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Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855, caused much friction at
various times between the Vestry and the Board of Governors and
Guardians.
13. That among the statutory powers of the Governors and Guardians
objected to by your petitioners is that contained in section 14 of
the Metropolis Local Management (Amendment) Act, 1862. In
order that this section may be understood, it should be mentioned
that by section 158 of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855,
the Overseers are required to levy and pay over to the Treasurer of
the Vestry the amount required by them for defraying the expenses
of the execution of this and the amending Acts, and by section 161
any excess beyond the amount levied in pursuance of an order from
the Vestry is likewise to be paid over to such Treasurer. The
expression "Overseers of the Poor" by section 250 of the same
Act including any persons authorised to make and collect or cause
to be collected the rate for the relief of the poor in any parish.
By the operation of this Act the Governors and Guardians came within
the expression " Overseers of the Poor," and until the passing of the
Amendment Act of 1862 were subject to the provisions contained
in sections 158 and 161 of the Act of 1855. The Metropolis Local
Management (Amendment) Act, 1862 (25 and 26 Vic., cap- 102)
further provided by section 14 that in addition to any such excess
levied beyond the amount levied to meet the expenses of the Vestry,
less the expenses of and incidental to the making and collecting of
the rate, being handed over to the Treasurer of the Vestry, the
Overseers were required to make out and deliver to the Vestry a true
and perfect account in writing Signed by the Auditors appointed
under the Act of 1855. It is provided however by this section:—
" That where the term' Overseer' or ' Overseers ' shall extend
" to and include any Vestry elected under the firstly
" hereinbefore recited Act, or any Board of Trustees or
" Governors of any parish or place chosen under any
" Local Act now in force, the provisions of this clause
" shall not be applicable to such Vestry or Board of
" Trustees or Governors so long as the orders of the Vestry
" or Board shall be duly complied with and satisfied, and in
" every case in which the Vestry does not appoint a
" collector or collectors to collect such rates, the said
" Overseers are hereby authorised to employ and pay one
" or more Collector or Collectors to collect all such rates,
" and to take from every such Collector security for his
'' duly collecting such rates and payingover and accounting
" for the same, and such security shall ensure to the
" benefit of the Overseers for tho time being of every
" such parish or place who shall have all such and the
" 6ame remedies thereon as the overseers to whom such
" security was originally given."