Poor Relief - Law Commission

(e) the Governor authorised to convene a court or assembly of the
Corporation every two months, or at any time with two days’ notice;
power to summon inhabitants of the Parishes to appear before the court
(f) the Corporation authorised to make bye laws for the better government of
the Corporation and the better employment of the poor of the Parishes;
authority for the Corporation to buy a hospital, workhouse or house of
correction and to provide whatever is required to set to work the poor of
the Parishes; power to compel the idle poor to take up employment;
Corporation to have jurisdiction over poor children until they reach 16,
whereupon they may be apprenticed for a period not exceeding 8 years
(g) court authorised to punish the misbehaviour of any poor person in
Corporation premises
(h) Corporation authorised to assess the sum required to build and fit out a
hospital or workhouse, such sum (not exceeding £500) to be raised over
a 7 year period; Corporation also authorised to assess the monthly sum
required to maintain the poor in such hospital or workhouse, such sum
not to exceed the sums paid by the Parishes to maintain the poor in the
last 3 years; all such sums to be raised by taxation of every inhabitant in
the Parishes; churchwardens and overseers authorised to collect the tax;
penalty for non-payment; appeals against assessment
(i) procedure for the Corporation collecting the taxes itself in the event of
delay
(j) Corporation authorised to confer the status of Guardian on anyone
making donations to the Corporation
(k) Corporation to be responsible for the care and maintenance of all the
poor of the Parishes except in cases where the poor were already
sufficiently provided for; power to apprehend vagrants or beggars and set
them to work in the workhouse for a period not exceeding one year; this
Act not to affect almshouses, hospitals or other charitable donations
made within the Parishes
(l) Corporation authorised to employ such officers as are necessary for the
running of the Corporation’s premises
(m) accounts of the Corporation to be kept and made available for inspection;
penalty for neglect or refusal to produce accounts
(n) penalties imposed by this Act to be recoverable by seizure of the
offender’s goods
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