POOR.

1375

beggars, vagrants, vagabonds and other offenders, in such alms

and work-house, under the penalties therein contained ; Pro-

vided always, that the said rules, laws and orders, be no wise

contrary to the laws of this province.

SEC. 5. And, to perpetuate the succession of the aforemen-

How va-

tioned number of five trustees for the poor in each of the said

cancies are
to be filled.

counties, Be it enacted, That as often as any one or more of

the said trustees for the poor shall die, or remove himself out of

his county, that then and so often, the trustees for the time

being, then surviving and remaining within the said county, or

the major part of them, be and are hereby authorized and re-

quired to elect, nominate and choose, one or more of the prin-

cipal and better sort of the inhabitants of the county, not being

related in blood to any other of the then trustees, into the place

and room of the said trustee so dead or removed, and so to fill

up the full number of trustees for each alms and work-house,

the which persons, so elected and chosen, from time to time,

are always to be qualified in the same manner as before by this

act is directed.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted. That every person by this

Penalty for

act appointed as a trustee for the poor, or that shall hereafter be

refusing to
act, &c.

nominated and appointed as such pursuant to the directions

hereof, and who shall wilfully refuse or delay to take upon him

the said office, shall forfeit and pay, for every such refusal or

delay, the sum of ten pounds current money; Provided, that

no member of the upper or lower house of assembly, clergy-

man, attorney, or practising physician, be obliged to accept of

the office of trustee aforesaid, or forfeit as aforesaid for refusing

to accept and take upon him the same ; and that no provincial

or county magistrate or sheriff, or any one who hath not the

qualification to be a member of the lower house of assembly, if

elected, shall be capable to be chosen or act as a trustee afore-

said, nor shall any person be compellable to serve in less than

three yeais after he hath served, or paid the said forfeiture for

not serving as a trustee aforesaid.

SEC. 7. And, for enabling the said trustees to purchase land,

Trustrees

and erect an alms and work-house in each of the said counties,

to draw,
&c.

Be it enacted, That the said trustees or the major part of them,

bo, and they are hereby authorized and empowered, from time

to time as occasion shall require, to draw upon the several and

respective sheriffs of the several counties aforesaid, in whose

hands the tobacco aforesaid, so as aforesaid to be assessed and

levied, or such part thereof as shall, by virtue of this act, be so

assessed and levied, shall remain, for so much of the said

tobacco as the said trustees, or the major part of them, shall

from time to time think it necessary to draw for, for the uses

and purposes directed by this act.