to be trans- 
mitted in writing to the Commissioners after six weeks from the 
above issuing of notices. Before the Commissioners proceed to 
act or inquire, they may require security for the payment by the 
applicants of the costs of the inquiries. In case of any objections 
being made, the Commissioners are to appoint an Assistant Com- 
missioner to inspect the lands proposed to be drained or im- 
proved and the lands to be meddled with by the works : if they 
think necessary, they are to call one or more public meetings — 
giving 21 days' notice to the objecting parties, and advertisement 
in the newspapers, of all persons likely to be affected by the 
scheme ; such meetings to be held, after the expiration of six 
weeks, in one of the parishes in which the land lies. The 
Assistant Commissioner is to attend, and examine, and hear the 
evidence offered or obtainable on all sides. He is then to report 
his opinion and the evidence taken on the proposal, and if the 
Commissioners consider it can be executed with no further 
damage to the lands interfered with than can be adequately com- 
pensated under the provisions of this Act, they may authorize, by 
an order under their seal, the execution and perpetual mainte- 
nance of the works allowed, or with such alterations as they may 
think fit. And it shall be lawful for the persons so authorized 
to enter upon any lands described in the order of the Commis- 
sioners, and in conformity with the terms of such order, " to 
