Metropolitan Police Courts Act 1897

1 Transfer to metropolitan police fund of expenses and receipts of metropolitan police courts

The expenses of and incidental to the metropolitan police courts, except the salaries and superannuation allowances of the police magistrates, shall be paid out of the fund applicable for defraying the expenses of the metropolitan police (in this Act referred to as the police fund), and all moneys which at the passing of this Act are applicable for defraying the expenses of the metropolitan police courts shall be paid to the metropolitan police fund.

2 Power to alter salaries and fees

(1) The limit imposed by section nine of the Metropolitan Police Courts Act, 1839, on the salaries of the clerks in the metropolitan police courts is hereby repealed.

(2) The Secretary of State may, by order under his hand, fix a table of the fees to be taken in the metropolitan police courts; and any table so fixed shall take effect instead of the table contained in Schedule A. to the [2 & 3 Vict. c. 71.] Metropolitan Police Courts Act, 1839.

3 Transfer of property from Commissioners of Works to receiver

(1) All property, real and personal, of or to which the Commissioners of Works are seised, possessed, or entitled, in trust for or for the purposes of any metropolitan police court in use at the passing of this Act, shall pass to and be vested in the receiver for the metropolitan police district (in this Act referred to as the receiver) for the same estate and interest and subject to the same covenants, conditions, agreements, and liabilities, for and subject to Which the same were held by the Commissioners of Works, and the Commissioners of Works shall be discharged from such covenants, conditions, agreements, and liabilities.

(2) Any building, structure, or work for the time being vested in the receiver shall be exempt from so much of the provisions of the [57 & 58 Vict. c. ccxxiii.] London Building Act, 1894, as relates to buildings and structures.

4 Powers of receiver with respect to land and buildings

The receiver shall have the same powers with respect to land and buildings required for the purposes of the metropolitan police courts as he has with respect to land and buildings required for the purposes of the metropolitan police force, and the provisions of the [49 & 50 Vict. c. 22.] Metropolitan Police Act, 1886, and the [50 & 51 Vict. c. 45.] Metropolitan Police Act, 1887, shall apply accordingly, and the limit fixed by those Acts on the borrowing powers of the receiver shall, in order to enable him to borrow such money as may be required for the purposes of the metropolitan police courts, be raised to seven hundred thousand pounds.

5 Provision as to retiring allowances

(1) The [38 & 39 Vict. c. 28.] Metropolitan Police Staff (Superannuation) Acts, 1875 and [48 & 49 Vict. c. 68.] 1885, shall apply to any superannuation allowance, compensation, gratuity, or other allowance payable to any person appointed after the passing of this Act to be a member of the staff of the metropolitan police courts, except the police magistrates.

(2) The superannuation allowances payable at the passing of this Act to persons who have been members of the staff of the metropolitan police courts, except as police magistrates, and the superannuation allowances payable hereafter to persons being, at the passing of this Act, members of that staff, except as aforesaid, shall be paid out of the police fund, but shall continue to be payable in accordance with the provisions of the [22 Vict. c. 26.] Superannuation Act, 1859, and the enactments amending the same.

6 Provision as to Chatham and Sheerness courts

The salary of the clerk to the Chatham and Sheerness stipendiary magistrate shall be paid out of the police fund, and all fees received at any courts of that magistrate, and all fines, pecuniary penalties, and forfeitures imposed by that magistrate, shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be carried to the police fund :

Provided that if the fees, fines, penalties, and forfeitures so paid in any financial year are insufficient to meet the salary of the said clerk for that year, the. deficiency shall be defrayed, as heretofore, out of money provided by Parliament, but in like manner as the charges and expenses incurred under the [23 & 24 Vict. c. 135.] Metropolitan Police Act, 1860, and if they are in excess of such salary the excess shall be paid into the Exchequer.

7 Provisions as to fees and fines

(1) The [42 & 43 Vict. c. 58.] Public Offices Pees Act, 1879, shall apply to, all fees payable at the metropolitan police courts or at any court of the Chatham and Sheerness stipendiary magistrate.

(2) The account of fees, penalties, and forfeitures, required by section forty-six of the [2 & 3 Vict. c. 71.] Metropolitan Police Courts Act, 1839, shall be delivered at such times as the Secretary of State may by order direct.

(3) Notwithstanding anything in this Act, or any repeal enacted by this Act, any tines which at the passing of this Act are payable by the receiver into the Exchequer, and which, by the Act imposing them, are directed to be paid to the Crown, or to the Exchequer, shall continue to be paid by the receiver into the Exchequer.

8 Power to settle questions

If any question arises as to what expenses are expenses of Or incidental to any court within the meaning of this Act, the question may be determined by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Treasury so far as the question affects the amount of any charge on the Exchequer.

9 Repeal of enactments in schedule

The Acts specified in the schedule to this Act shall be repealed to the extent appearing in the third column of that schedule.

10 Commencement of Act

This Act shall come into operation at such date as may be fixed by order of the Secretary of State notified in the London Gazette, and the Secretary of State may fix different dates for different provisions of this Act coming into operation.

11 Short title

This Act may be cited as the Metropolitan Police Courts Act, 1897, and may be cited with the Metropolitan Police Acts, 1829 to 1895.