Municipal Corporations Act 1882

PART I Preparation and Revision of Parish Burgess Lists in Boroughs not Parliamentary.

1 On or before each first of September, the overseers of each parish shall make, sign, and deliver to the town clerk a list, called the parish burgess list, of all persons entitled to be enrolled in the burgess roll for the year in respect of property in that parish.

2 The overseers shall keep a printed copy of the parish burgess list made by them open to public inspection on the first fifteen days of September.

3 The town clerk shall cause a printed copy of all the parish burgess lists to be fixed on the town hall, and to be kept so fixed during the last seven of those fifteen days.

4 Every person whose name is not in a parish burgess list, and who claims to have it inserted therein (in this Act referred to as a claimant), shall, on or before the fifteenth of September, give notice in writing of his claim to the town clerk.

5 Every person whose name is in a parish burgess list may object to any other person as not being entitled to have his name retained in that or any other parish burgess list.

6 Every person so objecting (in this Act referred to as an objector) shall on or before the fifteenth of September, give to the town clerk, and also give to the person objected to, or leave at or on the property for which he appears in the parish burgess list to be rated, notice in writing of the objection.

7 The town clerk shall make two separate lists of the claimants and the persons objected to (in this Act referred to as respondents), and shall cause printed copies thereof to be fixed on the town hall, and to be kept So fixed during the last seven days of September.

8 He shall also keep a printed copy of each of these lists, open to public inspection on any day during the same seven days.

9 The mayor and the two revising assessors shall in each year revise the parish burgess lists.

10 They shall for this purpose hold an open court in the borough on some or one of the first fifteen days of October.

11 They shall give three clear days notice of the holding of the court, by notice fixed on the town hall.

12 The town clerk shall at the opening of the court produce the parish burgess lists, and a copy of the lists of claimants and respondents.

13 The court shall insert in the parish burgess lists the name of every, person who has duly claimed to have his name inserted therein, and is. proved to the satisfaction of the court to be so entitled.

14 The court shall expunge from the parish burgess lists the name of every person proved to the court to be dead.

15 Subject as aforesaid, the court shall retain in the parish burgess lists the name of every person to whom objection has not been duly made.

16 The court shall also retain therein the name of every respondent, unless the objector appears by himself, or by some person on his behalf, in support of the objection.

17 Where the objector so appears, the court shall require proof of the respondent's qualification, and, if it is not proved to the satisfaction of the court, shall expunge his name from the parish burgess list.

18 If the name of any person is entered in respect of property situate in more than one ward, the court may call upon him to choose, and if he does not choose, may determine in which of those wards he shall be entitled to vote.

19 The court shall correct any mistake and supply any omission proved to the court to have been made in any of the lists with respect to the name or abode of any person, or the description of any property.

20 The overseers, vestry clerks, and collectors of poor rates of every parish shall attend the court.

21 The court may require any overseer or person having the custody of any book containing any poor rate made in any year in any parish to produce the same at the court for inspection.

22 The court may examine on oath the town clerk, overseers, vestry clerks, and collectors, and any claimant, objector, respondent, or witness.

23 The court shall, on the hearing in open court, determine on the validity of all claims and objections.

24 The mayor shall, in open court, write his initials against each name inserted or expunged, and against any part of the lists in which a mistake has been corrected or omission supplied, and shall sign his name to every page of the lists so revised.

25 The mayor may adjourn the court from time to time, so that no adjourned court be held after the fifteenth of October.