INSTRUCTIONAL LETTER

ACCOMPANYING THE CONSOLIDATED GENERAL ORDER.

POOR LAW COMMISSION OFFICE,

SOMERSET HOUSE,

26th July, 1847.

SIR,

I am directed by the Poor Law Commissioners to state, that they have deemed it advisable to consolidate the various Regulations which they have issued in General Rules to the Guardians of the several Unions in England, in relation to the Election, Proceedings and Duties of Guardians, the Apprenticeship of Poor Children, the Regulation and Government of Workhouses, the Administration of Medical Relief, and the Relief to Non-settled Poor, and the Appointment and Duties of Officers.

The Commissioners have carefuly reconsidered these Regulations, and have made such alterations and additions as their experience has induced them to consider necessary or beneficial, but though some few omissions and modifications of former provisions will he found in the present Order, it will be perceived that the Commissioners have not introduced any extensive or material change.

The whole of the provisions relating to those subjects are now incorporated in one Order, and will be thus readily accessible to the parties upon whom they are obligatory, or who may have occasion to refer to them. The Commissioners desire me to state that the present Order does not supersede the General Order lately issued relating to Accounts, or that which prohibits Out-door Relief to able-bodied Poor Persons in those Unions in which the latter Order is in force.

A copy of the Order, now issued, was forwarded by the Commissioners on the Twenty-fourth day of July instant, to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and will not, therefore, according to the provision of the 16th section of the Poor Law Amendment Act, come into operation until the Third day of September next.

The Commissioners transmit herewith a copy of the Order for the Guardians, six additional copies for their use, and a copy for yourself, and have caused copies to be sent to the different Officers to whom the Order relates.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

W. G. LUMLEY, Assistant Secretary,



To the Clerk to the Guardians.

CONSOLIDATED GENERAL ORDER.

To the GUARDIANS OF THE POOR of the several Unions named in the Schedule hereunto annexed;—

To the CHURCHWARDENS and OVERSEERS of the several Parishes and Places comprised within the said Unions;—

To the CLERK or CLERKS to the Justices of the Justices of the Petty Sessions held for the Division or Divisions in which the Parishes and Places comprised within the said Unions are situate;—

And to all others whom it may concern.

WE, THE POOR LAW COMMISSIONERS, in pursuance of the authorities vested in us by an Act passed in the fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled "An Act for the Amendment and better Administration of the Laws relating to the Poor in England and Wales," and by all other Acts amending the same, Do hereby Rescind every Order, whether General or Special, heretofore issued by the Poor Law Commissioners to the Unions named in the Schedule hereunto annexed, which relates to the several subjects herein provided for, except so far as the same may have related to the apprenticeship of any poor person not yet completed, or may have required or authorized the appointment of any officer, or the giving of any security, or the making of any contract not yet executed, or the making of any orders by the Guardians for contributions and payments not yet obeyed, or may have defined the salaries of any officers, or have prescribed the districts within which the duties of any officer shall be performed, or may have provided for the class of paupers or their number to be received into any particular Workhouse, or may have provided for the election of Guardians in any case where such election shall not have been completed when this Order shall come into force, and except the Order regulating the mode of election of Guardians, bearing date the Sixth day of March One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, and addressed to the Guardians of the Poor of the Nottingham Union.

And We do hereby Order, Direct, and Declare, with respect to each of the said Unions, as follows:—

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.

ARTICLE 1.—The Overseers of every Parish in the Union shall, before the Twenty-sixth day of March in every year, distinguish in the rate-book the name of every ratepayer in their parish who has been rated to the relief of the poor for the whole year immediately preceding the said day, and has paid the poor-rates made and assessed upon him for the period of one whole year, except those which have been made or become due within the six months immediately preceding the said day.

ART. 2.—The Clerk shall at every future annual election of Guardians perform the duties hereby imposed upon him, and all other duties suitable to his office which it may be requisite for him to perform: in conducting and completing such election; and in case the office of Clerk shall be vacant at the time when any duty relative to such election is imposed on the Clerk by this Order, or in case the Clerk, from illness or other sufficient cause, shall be unable to: discharge such duties, the Guardians shall appoint some person to perform such of the said duties as then remain to be performed, and the person so appointed shall perform such duties.

ART. 3.—The Guardians shall, before or during every such election, appoint a competent number of persons to assist the Clerk in conducting and completing the election in conformity with this Order; but if the Guardians do not make such appointment within the requisite time, the Clerk shall take such measures for securing the necessary assistance as he may deem advisable.

ART. 4.—The persons appointed under Article 3 shall obey all the directions relative to the conduct of the election which may be given by the Clerk for the execution of this Order.

ART. 5.—The Overseers of every Parish in the Union, and every Officer having the custody of the poor-rate books of any such Parish, shall attend the Clerk at such times as he shall require their attendance, until the completion of the election of Guardians; and shall, if required by him, produce to him such rate books, and the registers of owners and proxies, together with the statements of owners, and appointments and statements of proxies, and all books and papers relating to such rates in their possession or power.

Provided that, where any register of owners shall have, been prepared in any Parish containing a population exceeding two thousand persons, it shall not be necessary to produce the statements of owners.

ART. 6.—The Clerk shall prepare and sign a notice, which may be in the Form marked (A.) hereunto annexed, and which shall contain the following particulars:—

1st. The number of Guardians to be elected for each Parish in the Union.

2d. The qualification of Guardians.

3d. The persons by whom, and the places where, the Nomination Papers in respect of each Parish are to be received, and the last day on which hey are to be sent.

4th. The mode of voting in case of a contest, and the days on which the Voting Papers will be delivered and collected.

5th. The time and place for the examination and casting up of the votes.

And the Clerk shall cause such notice to be published on or before the Fifteenth day of March, in the following manner:—

1st. A printed copy of such notice shall be affixed on the principal external gate or door of every Workhouse in the Union, and shall from time to time be renewed, if necessary, until the Ninth day of April.

2d. Printed copies of such notice shall likewise be affixed on such places in each of the Parishes of the Union as are ordinarily made use of for affixing thereon notices of parochial business.

Provided that whenever the day appointed in this Order for the performance of any act relating to or connected with the Election of Guardians shall be a Sunday or Good Friday, such act shall be performed on the day next following, and each subsequent proceeding shall be postponed one day.

ART. 7.—Any person entitled to vote in any Parish, may nominate for the office of Guardian thereof himself, or any other person or number of persons (not exceeding the number of Guardians to be elected for such Parish), provided that the person or persons so nominated be legally qualified to be elected for that office.

ART. 8.—Every nomination shall be in writing in the Form marked (B.) hereunto annexed, and be signed by one person only, as the party nominating, and shall be sent after the Fourteenth and on or before the Twenty-sixth day of March, to the Clerk or to such person or persons as may have been appointed to receive the same, and the Clerk, or such person or persons, shall on the receipt thereof, mark thereon the date of its receipt, and also a number according to the order of its receipt; provided that no nomination sent before the Fifteenth or after the said twenty sixth day of March shall be valid.

ART. 9.—If the number of the persons nominated for the office of Guardian for any Parish shall be the same as or less than the number of Guardians to be elected for such Parish, such persons, if duly-qualified, shall be deemed to be the elected Guardians for such Parish for the ensuing year, and shall be certified as such by the Clerk under his hand as hereinafter provided in Article 22.

ART. 10.—But if the number of the duly qualified persons nominated for the office of Guardian for any Parish shall exceed the number of Guardians to be elected therein, the Clerk shall cause Voting Papers, in the Form marked (C.) hereunto annexed, to be prepared and filled up, and shall insert therein the names of all the persons nominated, in the order in which the Nomination Papers were received, but it shall not be necessary to insert more than once the name of any person nominated.

ART. 11.—The, clerk shall on the Fifth day of April cause one of such Voting Papers to be delivered by the persons appointed for that purpose, to the address in such Parish of each ratepayer, owner, and proxy qualified to vote therein.

ART. 12.—If the Clerk consider that any person nominated is not duly qualified to be a Guardian, he shall state in the Voting Paper the fact that such person has been nominated, but that he considers such person not to be duly qualified.

ART. 13.—If any person put in nomination for the office of Guardian in any Parish shall tender to the officer conducting the election his refusal, in writing, to serve such office, and if in consequence of such refusal the number of persons nominated for the office of Guardian for such Parish shall be the same as or less than the number of Guardians to be elected for such Parish, all or so many of the remaining Candidates as shall be duly qualified shall be deemed to be the elected Guardians for such Parish for the ensuing year, and shall be certified as such by the Clerk under his hand, as hereinafter provided in Article 22.

ART. 14.—Each Voter shall write his initials in the Voting Paper delivered to him against the name or names of the person or persons (not exceeding the number of Guardians to be elected in the Parish) for whom he intends to vote, and shall sign such Voting Paper; and when any person votes as a proxy, he shall in like manner, write his own initials and sign his own name, and state also, in writing, the name of the person for whom he is proxy.

ART. 15.—Provided that, if any Voter cannot write, he shall affix his mark at the foot of the Voting Paper in the presence of a witness, who shall attest the affixing thereof, and shall write the name of the voter against such mark, as well as the initials of such Voter against the name of every Candidate for whom the voter intends to vote.

ART. 16.—If the initials of the Voter be written against the names of more persons than are to be elected Guardians for the parish, or if the Voter do not sign or affix his mark to the Voting Paper, or if his mark be not duly attested, or his name be not duly written by the witness, or if a proxy do not sign his own name, and state in writing the name of the person for whom he is proxy, such Voter shall be omitted in the calculation of votes.

ART. 17.—The Clerk shall cause the Voting Papers to be collected on the Seventh day of April, by the persons appointed or employed for that purpose; in such manner as he shall direct.

ART. 18.—No Voting Paper shall be received or admitted, unless the same have been delivered at the address in each Parish of the Voter, and collected by the persons appointed or employed for that purpose, except as is provided in Article 19.

ART. 19.—Provided that every person qualified to vote, who shall not on the Fifth day of April have received a Voting Paper, shall, on application before the Eighth day of April to the Clerk at his office, be entitled to receive a Voting Paper, and to fill up the same in the presence of the Clerk, and then and there to deliver the same to him.

ART. 20.—Provided also, that in case any Voting Paper duly delivered shall not have been collected through the default of the Clerk, or the persons appointed or employed for that purpose, the Voter in person, may deliver the same to the Clerk before twelve o'clock at noon, on the Eighth day of April.

ART. 21.—The Clerk shall, on the Ninth day of April, and on as many days immediately succeeding as may be necessary, attend at the Board Room of the Guardians of the Union, and ascertain the validity of the votes, by an examination of the rate-books, and the registers of owners and proxies, and such other documents as he may think necessary, and by examining such persons as he may see fit; and he shall cast up such of the Votes as he shall find to be valid, and to have been duly given, collected, or received, and ascertain the number of such votes for each Candidate.

ART. 22.—The Candidates, to the number of Guardians to be elected for the Parish, who being duly qualified, shall have obtained the greatest number of votes, shall be deemed to be the elected Guardians for the Parish, and shall be certified as such by the Clerk under his hand.

ART. 23.—The Clerk, when he shall have ascertained that any Candidate is duly elected as Guardian, shall notify the fact of his having been so elected, by delivering or sending, or causing to be delivered or sent, to him a notice in the Form (D.) hereunto annexed.

ART. 24.—The Clerk shall make a list containing the names of the Candidates, together with (in case of a contest) the number of votes given for each, and the names of the elected Guardians, in the Form marked (E.) hereunto annexed, and shall sign and certify the same, and shall deliver such list, together with all the Nomination and Voting Papers which he shall have received, to the Guardians of the Union, at their next meeting, who shall preserve the same for a period of not less than two years.

ART. 25.—The Clerk shall cause copies of such list to be printed, and shall deliver or send, or cause to be delivered or sent, one or more of such copies to the Overseers of each Parish.

ART. 26.—The Overseers shall affix, or cause to be affixed, copies of such list, at the usual places for affixing in each Parish notices of parochial business.

ART. 27.—In case of the decease, necessary absence, refusal,, or disqualification to act, during the proceedings of the election, of the Clerk or any other person appointed or employed to act in respect of such election, the delivery of the nominations, voting papers, or other documents to the successor of the Clerk or person so dying, absenting himself, refusing or disqualified to act, shall, notwithstanding the terms of any notice issued, be as valid and effectual as if they had been delivered to such Clerk or person.

MEETINGS OF THE GUARDIANS.

ART. 28.—The Guardians shall upon the day of the week, and at the time of day, and at the place already appointed for holding the ordinary meetings, hold an ordinary meeting once at the least in every week or fortnight for the execution of their duties; and may, when they think fit, change the period, time, and place of such ordinary meeting, with the consent of the Commissioners previously obtained.

ART. 29.—The Guardians shall at the first meeting after the Fifteenth day of April, elect out of the whole number of Guardians a Chairman and a Vice-chairman who, provided they be Guardians at the time, shall continue respectively to act as such Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the year next ensuing.

ART. 30.—The Guardians at any time may elect two Vice-Chairmen, and if such Vice-Chairmen be appointed at the same time, the Guardians shall determine their precedence; according to which precedence one of the said Vice-Chairmen shall thenceforth preside and act as in the case when only one Vice-Chairman is elected.

ART. 31.—If a Chairman or a Vice-Chairman cease to be a Guardian, or refuse or become incapable to act as Chairman, or Vice -Chairman, before the expiration of the term of office, the Guardians shall, within one month after the occurrence of the vacancy, refusal, or incapacity, elect some other Guardian to be Chairman or Vice-Chairman, as the case may be.

ART. 32.—Whereas no act of any meeting of the Guardians will be valid unless three Guardians be present and concur therein; if three Guardians be not present at any meeting, the Clerk shall make an entry of that fact in the Minute-book, and the time for holding such meeting shall be deemed to have expired as soon as the said entry shall have been made. But one hour at least shall be allowed to elapse from the time fixed for the commencement of the meeting before such entry shall be made.

ART. 33.—If three or four or more Guardians be present at any ordinary meeting, such three, or the majority of such four or more Guardians, may adjourn the same to the day of the next ordinary meeting, or to some other day previous to the next ordinary meeting.

ART; 34.—An extraordinary meeting of the Guardians may be summoned to be held at any time, upon the requisition of any two Guardians addressed to the Clerk. Every such requisition shall be made in Writing, in the Form (F.) hereunto annexed, and no business, other than the business specified in the said requisition, shall be transacted at such extraordinary meeting.

ART. 35.—Notice of every change in the period, time, or place of holding any meeting, and notice of the adjournment of any meeting, and notice of every extraordinary meeting, shall be given in writing to every Guardian. Every such notice shall be respectively in the Forms (G.), (H.), and (I.) hereunto annexed, and shall be given or sent by the Clerk to every Guardian, or left at his place of abode two days, if practicable, before the day appointed for the meeting to which it relates.

ART. 36.—If any case of emergency arise requiring that a meeting of the Guardians should immediately take place, they, or any three of them, may meet at the ordinary place of meeting, and take such case into consideration, and may make an order thereon.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE GUARDIANS.

ART. 37.—At every meeting the Chairman, or, in his absence, a Vice-Chairman, shall preside; but if at the commencement of any meeting the Chairman, and Vice-Chairman or Vice-Chairmen be absent, the Guardians present shall elect one of themselves to preside at such meeting as Chairman thereof, until the Chairman or a Vice-Chairman take the chair.

ART. 38.—Every question at any meeting consisting of more than three Guardians shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the Guardians present thereat and voting on the question, and when there shall be an equal number of votes on any question, such question shall be deemed to have been lost.

ART. 39.—No resolution agreed to or adopted by the Guardians shall be rescinded or altered by them, unless some Guardian shall have given to the Board seven days notice of a motion to rescind or alter such resolution, which notice shall be forthwith entered on the Minutes by the Clerk. Provided always, that this regulation shall not extend to any resolution which immediately concerns the allowance of relief to any person, or the punishment of any pauper, or to any resolution which the Commissioners may request the Guardians to reconsider or amend, or to any question of emergency.

ART. 40.—The Guardians may, from time to time, (as occasion may require), appoint a Committee to consider and report on any special subject, and such Committee may meet at such times and places as to them may seem convenient; but no act or decision of any such Committee shall of itself be deemed to be the act of the Guardians.

ART: 41.—At every ordinary meeting of the Guardians, the business shall, as far as may be convenient, be conducted in the following order:

Firstly. The minutes of the last ordinary meeting, and of any other meeting which may have been held since such ordinary meeting, shall be read to the Guardians; and in order that such minutes may be recognised as a record, of the acts of the Guardians at their last meeting, they shall be signed by the Chairman presiding at the meeting at which such minutes are read, and an entry of the same having been so read shall be made in the minutes of the day when read.

Secondly. The Guardians shall dispose of such business as may arise out of the minutes so read, and shall give the necessary directions thereon.

Thirdly. They shall proceed to give the necessary directions respecting all applications for relief made since the last ordinary meeting, and also respecting the amount and nature of relief to be given and continued to the paupers then in the receipt of relief, until the next ordinary meeting, or for such other time as such relief may be deemed to be necessary.

Fourthly. They shall hear and consider any application for relief which may be then made, and determine thereon.

Fifthly. They shall read the report of the state of the Workhouse or Workhouses, examine all books and accounts relative to the relief of the paupers of the Union, and give all needful directions concerning the management and discipline of the said Workhouse or Workhouses, and the providing of furniture and stores and other articles.

Sixthly. They shall examine the Treasurer's account, and shall, when necessary, make orders on the Overseers or other proper authorities of the several Parishes in the Union, for providing such sums as may be lawfully required by the Guardians on account of the respective Parishes.

Seventhly. They shall transact any such business as may not fall within any of the above classes.

ART. 42.—When the Guardians have allowed relief in the Workhouse to any applicant, a written or printed order for his admission therein, signed by the Clerk, shall be forthwith delivered to the applicant, or to any person on his behalf.

ART. 43.—When the Guardians have allowed outdoor relief, in money or kind, to any applicant, the particulars of such relief shall be entered, by the proper Relieving Officer, in a ticket according to Form (K.) hereunto annexed, and such ticket shall be delivered, by him to the applicant, or to some person on his behalf.

CONTRACTS OF THE GUARDIANS.

ART. 44.—All contracts to be entered into on behalf of the Union relating to the maintenance, clothing, lodging, employment, or relief of the poor, or for any other purpose relating to or connected with the general management of the poor, shall be made and entered into by the Guardians.

ART. 45.—The Guardians shall require tenders to be made in some sealed paper for the supply of all provisions, fuel, clothing, furniture, or other goods or materials, the consumption of which maybe estimated, one month with another, to exceed Ten pounds per month, and of all provisions, fuel, clothing, furniture, or other goods or materials, the cost of which may be reasonably estimated to exceed Fifty pounds in a single sum, and shall purchase the same upon contracts to be entered into after the receipt of such tenders.

ART. 46.—Any work or repairs to be executed in the Workhouse, or the premises connected with the .Workhouse, or any fixtures to be put up therein, which may respectively be reasonably estimated to exceed the cost of Fifty pounds in one sum, shall be contracted for by the Guardians, on sealed tenders, in the manner prescribed in Articles 45 and 47.

ART. 47.—Notice of the nature and conditions of the contract to be entered into, of the estimated amount of the articles required, of the last day on which tenders will be received, and the day on which the tenders will be opened, shall be given in some newspaper circulated in the Union, not less than ten days previous to the last day on which such tenders are, to be received; and no tender shall be opened by the Clerk, or any Guardian, or other person, prior to the day specified in such notice, or otherwise than at a, meeting of the said Guardians.

ART. 48.—When any tender is accepted, the party making the tender shall, in pursuance of these regulations, enter into a contract, in writing, with the Guardians, containing the terms, conditions, and stipulations mutually agreed upon, and whenever the Guardians deem it advisable, the party contracting shall find one or more surety or sureties, who shall enter into a bond conditioned for the due performance of the contract, or shall otherwise secure the same.

ART. 49.—Provided always, that if from the peculiar nature of any provisions, fuel, clothing, furniture, goods, materials, or fixtures to be supplied, or of any work or repairs to be executed, it shall appear to the Guardians desirable that a specific person or persons be employed to supply or execute the same, without requiring sealed tenders as hereinbefore directed, it shall be lawful for such Guardians, .with the consent of the Commissioners first obtained, to enter into a contract with the said person or persons and to require such sureties and securities as are specified in Article 48.

ART. 50.—Every contract to be hereafter made by any Guardians shall contain a stipulation requiring the contractor to send in his bill or account of the sum due to him for goods or work on or before some day to be named in the contract.

ART. 51.—The Guardians shall fix some day of days, not being more than twenty-one days after the end of each quarter, for the attendance of contractors and tradesmen, or their authorized agents, and the Clerk shall notify such day to every contractor or tradesman to whom money may be due, or to his agent, or he shall, under the direction of the Guardians, cause the same to be advertised in some newspaper.

APPRENTICESHIP OF PAUPER CHILDREN.

PARTIES.

ART. 52.—No child under the age of nine years, and no child (other than a deaf and dumb child) who cannot read and write his own name, shall be bound apprentice by the Guardians.

ART. 53.—No child shall be so bound to a person who is not a housekeeper, or assessed to the poor-rate in his own name.

Or who is a journeyman, or a person not carrying on trade or business on his own account;

Or who is under the age of twenty-one;

Or who is a married woman.

THE PREMIUM.

ART. 54.—No premium, other than clothing for the apprentice, shall he given upon the binding of any person above the age of sixteen years, unless such person be maimed, deformed, or suffering from some permanent bodily infirmity, such as may render him unfit for certain trades or sorts of work.

ART. 55.—Where any premium is given it shall in part consist of clothes supplied to the apprentice at the commencement of the binding, and in part of money, one moiety whereof shall be paid to the master at the binding, and the residue at the termination of the first year of the binding.

TERM.

ART. 56.—No apprentice shall be bound by the Guardians for more than eight years.

CONSENT.

ART. 57.—No person above fourteen years of age shall be so bound without his consent. And no child under the age of sixteen years shall be so bound without the consent of the father of such child, or if the father be dead, or be disqualified to give such consent, as hereinafter provided, or if such, child be a bastard, without the consent of the mother, if living, of such child.

Provided, that where such parent is transported beyond the seas, or is in custody of the law, having been convicted of some felony, or for the space of six calendar months before the time of executing the indenture has deserted such child, or for such space of time has been in the service of Her Majesty, or of the East India Company, in any place out of the United Kingdom, such parent, if the father, shall be deemed to be disqualified as hereinbefore stated, and if it be the mother, no such consent shall be required.

PLACE OF SERVICE

ART. 58.—No child shall be bound to a master whose place of business, whereat the child is to work and live, is distant more than thirty miles from the place in which the child is residing at the time of the proposed binding, or at the time of his being sent on trial to such master; Unless in any particular case the Commissioners shall, on application to them, otherwise permit.

PRELIMINARIES TO THE BINDING.

ART. 59.—If the child whom it is proposed to bind apprentice, be in the Workhouse, and under, the age of fourteen years, the Guardians shall require a certificate in writing from the Medical Officer of the Workhouse as to the fitness in regard to bodily health and strength of such child to be bound apprentice to the proposed trade, and shall also ascertain from the Master of the Workhouse the capacity of the child for such binding in other respects.

ART. 60.—If the child be not in the Workhouse, but in the Union by the Guardians of which it is proposed that he shall be bound, the Relieving Officer of the district in which the child is residing shall examine into the circumstances of the case, the condition of the child, and of his parents, if any, and the residence of the proposed master, the nature of his trade, the number of other apprentices, if any, then bound to him, and generally as to the fitness of the particular binding, and shall report the result of his inquiry to the Guardians.

ART. 61.—If in any case within Article 60, the Guardians think proper to proceed with the binding they shall, when the child is under the age of fourteen years, direct the Relieving Officer to take the child to the Medical Officer of the district, to b examined as to his fitness in respect of bodily health and strength for the proposed trade or business; an such Medical Officer 35 shall certify in writing according to his judgment in the matter, which certificate shall be produced by the said Relieving Officer to the next meeting of the Guardians.

ART. 62.—If the child be not residing within the Union, the Guardians who propose to bind him shall not proceed to do so unless they receive such a report as is required in Article 60 from the Relieving Officer of the district in which such child is residing, and certificate from some Medical man practising in the neighbourhood of the child's residence to the effect required in Article 61.

ART. 63.—When it is proposed to give a premium other than clothing upon the binding of any person above the age of sixteen years, the Guardians shall require a certificate in writing from some Media practitioner, certifying that the person is maimed deformed, or disabled, to the extent specified in such Article, and shall cause a copy of such certificate to be entered on their minutes before they proceed to execute the indenture.

ART. 64.—When such certificate, as is required by, Articles 59, 61, 62 and 63, is received, or in case from the age of the child no such certificate is required, the Guardians shall direct that the child and the proposed master, or some person on his behalf, and in case the child be under the age of sixteen, that the parent or person in whose custody ouch child shall be then living, attend some meeting of the Board to be then appointed.

ART. 65.—At such meeting, if such parties appear, the; Guardians shall examine into the circumstances of the case; and if, after making all due inquiries, and hearing the objections (if any be made) on the part of the relatives or friends of such child, they deem it proper that the binding be effected, they may forthwith cause the indenture to be prepared, and, if the master be present, to be executed but if he be not present they shall cause the same to be transmitted to him for execution; and when executed by him, and returned to the Guardians,, the same shall be executed by the latter, and shall be signed by the child, as provided in Article 67.

ART. 66.—If the proposed master reside out of the Union, but in some other Union or Parish under a Board of Guardians, whether formed under the provisions of the first-recited Act, or of the Act of the twenty-second year of the reign of King George the Third, intituled "An Act for the better Relief and Employment of the Poor," or of any local Act, the Guardians shall, before proceeding to effect the binding, communicate in writing the proposal to the Guardians of such other Union or Parish, and request to be informed whether such binding is open to any objection, and if no objection be reported by such Guardians within the space of one calendar month, or if the objection does not appear to the Guardians proposing to bind the child to be sufficient to prevent the binding, the same may be proceeded with; and when the indenture shall have been executed, the Clerk to the Guardians who executed the same shall send notice thereof in writing to the Guardians of the Union or Parish wherein the said apprentice is to reside.

INDENTURE.

ART. 67.—The indenture shall be executed in duplicate, by the master and the Guardians, and shall not be valid unless signed by the proposed apprentice with his name, or if deaf and dumb with his mark, in the presence of the said Guardians; and the consent of the parent, where requisite, shall be testified by such parent signing with his name or mark, to be properly attested, at the foot of the said indenture; and where such consent is dispensed with under Article 57, the cause of such dispensation shall be stated at the foot of the indenture by the Clerk.

ART. 68.—The name of the place or places at which the apprentice is to work and live shall be inserted in the indenture.

ART. 69.—One part, of such indenture, when executed, shall be kept by the Guardians; the other shall be delivered to the master.

DUTIES OF THE MASTER OF A PAUPER APPRENTICE.

ART. 70.—And We do hereby prescribe the duties of the master to whom such poor child maybe apprenticed, and the terms and conditions to be inserted In the said indenture to be as follows:

No. 1. The master shall teach the child the trade, business, or employment set forth in the indenture, unless the Guardians authorize the substitution of another trade, business, or employment.

No. 2. He shall maintain the said child with proper food and nourishment.

No. 3. He shall provide a proper lodging for the said child.

No. 4. He shall supply the said child with proper clothing during the term of the binding, together with the necessary provision of linen.

No. 5. He shall, in case the said child be affected with any disease or sickness, or meet with any accident, procure at his own cost, adequate medical or surgical assistance, from some duly qualified medical man, for such child.

No. 6. He shall, once at least on every Sunday, cause the child to attend some place of Divine worship, if there be any such within a reasonable distance, according to the religious persuasion in which the child has been brought up, so, however, that no child shall be required by the master to attend any place of worship to which his parents or surviving parent may object, nor when he shall be above the age of sixteen, any place to which he may himself object.

No. 7. Where such parents or parent or next of kin desire it, he shall allow the said child to attend any Sunday or other school which shall be situated within the same parish, or within two miles distance from his residence, on every Sunday, and, if there be no such school which such child can attend, he shall, at some reasonable hour on every Sunday, allow any minister of the religious persuasion of the child to have access to such child for the purpose of imparting religious instruction.

No. 8. Where the apprentice continues bound after the age of seventeen years the master shall, in every case where the Guardians require him so to do, pay to such apprentice, for and in respect of every week that he duly and properly serves the said master, as a remuneration, a sum to be inserted in the indenture, or to be agreed upon by the Guardians and the said master when that time arrives, or, if they cannot agree, to be settled by some person to be then chosen by the said master and such Guardians, and, until such sum be agreed upon or settled, not less than one fourth of the amount then commonly paid as wages to journeymen in the said trade, business, or employment.

No. 9. The master shall, himself or by his agent, produce the apprentice to the Guardians by whom such apprentice was bound at their ordinary meeting next preceding the end of the first year of the binding, and before the receipt of the remainder of the premium, if any be due, and, shall in like manner produce the said apprentice at some one of their ordinary meetings, to be held at or about the middle of the term, and whenever afterwards, required to do so by the, said Guardians: provided, that if the apprentice reside out of the Union by the Guardians whereof he was bound, the apprentice shall be produced, as hereinbefore directed, to the Guardians of the Union or Parish, as described in Article 66, in which the apprentice may be residing.

No. 10. The master shall not cause the said apprentice to work or live more than ten miles from the place or places mentioned in the indenture according to Article 68, without the leave of the Guardians so binding him, to be given under their common seal: provided, that such Guardians may in such licence so to be given under their common seal, by express words to that effect, if they think fit, authorize the master, any time during the residue of the term of the apprenticeship, to change the place of the abode or service of the, apprentice, without any further application to them or their successors.

ART. 71.—These duties of the master set forth in Article 70 shall be enforced by covenants and conditions to be inserted in the indenture to be execute by him.

ART. 72.—The master shall also covenant, under penalty to be specified in the covenant, not to assign or cancel the indenture, without the consent of the Guardians, under their common seal, previously obtained, and to pay to the said Guardians all costs and expences that they may incur in consequence of the said apprentice not being supplied with medical or surgical assistance by the master, in case the same shall be at any time requisite.

ART. 73.—The indenture shall be made subject to the following provisoes:

No. 1. That if the master take the benefit of any Act for the relief of insolvent debtors or be discharged under any such Act, such indenture shall forthwith become of no further force or effect.

No. 2. That if, on a conviction for a breach of any one of the aforesaid covenants and conditions before a Justice of the Peace, the Guardians who may be parties to the said indenture declare by a resolution that, the indenture is determined, and transmit a copy of such resolution, under the hand of their Clerk, by the post or otherwise, to the said master, such indenture shall, except in respect of all rights and liabilities then accrued, forthwith become of no further force or effect.

ART. 74.—Nothing contained in this Order shall apply to the apprenticing of poor children to the sea service.

MODE OF OBTAINING MEDICAL RELIEF BY PERMANENT PAUPERS.

ART. 75.—The Guardians shall, once at least in every year, cause to be prepared by the Clerk or Relieving Officers a list of all such aged and infirm persons, and persons permanently sick or disabled, as may be actually receiving relief from such Guardians, and residing within the district of each Medical Officer of the Union, and shall from time to time furnish to each District Medical Officer a copy of the list aforesaid.

ART. 76.—Every person whose name is inserted in such list, shall receive a ticket in the Form (L.) hereunto annexed, and shall be entitled on the exhibition of such ticket to the Medical Officer of his district to obtain such advice, attendance, and medicines, as his case may require, in the same manner as if he had received an order from the Guardians and such ticket shall remain in force for the time specified therein, unless such person shall cease to be in the receipt of relief before the expiration of such time.

RELIEF OF NON-SETTLED AND NON-RESIDENT POOR.

ART. 77.—If any Board of Guardians undertake to administer relief allowed to a non-settled pauper living within the Union for which they act, on behalf of the Officers, or of the Board of Guardians, of the Parish or Union in which such pauper is deemed to be settled, every such undertaking shall be made in conformity with the rules and regulations of the Commissioners in force at the time.

ART. 78.—No money shall be transmitted to any Guardians or to any Officer of a Parish or Union, to be applied to the relief of any non-resident pauper, except in conformity with the provisions of this Order.

ART. 79.—No money shall be paid on account of any non-resident pauper to the Guardians or to the Officer, of any Union or Parish in which the relief is administered by a Board of Guardians, except in one of the three following ways:

No. 1. By Post-office order payable to the Treasurer of the Union or Parish to the account of which the money is to be paid, or to the banker of such Treasurer.

No. 2. By cheque or order payable to the Treasurer of such Parish or Union, or to his order.

No. 3. By cheque payable to bearer (where the same may lawfully be drawn), and crossed as payable through the Treasurer of such Parish or Union, or his banker, or through the agent of such Treasurer or banker; and every such cheque shall be so crossed by the Clerk before it is signed by the presiding Chairman.

ART. 80.—Every account for relief duly administered to non-resident poor shall be discharged by the Guardians, within two calendar months from the receipt of such account, by the transmission of the amount due; in one of the modes prescribed in Article 79.

ORDERS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS AND PAYMENTS.

ART. 81.—The Clerk shall, four weeks at least before the Twenty-fifth day of March and the Twenty-ninth day of September respectively in each year, refer to and ascertain the cost to each Parish in the Union for the maintenance of the poor, and other separate, charges, as well as for the common charges incurred in the half of the last year, corresponding to the half-year next coming, and shall estimate and, as near as may be, divide amongst the Parishes any extraordinary charges to which the Union may be liable in the coming half-year, and he shall also estimate the probable balance due to or from the Parish at the end of the current half-year, and shall then prepare the orders on the several Parishes for the sums which, upon such computation, it shall appear necessary for them to contribute to the expenses of the Union for the coming half-year; and the orders so prepared shall be laid before the Guardians for their consideration three weeks at least before the expiration of the current half-year.

ART. 82.—The Guardians shall make orders on the Overseers or other proper authorities of every Parish of the Union, from time to time, for the payment to the Guardians of all such sums as may be required by them for the relief of the Poor of the Parish, and for the contribution of the Parish to the common fund of the Union, and for any other expenses chargeable by the Guardians on the Parish; and in such orders the contributions shall be directed to be paid in one sum or by instalments, on days specified, as to the Guardians may seem fit.

ART. 83.—Every such order shall be made according to the Form (M.) hereunto annexed. It shall be signed by the presiding Chairman of the meeting and two other Guardians present thereat, and shall be countersigned by the Clerk.

ART. 84.—The Guardians shall pay every sum greater than Five pounds by an order, which shall be drawn upon the Treasurer of the Union, and shall be signed by the presiding Chairman and two other Guardians at a meeting, and shall be countersigned by the Clerk.

ART. 85.—The Guardians shall examine at their Board, or shall cause to be examined by some Committee or Guardian authorized by them for the purpose, every bill exceeding in amount One pound (except the salaries of officers) brought against the Union; and when any such bill has been allowed by the Board, or, by such Committee or Guardian, a note of the allowance thereof shall be made on the face of the bill before the amount is paid.

CUSTODY OF BONDS.

ART. 86.—The Guardians shall provide for the safe custody of all bonds given in pursuance of the Regulations of the Commissioners, so always that no bond given by any person shall remain in the custody of such person himself.

ART. 87.—The Guardians shall, at the audit next after the Twenty-firth day of March in every year cause every person having the, custody of bonds given by any officer of the Union to produce such bonds to the Auditor for his inspection.

GOVERNMENT OF THE WORKHOUSE.

ADMISSION OF PAUPERS.

ART. 88.—Every pauper who shall be admitted into the Workhouse, either upon his first or any subsequent admission, shall be admitted in some one of the following modes only; that is to say—

By a written or printed order of the Board of Guardians, signed by their Clerk according to Art. 42.

By a provisional written or printed order, signed by a Relieving Officer or an Overseer.

By the Master of the Workhouse (or during his absence, or inability to act, by the Matron), without any order, in any case of sudden or urgent necessity.

Provided that the Master may admit any pauper delivered at the Workhouse under an order of removal to a Parish in the Union.

ART. 89.—No pauper shall be admitted under any written or printed order as mentioned in Article 48, if the same bear date more than six days before the pauper presents it at the Workhouse.

ART. 90.—If a pauper be admitted otherwise than by an Order of the Board of Guardians, the admission of such pauper shall be brought before the, Board of Guardians at their next ordinary meeting, who , shall decide on the propriety of the pauper's continuing in the Workhouse or otherwise, and make an order accordingly.

ART. 91.—As soon as the pauper is admitted, he shall be placed in some room to be appropriated to the reception of paupers on admission, and shall then be examined by the Medical Officer.

ART. 92.—If the Medical Officer upon such examination pronounce the pauper to be labouring under any disease of body or mind, the pauper shall be placed in the sick ward, or in such other ward as the Medical Officer shall direct.

ART. 93.—If the Medical Officer pronounce the pauper to be free from any such disease, the pauper shall be placed in the part of the Workhouse, assigned to the class to which he may belong.

ART. 94.—No pauper shall be detained in a receiving ward for a longer time than is necessary for carrying into effect the regulations in Arts. 91, 92, and 93, if there be room in the proper ward for his reception.

ART. 95.—Before being removed from the receiving ward, the pauper shall be thoroughly cleansed, and shall be clothed in a workhouse dress, and the clothes which he wore at the time of his admission shall be purified, and deposited in a place appropriated for that purpose, with the pauper's name affixed thereto. Such clothes shall be restored to the pauper when he leaves the Workhouse.

ART. 96.—Every pauper shall, upon his admission into the Workhouse, be searched by or under the inspection of the proper officer, and all articles prohibited by any Act of Parliament, or by this Order, which may be found upon his person, shall be, taken from him, and, so far as may be proper, restored to him at his departure from the Workhouse.

ART. 97.—Provided always, that the regulations respecting the admission, clothing, and searching of paupers shall not apply to any casual poor wayfarer, unless the Guardians shall so direct, or unless he is compelled to remain in the Workhouse from illness or other sufficient cause, in which case he shall be admitted regularly as an inmate.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE PAUPERS.

ART. 98.—The paupers, so far as the Workhouse admits thereof, shall be classed as follows:

Class 1. Men infirm through age or any other cause.

Class 2. Able-bodied men, and youths above the age of fifteen years.

Class 3. Boys above the age of seven years and under that of fifteen.

Class 4. Women infirm through age or any other cause.

Class 5. Able-bodied women, and girls above the age of fifteen years.

Class 6. Girls above the age of seven years and under that of fifteen.

Class 7. Children under seven years of age.

To each class shall be assigned that ward or separate building and yard which may be best fitted for the reception of such class, and each class of paupers shall remain therein, without communication with those of any other class.

ART. 99.—Provided,—

Firstly. That the Guardians shall from time to time, after consulting the Medical Officer, make such arrangements as they may deem necessary with regard to persons labouring under any disease of body or mind.

Secondly. The Guardians shall, so far as circumstances will permit, further subdivide any of the classes enumerated in Art. 98 with reference to the moral character, or behaviour, or the previous habits of the inmates, or to such other grounds as may seem expedient.

Thirdly. That nothing in this Order shall compel the Guardians to separate any married couple, being both paupers of the first and fourth classes respectively, provided the Guardians shall set apart for the exclusive use of every such couple a sleeping apartment separate from that of the other paupers.

Fourthly. That any paupers of the fifth and sixth classes may be employed constantly or occasionally in any of the female sick-wards, or in the care of infants, or as assistants in the household work; and the Master and Matron shall make such arrangements as may enable the paupers of the fifth and sixth classes to be employed in the household work, without communication with the paupers of the second and third classes.

Fifthly. That any pauper of the fourth class, whom the Master may deem fit to perform any of the duties of a nurse or assistant to the Matron, may be so employed in the sick-wards, or those of the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh classes, and any pauper of the first class, who may by the Master be deemed fit, may be placed in the ward of the third class, to aid in the management and superintend the behaviour of the paupers of such, or may be employed in the male sick-ward.

Sixthly. That the Guardians, for a special reason to be entered on their minutes, may place any boy or girl between the ages of ten and sixteen years in a male or female ward respectively, different from that to which he or she properly belongs, unless the Commissioners shall otherwise direct.

Seventhly. That the paupers of the seventh class may be placed in such of the wards appropriated to the female paupers as shall be deemed expedient, and the mothers of such paupers shall be permitted to have access to them at all reasonable times.

Eighthly. That the Master (subject to any directions given or regulations made by the Guardians) shall allow the father or mother of any child in the same workhouse, who may be desirous of seeing such child, to have an interview with such child at some one time in each day, in a room in the said Workhouse to be appointed for that purpose. And the Guardians shall make arrangements for permitting the members of the same family who may be in different Workhouses of the Union to have occasional interviews with each other, at such times, and in such manner, as may best suit the discipline of the several Workhouses.

Ninthly. That casual poor wayfarers admitted by the Master or Matron, shall be kept in a separate ward of the Workhouse, and shall be dieted and set to work in such manner and under such regulations as the Guardians by any resolution now in force, or to be made hereafter, may direct.

ART. 100.—The Guardians shall not admit into the Workhouse or any ward of the same, or retain therein, a larger number or a different class of paupers than that heretofore or hereafter from time to time to be fixed by the Commissioners; and in case such number shall at any time be exceeded, the fact of such excess shall be forthwith reported to the Commissioners by the Clerk.

ART. 101.—No pauper of unsound mind, who may be dangerous, or who may have been reported as such by the Medical Officer, or who may require habitual or frequent restraint, shall be detained in the Workhouse for any period exceeding Fourteen days, and the Guardians shall cause the proper steps to be taken for the removal of every such pauper to some asylum or licensed house as soon as may be practicable.

DISCIPLINE AND DIET OF THE PAUPERS.

ART. 102.—All the paupers in the Workhouse, except the sick and insane, and the paupers of the first, fourth, and seventh classes, shall rise, be set to work, leave off work, and go to bed, at the times mentioned in the Form (N.) hereunto annexed, and shall be allowed such intervals for their meals as are therein stated, and these several times shall be notified by the ringing of a bell : provided always, that the Guardians may, with the consent of the Commissioners, make such alterations in any of the said times or intervals, as the Guardians may think fit.

ART. 103.—Half an hour after the bell shall have been rung for rising, the names of the paupers shall be called over by the Master and Matron respectively, in the several wards provided for the second, third, fifth, and sixth classes, when every pauper belonging to the respective wards shall be present, and shall answer to his name, and be inspected by the Master and Matron respectively, provided that the paupers of the third and sixth class may be called over and inspected by the Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress.

ART. 104.—The meals shall be taken by all the paupers, except the sick, the children, persons of unsound mind, casual poor wayfarers, women suckling their children, and the paupers of the first and fourth classes, in the dining-hall or day-room, and in no other place whatever, and during the time of meals order and decorum shall be maintained.

ART. 105.—No pauper of the second, third, fifth, or sixth classes, shall go to or remain in his sleeping-room, either in the time hereby appointed for work, or in the intervals allowed for meals, except by permission of the Master or Matron.

ART. 106.—The Master and Matron shall (subject to the directions of the Guardians) fix the hours of rising or going to bed, for the paupers of the first, fourth, and seventh classes, and determine the occupation and employment of which they may be capable ; and the meals for such paupers shall be provided at such times and in such manner as the Guardians may from time to time direct.

ART. 107.—The paupers shall be dieted with the food and in the manner set forth in the Dietary Table, which may be prescribed for the use of the Workhouse, and no pauper shall have or consume any liquor, or any food or provision other than is allowed in the said Dietary Table, except on Christmas-day, or by the direction in writing of the Medical Officer, as provided in Article 108.

ART. 108.—Provided,—

Firstly. That the Medical Officer may direct in writing such diet for any individual pauper as he may deem necessary, and the Master shall obey such direction, until the next ordinary meeting of the Guardians, when he shall report the same in writing to the Guardians.

Secondly. That if the Medical Officer at any time certify that he deems a temporary change in the diet essential to the health of the paupers in the Workhouse, or of any class or classes thereof, the Guardians shall cause a copy of such certificate to be entered on the minutes of their procedings, and may forthwith order, by a resolution, the said diet to be temporarily changed, according to the recommendation of the Medical Officer, and shall forthwith transmit a copy of such certificate and resolution to the Commissioners.

Thirdly. That the Medical Officer shall be consulted by the Matron as to the nature of the food of the infants, and of their mothers when suckling, and the time at which, such infants should be weaned.

Fourthly. That the Guardians may, without any direction of the Medical Officer, make such allowance of food as may be necessary to paupers employed as nurses or in the household work; but they shall not allow to such paupers any fermented or spirituous liquors on account of the performance of such work, unless in pursuance of a written recommendation of the Medical Officer.

ART. 109.—If any pauper require the Master or Matron to weigh the allowance of provisions served out at any meal, the Master or Matron shall forthwith weigh such allowance in the presence of the pauper complaining and of two other persons.

ART. 110.—The clothing to be worn by the paupers in the Workhouse shall be made of such materials as the Board of Guardians may determine.

ART. 111.—More than two paupers, any one of whom is above the age of seven years, shall not be allowed to occupy the same bed, unless in the case of a mother and infant children.

ART. 112.—The paupers of the several classes shall be kept employed according to their capacity and ability ; and no pauper shall receive any compensation for his labour.

ART. 113.—No pauper in the Workhouse shall be employed or set to work in pounding, grinding, or otherwise breaking bones, or in preparing bone dust.

ART. 114.—The boys and girls who are inmates of the Workhouse shall, for three of the working hours, at least, every day, be instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, and the principles of the Christian religion, and such other instruction shall be imparted to them as may fit them for service, and train them to habits of usefulness, industry, and virtue.

ART. 115.—Any pauper may quit the Workhouse upon giving to the Master, or (during his absence or inability to act) to the Matron, a reasonable notice of his wish to do so; and in the event of any able-bodied pauper, having a family, so quitting the house, the whole of such family shall be sent with him, unless the Guardians shall, for any special reason, otherwise direct; and such directions shall be, in conformity with the Regulations of the Commissioners with respect to relief in force at the time.

ART. 116.—Provided nevertheless, that the Guardians may, by any general or special direction, authorize the Master to allow a pauper, without giving any such notice as is required in Art. 115, to quit the Workhouse, and to return after a temporary absence only ; and every such allowance shall be reported by the Master to the Guardians at their next ordinary meeting.

ART. 117.—Provided also, that nothing herein contained shall prevent the Master from allowing the Paupers of each sex under the age of fifteen, subject to such restrictions as the Guardians may impose, to quit the Workhouse, under the care and guidance of himself, or the Matron, a Schoolmaster, Schoolmistress, Porter, or some one of the assistants and servants of the Workhouse, for the purpose of exercise.

ART. 118.—Any person may visit any pauper in the Workhouse by permission of the Master, or (in his absence) of the Matron, subject to such conditions and restrictions as the Guardians may prescribe; such interview shall take place in a room separate from the other inmates of the Workhouse, and in the presence of the Master, Matron, or Porter, except where a sick pauper is visited.

ART. 119.—No written or printed paper of an improper tendency, or which may be likely to produce insubordination, shall be allowed to circulate, or be read aloud, among the inmates of the Workhouse.

ART. 120.—No pauper shall play at cards, or at any game of chance, in the Workhouse ; and the Master may take from any pauper, and keep until his departure from the Workhouse, any cards, dice, or other articles applicable to games of chance, which may be in his possession.

ART. 121.—No pauper shall smoke in any room of the Workhouse, except by the special direction of the Medical Officer, or shall have any matches or other articles of a highly combustible nature in his possession, and the Master may take from any person any articles of such a nature.

ART. 122.—Any licensed minister of the religious persuasion of an inmate of the Workhouse, who may at any time in the day, on the request of any inmate, enter the Workhouse for the purpose of affording religious assistance to him, or for the purpose of instructing his child or children in the principles of his religion, shall give such assistance or instruction, so as not to interfere with the good order and discipline of the other inmates of the Workhouse.

And, such religious assistance or instruction shall be strictly confined to inmates who are of the religious persuasion of such minister, and to the children of such inmates.

Except in the cases in which the Guardians may lawfully permit religious assistance and instruction to be given to any paupers who are Protestant dissenters, by licensed ministers who are Protestant dissenters.

ART. 123.—No work, except the necessary household work and cooking, shall be performed by the paupers on Sunday, Good Friday, and Christmas-day.

ART. 124.—Prayers shall be read before breakfast and after supper every day, and Divine service shall be performed every Sunday, Good Friday, and Christmas-day in the Workhouse (unless the Guardians, with the consent of the Commissioners, otherwise direct), and at such Prayers and Divine service all the paupers shall attend, except the sick, persons of unsound mind, the young children, and such as are too infirm to do so ; provided that those paupers who may object so to attend, on account of their professing religious principles differing from those of the Established Church, shall also be exempt from such attendance.

ART. 125.—The Guardians may authorize any inmates of the Workhouse, being members of the Established Church, to attend public worship at a parish church or chapel, on every Sunday, Good Friday, and Christmas-day, under the control and inspection of the Master or Porter, or other officer.

ART. 126.—The Guardians may also authorize any inmates of the Workhouse, being dissenters from the Established Church, to attend public worship at any dissenting-chapel in the neighbourhood of the Workhouse, on every Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas-day.

PUNISHMENTS FOR MISBEHAVIOUR OF THE PAUPERS

ART. 127.—Any pauper, being an inmate of the Workhouse,

Who shall neglect to observe such of the regulations in this Order as are applicable to him as such inmate ;

Or who shall make any noise when silence is ordered to be kept;

Or who shall use obscene or profane language;

Or shall by word or deed insult or revile any person;

Or shall threaten to strike or to assault any person;

Or shall not duly cleanse his person;

Or shall refuse or neglect to work, after having been required to do so;

Or shall pretend sickness;

Or shall play at cards or other game of chance;

Or shall refuse to go into his proper ward or yard, or shall enter or attempt to enter, without permission, the ward or yard appropriated to any class of paupers other than that to which he belongs;

Or shall climb over any fence or boundary wall surrounding any portion of the Workhouse premises, or shall attempt to leave the Workhouse otherwise than through the ordinary entrance;

Or shall misbehave in going to, at, or returning from public worship out of the Workhouse,, or at Divine service or Prayers in the Workhouse;

Or having received temporary leave of absence, and wearing the Workhouse clothes, shall return to the Workhouse after the appointed time of absence, without reasonable cause for the delay ;

Or shall wilfully disobey any lawful order of any officer of the Workhouse;

Shall be deemed DISORDERLY.

ART. 128.—Any pauper being an inmate of the Workhouse, who shall, within seven days, repeat any one, or commit more than one, of the offences specified in Art. 127;

Or who shall by word or deed insult or revile the Master or Matron, or any other officer of the Workhouse, or any of the Guardians;

Or shall wilfully disobey any lawful order of the Master or Matron after such order shall have been repeated;

Or shall unlawfully strike or otherwise unlawfully assault any person;

Or shall wilfully or mischievously damage or soil any property whatsoever belonging to the Guardians;

Or shall wilfully waste or spoil any provisions,, stock, tools, or materials for work, belonging to the Guardians;

Or shall be drunk;

Or shall act or write indecently or obscenely;

Or shall wilfully disturb other persons at public worship out of the Workhouse, or at Divine service or Prayers in the Workhouse;

Shall be deemed REFRACTORY.

ART. 129.—The Master may, with or without the direction of the Guardians, punish any disorderly pauper by substituting, during a time not greater than forty-eight hours, for his dinner, as prescribed by the Dietary, a meal consisting of eight ounces of bread, or one pound of cooked potatoes or, boiled rice, and also by withholding from him, during the same period, all butter, cheese, tea, sugar, or broth, which such pauper would otherwise receive, at any meal during the time aforesaid.

ART. 130.—The Guardians may, by a special direction to be entered on their minutes, order any refractory pauper to be punished by confinement in a separate room, with or without an alteration of diet, similar in kind and duration to that prescribed in Article 129 for disorderly paupers; but no pauper shall be so confined for a longer period than twenty-four hours, or, if it be deemed right that such pauper should be carried before a Justice of the Peace, and if such period of twenty-four hours should be insufficient for that purpose, then for such further time as may be necessary for such purpose.

ART. 131.—If any offence, whereby a pauper becomes refractory under Art. 128, be accompanied by any of the following circumstances of aggravation; (that is to say), if such pauper

Persist in using violence against any person;

Or persist in creating a noise or disturbance, so as to annoy other inmates;

Or endeavour to excite other paupers to acts of insubordination;

Or persist in acting indecently or obscenely in the presence of any other inmate;

Or persist in mischievously breaking or damaging any goods or property of the Guardians; the Master may, without any direction of the Guardians, immediately place such refractory pauper in confinement for any time not exceeding twelve hours; which confinement shall, however, be reckoned as part of any punishment afterwards imposed by the Guardians for the same offence.

ART. 132.—Every refractory pauper shall be deemed to be also disorderly, and may be punished as such; but no pauper who may have been punished for any offence as disorderly shall afterwards be punished for the same offence as refractory, and no pauper who may have been punished for any offence as refractory shall afterwards be punished for the same offence as disorderly.

ART. 133.—No pauper shall be punished by confinement or alteration in diet for any offence not committed in the Workhouse since his last admission, except in such cases as are expressly specified in Articles 127 and 128.

ART. 134.—No pauper who may have been under medical care, or who may have been entered in the medical weekly return as sick or infirm, at any time in, the course of the seven days next preceding the punishment, or who may be reasonably supposed to be under twelve or above sixty years of age, or who may be pronounced by the Medical Officer to be pregnant, or who may be suckling a child, shall be punished by alteration of diet, or by confinement, unless the Medical Officer shall have previously certified, in writing that no injury to the health of such pauper is reasonably to be apprehended from the proposed punishment; and any modification diminishing such punishment, which the Medical Officer may suggest, shall be adopted by the Master.

ART. 135.—No pauper shall be confined between eight o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning, without being furnished with a bed and bedding suitable to the season, and with the other proper conveniences.

ART. 136.—No child under twelve years of age shall be punished by confinement in a dark room or during the night.

ART. 137.—No corporal punishment shall be inflicted on any male child, except by the Schoolmaster or Master.

ART. 138.—No corporal punishment shall be inflicted on any female child.

ART. 139.—No corporal punishment shall be inflicted on any male child, except with a rod or other instrument, such as may have been approved of by the Guardians or the Visiting Committee.

ART. 140.—No corporal punishment shall be inflicted on any male child until two hours shall have elapsed from the commission of the offence for which such punishment is inflicted.

ART 141.—Whenever any male child is punished by corporal correction, the Master and Schoolmaster shall (if possible) be both present.

ART. 142.—No male child shall be punished by flogging whose age may be reasonably supposed to exceed fourteen years.

ART. 143.—The Master shall keep a book to be furnished him by the Guardians, in the Form (0.) hereunto annexed, in which he shall duly enter.

Firstly. All cases of refractory or disorderly paupers, whether children or adults, reported to the Guardians for their decision thereon.

Secondly. All cases of paupers, whether children or adults, who may have been punished without the direction of the Guardians, with the particulars of their respective offences and punishments.

ART. 144.—The person who punishes any child with corporal correction shall forthwith report to the Master the particulars of the offence and punishment; and the Master shall enter the same in the book specified in Article 143.

ART. 145.—Such book shall be laid on the table at every ordinary meeting of the Guardians; and every entry made in such book since the last ordinary meeting shall be read to the Board by the Clerk.

The Guardians shall thereupon, in the first place, give direction as to the confinement or other punishment of any refractory or disorderly pauper reported for their decision, and such direction shall he entered on the minutes of the proceedings of the day, and a copy thereof shall be inserted by the Clerk in the book specified in Article 143.

The Guardians, in the second place, shall take into their consideration the cases in which punishments are reported to have been already inflicted by the Master or other officer, and shall require the Master to bring before them any pauper so punished, who may have signified a wish to see the Guardians. If the Guardians in, any case are of opinion that the officer has acted illegally or improperly, such opinion shall be entered on the minutes, and shall be communicated to the Master, and a copy of the minute of such opinion shall be forwarded to the Commissioners by the Clerk.

ART. 146.—If any pauper above the age of fourteen years unlawfully introduce or attempt to introduce any spirituous or fermented liquor into the Workhouse, or abscond from the Workhouse with clothes belonging to, the Guardians, the Master may cause such pauper to be forthwith taken before a Justice of the Peace, to be dealt with according to law. And whether he do so or not, he shall report every such case to the Guardians at their next ordinary meeting.

ART. 147.—The Master shall cause a legible copy of Arts. 127, 128, 129, 130 and 131, to be kept suspended in the dining-hall of the Workhouse, or in the room in which the inmates usually eat their meals, and also in the Board-room of the Guardians.

VISITING COMMITTEE.

ART. 148.—The Guardians shall appoint one or more Visiting Committees from their own body; and each of such committees shall carefully examine the Workhouse or, Workhouses of the Union, once in every week at the least, inspect the last reports of the Chaplain and Medical Officer, examine the stores, afford, so far as is practicable, to the inmates an opportunity of making any complaints, and investigate any complaints that may be made to them.

ART. 149.—The Visiting Committee shall from time to time write such answers as the facts may warrant to the following queries, which are to be printed in a book, entitled the VISITORS BOOK, to be provided by the Guardians, and kept in every Workhouse for that purpose, and to be submitted regularly to the Guardians at their ordinary meetings:—

Q. 1. Is the Workhouse, with its wards, offices, yards, and appurtenances, clean and well, ventilated in every part?—and is the bedding in proper order?—if not, state the defect or omission.

Q. 2. Do the inmates of the Workhouse, of all classes, appear clean in their persons, and decent and orderly in their behaviour; and is their clothing regularly changed?

Q. 3. Are the inmates of each sex employed and kept at work as directed by the Guardians, and is such work unobjectionable in its nature?—if any improvement can be suggested in their employment, state the same.

Q. 4.—Are the infirm of each sex properly attended to, according to their several conditions?

Q. 5.—Are the boys and girls in the school properly instructed as required by the regulations of the Commissioners, and is their industrial training properly attended to?

Q. 6.—Are the young children properly nursed and taken care of, and do they appear in a clean and healthy state?—Is there any child not vaccinated?

Q.. 7. Is regular attendance given by the Medical Officer?—are the inmates of the Sick wards properly tended?—Are the nurses efficient?—Is there any infectious disease in the Workhouse?

Q. 8. Is there any dangerous lunatic or idiot in the Workhouse?

Q. 9. Is Divine service regularly performed?—are Prayers regularly read?

Q. 10. Is the established dietary duly observed?= and are the prescribed hours of meals regularly adhered to?

Q. 11. Are the provisions and other supplies of the qualities contracted for ?

Q. 12. Is the classification properly observed according to Articles 98 and 99 ?

Q, 13. Is any complaint made by any pauper against any officer, or in respect of the provisions or accommodations?—if so, state the name of the complainant, and the subject of the complaint.

Q, 14. Does the present number of inmates in the Workhouse exceed that fixed by the Poor Law Commissioners?

REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS OF THE WORKHOUSE.

ART. 150.—The Guardians shall once at least in every year, and as often as may be necessary for cleanliness, cause all the rooms, wards, offices, and privies belonging to the Workhouse to be limewashed.

ART. 151.—The Guardians shall cause the Workhouse and all its furniture and appurtenances to be kept in good and substantial repair; and shall, from time to time, remedy without delay any such defect in the repair of the house, its drainage, warmth, or ventilation, or in the furniture or fixtures thereof, as may tend to injure the health of the inmates.

GOVERNMENT OF THE WORKHOUSE BY THE GUARDIANS.

ART. 152.—We do declare, that, subject to the rules and regulations herein contained, the guidance; government, and control of every Workhouse, and of the officers, servants, assistants, and paupers, within such Workhouse, shall be exercised by the Guardians of the Union.

APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS.

ART. 153.—The Guardians shall, whenever it may be requisite, or whenever a vacancy may occur, appoint fit persons to hold the undermentioned offices, and to perform the duties respectively assigned to them; namely,

1. Clerk to the Guardians.

2. Treasurer of the Union.

3. Chaplain.

4. Medical Officer for the Workhouse.

5. District Medical Officer.

6. Master of the Workhouse.

7. Matron of the Workhouse.

8. Schoolmaster.

9. Schoolmistress.

10. Porter.

11. Nurse.

12. Relieving Officer.

13. Superintendent of Out-door Labour.

And also such assistants as, the Guardians, with the consent of the Commissioners, may deem necessary for the efficient performance of the duties of any of the said offices.

ART. 154.—The officers so appointed to or holding any of the said offices, as well as all persons temporarily discharging the duties of such offices, shall respectively perform such duties as may be required of them by the Rules and Regulations of the Commissioners in force at, the time, together with all such other duties, conformable with the nature of their respective offices, as the Guardians may lawfully require them to perform. Provided always, that every regulation applying to any officer holding his office under this Order shall apply to any officer of the like denomination appointed by the Guardians, although such officer may have been appointed before this Order shall have come into force.

MODE OF APPOINTMENT.

ART. 155.—Every officer and assistant, to be appointed under this Order, shall be appointed by a majority of the Guardians present at a meeting of the Board, consisting of more than three Guardians, or by three Guardians if no more be present. Every such appointment shall, as soon as the same has been made, be reported to the Commissioners by the Clerk.

ART. 156.—No appointment to any of the offices specified in Article 153, shall be made under this Order, unless a notice that the question of making such appointment will be brought before the Board has been given and entered on the minutes at one of the two ordinary meetings of the Board next preceding the meeting at which the appointment is made, or unless an advertisement giving notice of the consideration of such appointment shall have appeared in some public paper by the direction of the Guardians at least seven days before the day on which such appointment is made: provided that no such notice or advertisement shall be necessary for the appointment of an assistant or temporary substitute.

ART. 157.—The Guardians shall not, by advertisement, or other public notice, printed or written, invite tenders for the supply of medicines, or for the medical attendance on the paupers of the Union, unless such advertisement or notice shall specify the district or place for which such supply of medicines and such attendance is required, together with the amount of salary or other remuneration.

ART. 158.—The Guardians may from time to time divide the union into districts for general and medical relief, with the consent of the Commissioners; and on any change in the division of the Union into districts for general and medical relief, or in the assignment of Relieving Officers and Medical Officers to such districts, the Clerk shall report every such change to the Commissioners for their approbation.

ART. 159.—The Guardians shall not assign to any Medical-officer a district which exceeds in extent the area of fifteen thousand statute acres, or which contains a population exceeding the number of fifteen thousand persons, according to the then last enumeration of the population published by authority of Parliament.

ART. 160.—Provided that if it be impracticable, consistently with the proper attendance on the sick poor, for the Guardians to divide the Union into districts containing respectively an area and population less than is specified in Article 159, then and in such case the Guardians shall cause a special minute to be made and entered on the usual record of their, proceedings, stating the reasons which in their opinion make it necessary to form a district exceeding the said limits, and shall transmit a copy of such minute to the Commissioners for their consideration, and if the Commissioners signify their approval thereof to such Guardians, then and in such case, but not otherwise, such Guardians may proceed to assign the said district to a Medical Officer.

ART. 161.—Provided also, that the limit of fifteen thousand statute acres, prescribed in Article 159, shall not apply to any medical district situate wholly or in part within the Principality of Wales; but no medical district situate wholly or in part within that Principality shall be assigned to any Medical Officer residing more than seven miles from any part of any parish included within such district, unless such district shall have been specially sanctioned by the Commissioners in the same manner as is directed in Article 160.

QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFICERS.

ART. 162.—No person shall hold the office of Clerk, Treasurer, Master, or Relieving Officer, under this Order, who has not reached the aye of twenty-one years.

ART. 163.—No person shall hold the office of Master of a Workhouse, or Matron of a Workhouse having no Master, unless he or she be able to keep accounts.

ART. 164.—No person shall hold the office of Relieving Officer unless he be able to keep accounts, and unless he reside in the district for which he may be appointed to act, devote his whole time to the performance of the duties of his office, and abstain from following any trade or profession, and from entering into any other service.

ART. 165.—No person shall hold the office of Nurse who is not able to read written directions upon medicines.

ART. 166.—Provided always, that the Guardians may with the consent of the Commissioners previously obtained, but not otherwise, dispense with any of the conditions specified in Articles 162, 163, 164, and 165.

ART. 167.—No person shall be appointed to the office of Master, Matron, Schoolmaster, Schoolmistress, Porter, or Relieving Officer, under this Order, who does not agree to give one month's notice previous to resigning the office, or to forfeit one month's amount of salary, to be deducted as liquidated damages from the amount of salary due at the time of such resignation.

ART. 168.—No person shall hold the office of Medical Officer under this Order unless he possess one of the four following qualifications; that is to say—

1. A diploma or degree as surgeon from a Royal College or University in England, Scotland, or Ireland, together with a degree in medicine from an University in England, legally authorised to grant such degree, or together with a diploma or licence of the Royal College of Physicians of London.

2. A diploma or degree as surgeon from a Royal College or University in England, Scotland, or Ireland, together with a certificate to practise as an apothecary from the Society of Apothecaries of London.

3. A diploma or degree as surgeon from a Royal College or University in England, Scotland, or Ireland, such person having been in actual practice as an apothecary on the first day of August One thousand eight hundred and fifteen.

4. A warrant or commission as surgeon or assistant-surgeon in Her Majesty's Navy, or as surgeon or assistant-surgeon or apothecary in Her Majesty's Army, or, as surgeon or assistant-surgeon in the service of the Honourable East India Company, dated previous to the first day of August One thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.

ART. 169.—Provided always, that if it be impracticable, consistently with the proper attendance on the sick poor, for the Guardians to procure a person residing within the district in which he is to act, and duly qualified in one of the four modes recited in Article 168, to attend on the poor in such district, or that the only person resident within such district, and so qualified, shall have been dismissed from office by the Commissioners, or shall be unfit or incompetent to hold the office of Medical Officer, then and in such case the Guardians shall cause a special minute to be made and entered on the usual record of their proceedings, stating the reasons which, in their opinion, make it necessary to employ a person not qualified as required by Article 168, and shall forthwith transmit a copy of such minute to the Commissioners for their consideration; and the Commissioners may permit the employment by such Guardians of any person duly licensed to practise as a medical man, although such person be not qualified in one of the four modes required by Article 168.

ART. 170.—Provided also, that the Guardians may, with the consent of the Commissioners, continue in office any Medical Officer duly licensed to practise as a medical man already employed by any such Guardians, although such Medical Officer may not be qualified in one of the four modes required by Article 168.

ART. 171.—No person shall hold the office of Chaplain under this Order without the consent of the Bishop of the Diocese to his appointment, signified in writing.

REMUNERATION OF THE OFFICERS.

ART. 172.—The Guardians shall pay to the several officers and assistants appointed to or holding any office or employment under this Order, such salaries or remuneration as the Commissioners may from time to time direct or approve.

Provided that the Guardians, with the approval of the Commissioners, may pay to any officer or person employed by such Guardians a reasonable compensation on account of extraordinary services, or other unforeseen circumstances connected with the duties of such officer or person or the necessities of the Union.

ART. 173.—The salary of every officer, or assistant, appointed to or holding any office or employment under this Order, shall be payable up to the day on which he ceases to hold such, office or employment, and no longer.

ART. 174.—If no remuneration or salary be expressly assigned to the Treasurer, the profit arising from the use of money from time to time left in his hands shall be deemed to be the payment of his services.

ART. 175.—An officer who may be suspended, and who may without the previous removal of such suspension be dismissed by the Commissioners, shall not be entitled to any salary from the date of such suspension.

ART. 176.—The Guardians shall not pay to any officer bound to account, to be hereafter appointed, who may have been removed, or who may be under suspension from his office, any salary claimed by such officer until his accounts shall have been audited by the Auditor.

ART. 177.—No salary of any District Medical Officer shall include the remuneration for operations and services of the following classes performed by such Medical Officer in that capacity for any out-door pauper, but such operations and services shall be paid for by the Guardians, according to the rates specified in this Article.

1. Treatment of compound fractures of the thigh } £ s. d. 2. Treatment of compound fractures or compound dislocations of the leg } 3. Amputation of leg, arm, foot, or hand } 5 0 0 4. The operation of a strangulated hernia } 5. Treatment of simple fractures or simple dislocations of the thigh or leg 3 0 0 6. Amputation of a finger or toe 2 0 0 7. Treatment of dislocations or fractures of the arm 1 0 0

The above rates shall include the payment for the supply of all kinds of apparatus and splints.

ART. 178.—Provided that, except in cases of sudden accident immediately threatening life, no Medical Officer shall be entitled to receive such remuneration for any amputation, unless he shall have obtained at his own cost the advice of some member of the Royal College of Surgeons of London, or some fellow or licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London, before performing such amputation, and unless he shall also produce to the Guardians a certificate from such member of the Royal College of Surgeons, or such fellow or licentiate, stating that in his opinion it was right and proper that such amputation should be then performed.

ART. 179.—Provided also, that if in any case the patient has not survived the operation more than thirty-six hours, and has not required and received several attendances after the operation by the Medical Officer who has performed the same, such Medical Officer shall be entitled only to one-half of the payments respectively prescribed above.

ART. 180.—Provided also, that if several of the fees specified in Art. 177 become payable with respect to the same, person at the same time, and in consequence of the same cause or injury, the Medical Officer shall be entitled only to one of such fees, and if they be unequal, to the highest.

ART. 181.—In any surgical case, not provided for in Art. 177, which has presented peculiar difficulty, or required and received long attendance from the District Medical Officer, the Guardians may make to the said Medical Officer such reasonable extra allowance as they may think fit, and the Commissioners may approve.

ART. 182.—In cases in which any Medical Officer, either for the Workhouse or a District, shall be called on by order of a person legally qualified to make such order, to attend any woman in or immediately after childbirth, or shall, under circumstances of difficulty or danger, without any order, visit any such woman actually receiving relief, or whom the Guardians may subsequently decide to have been in a destitute condition, such Medical Officer shall be paid for his attendance and medicines by a sum of not less than Ten shillings, nor more than Twenty shillings, according as the Guardians may agree with such Officer.

ART. 183.—Provided that in any special case in which great difficulty may have occurred in the delivery, or long subsequent attendance in respect of some puerperal malady or affection may have been requisite, any District Medical Officer shall receive the sum of Two pounds.

SECURITY OF THE OFFICERS.

ART. 184.—Every Treasurer, Master, Matron of a Workhouse in which there is no Master, Collector, or Relieving Officer, every person hereafter appointed as Clerk, and every other officer whom the Guardians shall require so to do, shall respectively give a Bond conditioned for the due and faithful performance of the duties of the office, with two sufficient sureties, not, in the case of any security to be hereafter entered into, being officers of the same Union; and every officer who shall have entered into any such security shall give, immediate notice to the Guardians of the death, insolvency, or bankruptcy of either of such sureties, and shall, when required by the Guardians, produce a certificate, signed by two householders, that his sureties are alive, and believed by them to be solvent, and such officer shall supply a fresh surety, in the place of any such surety who may die, or become bankrupt or insolvent.

ART. 185.—Provided that the Guardians may, if they think, fit, take the security of any society or company expressly authorized by statute to guarantee or secure the faithful discharge of the duties of such officers.

ART. 186.—Provided also, that the Guardians may, with the consent of the Commissioners, dispense with such security in the case of any banking, firm acting as Treasurer, or in the case of a Treasurer, being a banker or partner of such firm.

CONTINUANCE IN OFFICE AND SUSPENSION OF

OFFICERS.—SUPPLY OF VACANCIES.

ART. 187.—Every officer appointed to or holding any office under this Order, other than a Medical, Officer, shall continue to hold the same until he die, or resign, or be removed by the Commissioners, or be proved to be insane, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners.

ART. 188.—Provided always, that every Porter, Nurse, Assistant, or servant, may be dismissed by the Guardians without the consent of the Commissioners; but, every such dismissal, and the grounds thereof, shall be reported to the Commissioners.

ART. 189.—If any Master and Matron hereafter appointed be husband and wife, and one of them should be dismissed by Order of the Commissioners, or should otherwise vacate his or her office, or should die, the other or survivor shall, at the expiration of the then current quarter, cease to hold his or her office of Master or Matron, as the case may be.

ART. 190.—No officer of a Workhouse who may have been dismissed by any Order of the Commissioners, shall, after such dismissal, remain upon the Workhouse premises, or enter therein for the purpose of interfering in the management of such Workhouse, unless the Commissioners have consented to his subsequent appointment to an office in such Workhouse, under the provisions of the said first-recited Act, or to his temporary employment therein.

ART. 191.—Every Medical Officer duly appointed shall, unless the period for which he is appointed be entered on the Minutes of the Guardians at the time of making such appointment, or be acknowledged in writing by such Medical Officer, continue in office until he may die or resign, or become legally disqualified to hold such office, or be removed therefrom by the Commissioners.

ART. 192.—The Guardians may at their discretion suspend from the discharge of his or her duties any Master, Matron, Schoolmaster, Schoolmistress, Medical Officer, Relieving Officer, or Superintendent of Out-door Labour, and the Guardians shall, in case of every such suspension, forthwith report the same, together with the cause thereof, to the Commissioners; and if the Commissioners remove the suspension of such officer by the Guardians, he or she shall forthwith resume the performance of his or her duties.

ART. 193.—If any officer, or assistant, appointed to or holding any office or employment under this Order, be at any time prevented by sickness or accident, or other sufficient reason, from the performance of his duties, the Guardians may appoint a fit person to act as his temporary substitute, and may pay him a reasonable compensation for his services ; and every such appointment shall be reported to the Commissioners as soon as the same shall have been made.

ART. 194.—The Vice-Chairman, or some Guardian to be appointed by the Guardians, may perform any of the duties assigned to the Clerk until any vacancy in the office shall have been filled, or until a substitute be appointed in the case of the sickness, accident, or absence of the Clerk.

ART. 195.—When any officer may die, resign, or become legally disqualified to perform the duties of his office, the Guardians shall, as soon as conveniently may be after such death, resignation, or disqualification, give notice thereof to, the Commissioners, and proceed to make a new appointment to the office so vacant in the manner prescribed by the above regulations.

ART. 196.—If any officer give notice of an intended resignation to take effect on a future day, the Guardians may elect a successor to such officer, in conformity with the above regulations, at any time subsequent to such notice.

ART. 197.—In the case of any Medical Officer who holds his office for a specified term, the Guardians may provide for the continuance of such officer, or appoint his successor, within three calendar months next before the expiration of such term.

PERSONAL DISCHARGE OF DUTIES.

ART. 198.—In every case not otherwise provided for by this Order, every officer shall perform his duties in person, and shall not intrust the same to a deputy, except with the special permission of the Commissioners on the application of the Guardians.

ART. 199.—Every Medical Officer shall be bound to visit and attend personally, as far as may be practicable, the poor persons intrusted to his care, and shall be responsible for the attendance on them.

ART. 200.—Every Medical Officer shall, as soon as may be after his appointment, name to the Guardians some legally qualified medical practitioner to whom application for medicines or attendance may be made, in the case of his absence from home, or other hindrance to his personal attendance, and who will supply the same at the cost of such Medical Officer, and the name and residence of every Medical Practitioner so named shall be forwarded by the Clerk to each Relieving Officer, and to the Overseers of every Parish in the District of such Medical Officer.

DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS.

ART. 201.—And We do hereby define and specify the duties of the several Officers appointed to or holding their offices under this Order, and direct the execution thereof, to be as follows:

DUTIES OF THE CLERK.

ART. 202.—The following shall .be the duties of the Clerk:

No. 1. To attend all meetings of the Board of Guardians, and to keep punctually minutes of the proceedings, at every meeting, to enter the said minutes in a book, and to submit the same so entered to the presiding Chairman at the succeeding meeting for his signature.

No. 2. To keep, check, and examine all accounts, books of accounts, minutes, books, and other documents as required of him by the Regulations of the Commissioners, or relating to the business of the Guardians, and from time to time to produce all such books and documents, together with the necessary vouchers, and the bonds of any Officers, with any certificates relating thereto, which may be in his custody, to the Auditor of the Union, at the place of audit and at the time and in such manner as may be required by the Regulations of the Commissioners.

No. 3. To peruse and conduct the correspondence of the Guardians according to their directions, and to preserve the same, as well as all Orders of the Commissioners, and letters received, together with copies of all letters sent, and all letters, books, papers, and documents, belonging to the Union, or intrusted to him by the Guardians, and to make all necessary copies thereof.

No. 4. To prepare all written contracts and agreements to be entered into by any parties with the Guardians, and to see that the same are duly executed, and to prepare all bonds or other securities to be given by any of the Officers of the Union, and to see that the same are duly executed by such Officers and their sureties.

No. 5. To receive all requisitions of Guardians for extraordinary meetings, and to summon such meetings accordingly ; and to make, sign, and send all notices required to be given to the Guardians, by this or any other Order of the Commissioners.

No. 6. To countersign all orders legally made by the Guardians on Overseers, for the payment of money, and all orders legally drawn, by the Guardians upon the Treasurer.

No. 7. To ascertain, before every ordinary meeting of the Board, the balance due to or from the Union, in account with the Treasurer, and to enter the same in the Minute-book.

No. 8. At the first meeting of the Guardians in each quarter, to lay before the Guardians, or some Committee appointed by them, the non-settled poor account, and the non-resident poor account, posted in his ledger to the end of the preceding quarter, and to take the directions of the Guardians respecting the remittance of cheques or post-office orders to the Guardians of any other Union or Parish, or the transmission of accounts due from other Unions or Parishes, and requests for payment.

No. 9. Within fourteen days from the close of each quarter, to transmit by post all accounts of relief administered in the course of the preceding quarter to non-settled poor to the Guardians of the Unions and Parishes on account of which such relief was given ; and to state in every account so transmitted the names and classes of the several paupers to whom the relief in question has been administered.

No. 10. To communicate to the sever