said sheriffs or collectors respectively for the full amount of their seyeral collections, or of the deficiency due thereon, in case of failure to account for the same in due time, without regard 10 any such certificates,

receipts or warrants. Tonnage of XIV. And whereas doubts have arisei in the convessels en struction of the sixth section of the said recited act, plained.

wherein it is enacted, that on all vessels at entrance or clearance from or to foreign parts, there shall be paid by the master or owner thereof, certain duties in the said section enumerated; and it hath by some been supposed that the said words “foreign parts" were ins tended to exclude vessels and goods coming from any state in this Union from paying the tonnage and other duties by the said section directed to be paid: For the removing of such doubts and misconstruction, Be it enacted, That all vessels coming within this state from any of the United States, or from any port or place whatsoever, vessels of war excepted, shall be liable to pay the tonnage and other duties by the said recited act directed to be paid, in the manner by law pre

scribed. Sheriffs to

XV. And be it further enacted, That the several sontinue col- sheriffs throughout this commonwealth, whose appointlection tho'

ments will terminate in the month of October next, out of office. shall nevertheless have full power and authority to

compleat the collection of the taxes aforesaid, which they are hereby required to perform, and shall have the same right and authority to collect or distrain for : the payment of the said taxes, and shall be subject to account for and pay the same into the public treasury. in like manner as if their appointments had not then, expired.

XVI. And be it further enacted, That all and every part or parts of the act "For ascertaining certain taxes and duties, and for establishing a permanent revenue," as shall in any manner contravene this act, or any part

thereaf, be and is hereby repealed.. When and XVII. And be it enacted, That the several sheriffs how to LC- and collectors shall account for and pay all monies

and other articles by them respectively received, in payment for, and which may exceed the amount of the first half of the said taxes, at the time, in the manner, and under the penalties contained in the said recited act; and shall also in the same manner account for and

pay the money and other articles by them respectively received, for the other half of the said taxes, or for the balances due thereon, on or before the first day of January next, under the penalties prescribed in the said recited act, to be moved for and recovered at any session of the general court succeeding that time.

CHAP. XL,

(Chapter LXXX in

original.] An act lo continue and amend the act (Chan. Rev.

intituled An act for the inspection p. 165.]
of Pork, Beef, Flour, Tür, Pitch
and Turpentines

I. WHEREAS the act of assembly passed in the Preamble. year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-two, intituled, “ An act for the inspection of pork, beef, flour, tar, pitch and turpentine," which was continued and amended by several subsequent acts, will expire at the next session of assembly, and it is expedient and necessary that the same should be further continued and amended: Be it therefore enacted, That the act intitu

Continuance led, "An act for the inspection of pork, beef, flour, tar, of act. pitch and turpentine," except so much thereof as respects the article of flour, shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration thereof, for and during the term of two years, and from thence until the end of the next session of assembly, and no longer.

II. And be it further enacted, That the several in- Inspectos spectors appointed, or to be appointed by virtue of the fees. said recited act, shall receive the following fees in lieu of those heretofore established, to wit: For every barrel of pork or beef inspected and stamped, one shilling; and for every barrel of tat, pitch and turpentine, seven pence half-penny. III. And be it further enacted, That all the penalties their appli.

Penalties & and forfeitures to be incurred by the said recited act, cation:

for failure or neglect of duty, shall be the same as those
established and specified in the said act passed in the
year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-two, and
recovered and applied as is directed by the said act."

SeeNov.

CHAP. XLI. (Ch LXXXI iir original.]

An act to continue and amend an act (Chan Rer. p. 165.]

intituled, An act for the relief of

persons who have been or may be 1781, c. 11. injured by the destruction of the re

cords of county courts.
Preamble. 1. WHEREAS the powers of the commissioners ap-

pointed by the governor, with the advice of council, to
carry into execution an act of the last session, intitu-
led, “ An act for the relief of persons who have been
or may be injured by the destruction of the records of
county courts," will expire at the end of this present
session of assembly, and it is expedient and necessary

that the same should be farther continued and amend. Continuance ed: Be it therefore enacted, That the act intituled, *** An of act.

"act for the relief of persons who have been or may be
injured by the destruction of the records of county
"courts," shall continue and be in force from and after
the expiration thereof until the purposes for which it
was enacted shall be effected.

3*. II. And whereas doubts have arisen whether the Extended to

commissioners appointed or to be appointed in virtùe Sied in court of the said recited act can receive testi:mony respecting

the loss of any papers other than those particularly
mentioned in the aforesaid act; Be it enacted, That the
said commissioners are hereby empowered and requi-
red to proceed in the same manner with respect to all
bonds, bills, notes and other papers necessarily filed in
the office where such destruction hath happened, as if
the same had been entered of record,

all papers

[Ch. LXXXII

CHAP. XLII.

in original.] An act for dissolving the vestries of

the parishes of Antrim and West

over.

1. WHEREAS it hath been represented to this pre- Vestries of sent general assembly, that by the death and resigna- parishes of tion of sundry members of the vestry of Antrim parish, Antrim in in the county of Halifax, there remains only a majori- of Westover

Halifax, and ty of the said yestry, and that they are so very remiss in Charles and negligent, that for several years past a vestry has city, disnot been held for any purpose, by which means the solved, and

new vestries objects of charity in the said parish have become very to be elected burthensome and troublesome to a few individuals: II. Be it therefore enacted, That the vestry of the said parish of Antrim be, and the same is hereby dissolved.

III. And be it further enacted, That the freeholders and house-keepers of the said parish of Antrim shall, before the first day of October next, neet at some convenient time and place to be appointed and publicly advertised by the sheriff of the said county of Halifax, at least one month before such meeting, and then and there elect twelve of the most able and discreet persons being freeholders, and resident in the said parish, for vestrymen, which vestrymen so elected having in the court of the said county of Halifax taken the oaths prescribed by law, shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed and taken to be the vestry of the said parislı of Antrim,

IV. And whereas the levies of the said parish of Antrim, for a considerable time past, have not been laid by the vestry thereof, whereby the creditors of the said parish remain unpaid;

V. Be it therefore enacted, That the vestry of the said parish, to be elected by virtue of this act, shall levy and assess upon the tithable persons of the said parish, all such sums of money and quantities of tobacco‘as ought to have been levied and assessed by the said vestry. Provided, That notwithstanding any shing in this act contained, any suit or suits brought by Va XI.

K

or against the vestry or church-wardens of the said parish, and now depending, may be prosecuted in the same manner as if this act had never been made.

VI. And whereas it hath been also represented, that there has not been a vestry held for the parish of Westover, in the county of Charles city, for a considerable time past, whereby no provision hath been made for the poor of the said parish, and great injustice hath been done to the creditors thereof: For remedy whereof,

VII. Be it enacted, That the vestry of the said parish of Westover shall be, and the same is hereby dissolved.

VIII. And be it further enacted, That the freeholders and house-keepers of the said parish of Westover shall, before the first day of October next, meet at some con venient time and place to be appointed and publicly advertised by the sheriff of the said county of Charles city, at least one month before such meeting, and then and there elect twelve of the most able and discreet persons, being freeholders, and resident in the said parish, for vestrymen, which vestrymen so elected having in the court of the said county of Charles city taken the oath prescribed by law, shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed and taken to be the vestry of the said parish of Westover.

IX. And be it further enacted, That the vestry of the said parish of Westover, to be elected by virtue of this act, shall levy and assess upon the tithable persons of the said parish, all such sums of money and quantities of tobacco, as ought to have been levied and assessed by the said vestry. Provided nevertheless, That notwithstanding any thing in this act contained, any suit or suits brought by or against the vestry or churchwardens of the said parish, and now depending, may be prosecuted in the same manner as if this act had Qever been made.