River Dee, Chester Act 1698

IX. Corporation to appoint Seven Commissioners for executing this Act;

who are to meet Quarterly or oftener; Accounts to be produced. Commissioners to summon Collectors and others, and examine upon Oath and inspect and correct or allow Accounts; and sign and seal Duplicates thereof, to be kept amongst the Records of Sessions; Collectors found in Arrear, or refusing to account, Proceedings; Corporation to answer Monies paid to Collectors.

And for the more easie Dispatch of Businesse in carefully examineing stating and correcting the said Accounts Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Mayor Aldermen and Common Councill in Common Councill assembled and they are hereby required from time to time yearely or oftner if they shall thinke fitt to appoint Seaven or more discreete and fitt Persons whereof the Mayor and Two of the Justices of the Peace of the said City for the Time being shall be Three of them to be Commissioners for putting in Execution such Powers and Authorities as are hereby given them and for that Purpose to meet together once in every Three Months or oftner if need be in the Inner Pentice of the said City at such convenient Time and Times as the said Mayor Aldermen and Common Councill in Common Councill assembled shall appoint for that Purpose or if no certaine Time be soe appointed then at such Time and Times as the said Commissioners or the greater Number of them shall thinke fitt And at every such Meeting the said Books and Accounts with the Vouchers for the same shall be produced And the said Commissioners or any Five of them whereof the said Mayor or one of the said Justices shall be one shall and have hereby power to summon before them the said Collectors and Receivers or any other Person or Persons interested or not interested and to examine them upon Oath (which Oath the said Mayor or one of the said Justices have or hath hereby Power to administer) touching the Truth of any Matter contained in or omitted in the said Books or Accounts touching any Receipts or Disbursements received or made by virtue of this Act And upon Examination and due Proofe thereof the said Commissioners present at such Meeting or the greater Number of them shall and may state correct and allow the said Accounts under their Hands and Seales and shall likewise signe and seale a Duplicate of such Accounts soe stated and allowed which shall be transmitted and kept among the Records of the Sessions of the Peace for the said City of Chester by the Clerke of the Peace for the Time being of the said City And in case the said Collector or Collectors Receiver or Receivers or any of them shall be found in arreare or refuse to render such Account that then the said Commissioners present at such Meeting or the greater Number of them shall and may by Warrant under their Hands and Seales levy by Distresse and Sale of the Goods and Chattells of such Person or Persons soe refusing to account and who shall be charged with Moneys in his or their Hands or in arreares as aforesaid such Summ and Summs of Money as he or they shall be soe charged with rendring the Overplus and for want of such Distresse by like Warrant to committ such Person or Persons to the Common Goale of the said City untill such Time as he or they shall account and pay or secure to be paid such Summ or Summs of Money as he or they shall be respectively charged with and that the Mayor and Citizens of the said City shall answer and make good such Moneys as shall be collected or levied and paid into the Hands of any Collector or Collectors Receiver or Receivers by them nominated as aforesaid