Status and Powers of Verderers U.K.

23 Enumeration of powers of verderers. U.K.

The verderers as constituted under this Act shall have power,—

(1) From time to time to appoint and dismiss, with power to increase or diminish their number, such officers and servants as they may deem necessary for the purpose of carrying into effect their duties as verderers, and to assign to each officer so appointed his duty and salary; and

(2) To make drifts of the Forest at such time and in such manner as they may think expedient; and

(3) To levy from the commoners in the Forest [F1 by means of a rate and payments not exceeding the scales specified in the First Schedule hereto, and to levy from all other persons owning cattle (including horses, donkeys and mules), sheep and pigs entitled to be in the Forest by means of such payments as aforesaid, such sums as the verderers may require for paying the expenses of and incidental to the carrying into effect of their duties as verderers]; and

(4) To inquire into all unlawful inclosures, . . . F2 , encroachments, and trespasses whatsoever within the Forest, and to impose on any person or persons offending for every such offence any fine not exceeding ten pounds, and by summary order to direct every such inclosure, . . . F2 , encroachment, and trespass to be abated; and

(5) To punish all such offences, and perform all such acts, powers, authorities, matters, and things, and exercise all such jurisdiction, as the verderers or any two of them, or the verderers in their court of attachments or swainmote, are by any law, statute, or custom directed, authorised, or empowered to punish, do, exercise, or perform.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by New Forest Act 1949 (c. 69), s. 9(3)

F2 Word repealed by Wild Creatures and Forest Laws Act 1971 (c. 47), s. 1, Sch.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 23 extended by New Forest Act 1970 (c. 21), s. 3