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26
The provisions of this Act relating to the appointment of
an Annoyance Jury were, however, repealed by an Act of
Parliament, passed in the year 1861 (24 and 25 Vic., cap. 78),
mainly owing to the efforts of Mr. Robert Cocks, a parishioner
of St. James, and since that time prosecutions in respect
of unlawful balances, weights, and measures have been undertaken
by an inspector, appointed for the purpose.
In 1757, a further advance was made in the local government
of Westminster; for an Act passed in that year required
all pavements to be repaired by occupants of houses abutting
thereon, or by persons disturbing the pavement. Hoardings
were not to be erected without the consent of the Court of
Burgesses, and weights and measures were to be tested and
marked by the proper officer before being recognised as lawful.
Persons 63 years of age and upwards were exempted
from serving as constables, and 70 years of age and upwards,
from serving on Leet or Annoyance Juries.
It may be remarked that burgesses are still appointed,
although most of their powers and functions have been
superseded by subsequent legislation.
Some parts of Westminster were placed, for paving purposes,
under the control of a Board of Commissioners as early
as 1762, and the jurisdiction of the Commissioners was
gradually extended until the whole of Westminster was included
therein. The only other local statutes relating to
Westminster, until recent times, were for regulating the
recovery of small debts and such like.
From very ancient times, and until 1844, Westminster had
a separate Sessions of the Peace, but this privilege was
abolished by the Act 7 and 8 Vic., cap. 71, secs. 11 and 13,
which practically merged the City and Liberties in the County
of Middlesex, the Sessions now held at Westminster beingadjourned
sessions for the whole County. Petty sessional
divisions still exist; but for criminal business and police