Inclosure Act 1848

6 Rating officer may be appointed for repairing private and common ponds, ditches, &c. U.K.

Where the expences of repairing, cleansing, and maintaining any private or occupation roads and ways, common ponds, ditches, watercourses, embankments, tunnels, or bridges shall have been directed to be raised by rate as aforesaid, a meeting shall be called by the commissioners of the owners of the lands subject to such rate, at such time after the confirmation of the award as the commissioners shall by notice on the church door appoint; and the major part in value of such owners present, by themselves or their agent authorized in this behalf, at such meeting shall elect a fit person to be rating officer; and every such officer so to be elected as aforesaid, or to be elected or re-elected at any subsequent meeting, shall continue in office until the expiration of fifteen days after the day of the annual meeting of such owners then next following, and no longer, unless he shall be re-elected at such annual meeting; and such owners shall ever after such first meeting meet for the election of a rating officer on the first Monday in February in every year; and the owners assembled at such meetings shall from time to time fix, increase, or diminish the salary or payment to be made to every such rating officer; and any such rating officer may be removed by four fifths in value of the owners of such lands present, by themselves or their agents authorized in this behalf, at any meeting called for the purpose, by fourteen days notice on the church door, under the hands of any two such owners; and in case any such rating officer shall die while he shall hold such office, or shall be removed as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the majority in value of owners of such lands present as aforesaid at any meeting which upon such vacancy any two owners may call, by fourteen days notice on the church door, to appoint a rating officer in his place, who shall hold the office until the expiration of fifteen days after the then next annual meeting; and a certificiate in writing, under the hands and seals of two justices of the peace, of the election of any rating officer, (which certificate any two justices of the peace are authorized, if they think fit, to give, on the request and upon the declaration of any owner of such lands, or the agent of any such owner, present at the meeting at which the election shall have taken place,) shall, in all matters and proceeding whatsoever in which any acts done by any rating officer in the execution of his office shall be in question, be evidence that he was duly appointed rating officer.