III. And be it further enacted, That the said Commissioners shall meet at the House known by the Sign of the Cadogan Arms, in Sloane Street aforesaid, on the Twenty-fourth Day of June One thousand seven hundred and ninety, between Twelve and Two of the Clock, in order to put this Act in Execution, and shall and may then, and from Time to Time afterwards adjourn themselves to, and meet at the Place aforesaid, or any other convenient Place within the Limits of this Act; and if it shall at any Time happen that there shall not appear at any such Meeting a sufficient Number of the said Commissioners to act, any One of the said Commissioners, who shall then be present, may adjourn the Meeting to another Day; and in case of any Neglect or Omission to adjourn, any Three of the said Commissioners, or their Clerk, shall and may call a Meeting at the Place where the last Meeting of the Commissioners was appointed to be held, by Notice thereof to be given to the said Commissioners by Advertisement in some Newspapers published in London or Westminster, at least Three Days before such Meeting; and that at all Meetings to be held in pursuance of this Act, the said Commissioners shall defray their own Expences, and no Act of the said Commissioners shall be valid, unless made or done at some Meeting to be held by virtue of this Act (except the calling of Meetings as aforesaid); and that all the Powers and Authorities by this Act granted to or vested in the said Commissioners shall and may, from Time to Time, be exercised by the major Part of them present at their respective Meetings to be holden as aforesaid, such major Part not being less than Ten for the Purpose of borrowing Money or granting Annuities by virtue of this Act, and not being less than Five in any other Case; and in all Cases where the Number of Votes upon any Question shall be equal (including the Chairman’s Vote), the Chairman shall have the casting Vote.
Restriction as to revoking Orders.
IV. And be it further enacted, That no Order made by the said Commissioners at any of their Meetings shall be revoked or altered, unless at some Meeting to be held for that Purpose (of which Meeting Seven Days Notice shall be given as aforesaid, expressing the Occasion of such Meeting), and also unless a greater Number of Commissioners shall attend at such Meeting to revoke or alter the same than were present when such Order was made; any Thing in this Act contained to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.
Proceedings of the Commissioners to be entered.
V. And be it further enacted, That regular Entries shall be made, in a Book to be provided for that Purpose, of all the Acts, Orders, and Proceedings of the said Commissioners, and of the Names of the Commissioners who shall be present at the respective Meetings; and One or more of the said Commissioners who shall be present shall subscribe his or their Name or Names at the End of the Proceedings of the respective Meetings; and all such Entries, being so signed, shall be deemed Originals, and shall be allowed to be read in Evidence in all Causes, Suits, and Actions, touching any Thing done in pursuance of this Act; and that such Books shall, at all seasonable Times, be open to the Inspection of all Persons rated or assessed for the Purposes of this Act.
Officers to be appointed.
VI. And be it further enacted, That the said Commissioners shall from Time to Time, by Writing under their Hands, appoint a Treasurer, Clerk, and Surveyor, and also a Collector of the Rates or Assessments to be made as herein-after mentioned, and such other Officers and Persons as they shall think necessary, and may remove any such Officers or other Persons as they shall think proper, and appoint others in their Stead, and shall pay such Salaries, and make such Allowances, to all such Officers or Persons, as the said Commissioners shall think reasonable; and the said Commissioners are hereby required to take such Security from every such Treasurer and Collector of the Rates as they shall think proper; and every such Treasurer and Collector shall, under their respective Hands (at such Time or Times and in such Manner as the said Commissioners shall direct), deliver to the said Commissioners, or to such Person as they shall appoint, a true and perfect Account in Writing of all Money which shall have been by him received by virtue and for the Purposes of this Act, and how much thereof hath been paid and disbursed, and for what Purposes, together with the proper Vouchers for such Payments, and shall pay all such Money as shall remain in his Hands to such Person as the said Commissioners shall direct; and every such Treasurer and Collector so accounting shall, upon Oath (if thereunto required by the said Commissioners, which Oath any One of the said Commissioners is hereby empowered to administer), verify such Account; and if any such Treasurer or Collector shall not make and render, or shall neglect or refuse to verify upon Oath, any such Account, or to produce or deliver up the Vouchers relating to the same, or to make Payment as aforesaid, or in case the Clerk to the said Commissioners, or any such Treasurer or Collector, shall not deliver to the said Commissioners, or to such Person as they shall appoint, within Fourteen Days next after being thereunto required by Notice in Writing signed by the said Commissioners, and given to or left at the last or usual Place of Abode of such Treasurer, Clerk, or Collector, all Books, Papers, and Writings in his Custody or Power, relating to the Execution of this Act, or give Satisfaction to the said Commissioners respecting the same, and Complaint shall be made thereof, on the Behalf of the said Commissioners, to any Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, such Justice is hereby authorized and required, by Warrant under his Hand and Seal, to cause such Treasurer, Clerk, or Collector to be brought before him, and upon his appearing, or not being to be found, to hear and determine the Matter of such Complaint in a summary Way; and if, upon the Confession of the Party, or by the Testimony of any credible Witness upon Oath (which Oath such Justice is hereby empowered to administer), it shall appear to such Justice that any of the Monies, which shall have been collected and raised by virtue of this Act, shall be in the Hands of any such Treasurer or Collector, such Justice is hereby authorized and required, upon Nonpayment thereof, by Warrant under his Hand and Seal, to cause such Money to be levied by Distress and Sale of the Goods and Chattels of such Person; and if no such Goods or Chattels can be found sufficient to answer and satisfy the said Money, and the Charges of distraining and selling the same, or if it shall in Manner aforesaid appear to such Justice that any such Treasurer or Collector hath refused or neglected to render and give such Account, or to verify the same as aforesaid, or to produce the Vouchers relating thereto, or that any Books, Papers, or Writings relating to the Execution of this Act shall be in the Custody or Power of any such Treasurer, Clerk, or Collector, and he shall have refused or neglected to deliver or give Satisfaction respecting the same as aforesaid, then such Justice shall commit him to the Common Gaol or House of Correction, there to remain, without Bail or Mainprize, until such Person, being Treasurer or Collector, shall make and give a true and perfect Account, and have paid such Money as aforesaid, or shall have compounded for such Money with the said Commissioners, and have paid such Composition in such Manner as they shall appoint (which Composition the said Commissioners are hereby empowered to make and receive), or until such Person, being Treasurer, Clerk, or Collector, shall deliver up all such Books, Papers, and Writings as aforesaid; but no Person, who shall be committed on account of his not having sufficient Goods or Chattels as aforesaid, shall be detained in Prison for any longer Term than Six Calendar Months.
Property of Pavements, &c. vested in Commissioners.
VII. And be it further enacted, That the Property of and in all the Pavements of the Carriage Ways and Foot Ways, and also all the Ballast or Gravel within the several Streets, and other publick Passages and Places, already or hereafter to be set out or made upon the Ground held by the said Henry Holland as aforesaid (and which Ground shall be deemed and considered to be the Limits of this Act, and shall be called Hans Town), and of and in all Lamps, Lamp Irons, Posts, Watchboxes, Pumps, and Wells, which now are and which shall be sunk, erected, or affixed, and all Materials, Implements, and other Things, which shall be purchased or gotten by virtue or for any of the Purposes of this Act, are hereby vested in the said Commissioners, and they are hereby empowered to cause an Action to be brought, in the Name of their Clerk, or to cause to be preferred any Indictment against any Person who shall steal, take, or carry away, injure, or destroy, any Part or Parts thereof.