Chap. 0035 an act in addition to an act made in the present year of his majesty's reign, intitled "an act making provision for the inhabitants of nova scotia sent hither from that government and lately arrived in this province."
Preamble. 1755-56, chap. 23.
Courts of gen. eral sessions, justices, selectmen, overseers of the poor; their power re. lating to said inhabitants.
Selectmen or overseers of the poor to provide implements of husbandry, &c, for said inhabitants.
Accounts to be taken of charges in consequence of this act.
Overseers' duty and charge.
Limitation.
"Whereas, since the passing an act made this present .year of his majesty's reign, intitled "An Act making provision fur the inhabitants of Nova Scotia sent hither from that government and lately arrived in this province," a further number of said inhabitants have been sent to and are arrived with this government, and no special provision has been made, by law, for their regulation and support, and the aforesaid act has in other respects been found insufficient,?
Be it therefore enacted by the Governour, Council and House of Representatives,
[Sect. 1.] That the courts of general sessions of the peace, the justices of the peace in the several counties, the selectmen and the overseers of the poor in the several towns where said inhabitants may have been, or shall be disposed of, by virtue of any votes or orders of the general court, be and hereby are authorized and required to employ, bind out to service, or make provision for the support of the said inhabitants in like manner as the said courts of sessions, justices of the peace, selectmen or overseers, or any of them, would by law be authorized and impowered to do, were they, the said inhabitants of Nova Scotia, inhabitants of any town or towns within this province.
And be it further enacted,
[Sect. 2.'] That the selectmen or overseers of the poor in the several towns where said inhabitants have been or may be disposed of as aforesaid, be and hereb}' are authorized and required to provide necessary implements of husbandry-work, weaving, spinning and other handicraft work, according to the capacity for labour and other circumstances of the several inhabitants aforesaid, not exceeding forty shillings for any one person, and also to provide an house or houses for any family or families, the heads whereof will undertake for the support of themselves and family, and also to afford rel[ei][o?]f aud support to all such as are. incapable of relieving and supporting themselves ; and such selectmen or overseers shall keep an exact account of all charges in consequence of the act aforesaid, or of this additional act,?such account to be made up until[l] the first day of June next, and so until[1] the first clay of June, annually, during the continuance of this act,?and shall transmit the same, from time to time, to the secretary's office, in order to be laid before the governour and council for allowance and pa}'-ment, and in order to ascertain the sums advanced by this governm[en]t for the services aforesaid.
And be it further enacted,
[Sect. 3.] That in any town where overseers of the poor shall be chosen, it shall be part of their duty and charge to take care and provide for the inhabitants of Nova Scotia sent to such town ; and in any town where there shall be no overseers of the poor, it shall be the duty and charge of the selectmen.
[Sect. 4.] This act to be in force until [1] the twentieth day of June, which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven, and no longer.   [Passed March 6 ; published March 31.