No. VI.
An Act to establish Workhouses. tember, 1866.]
BE

[27th Sep

it enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of New South Wales in Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows :-- 1. The provisions of this Act shall apply to and in respect of the classes of persons following--· (1.) Any person who having no lawful means of support or insufficient lawful means of support shall not being there unto required by any two or more Justices of the Peace before whom he shall be brought or summoned for such purpose in pursuance of the provisions of the Act of Council fifteenth Victoria number four give a good account of his means of support to the satisfaction of such Justices. (2.) Any habitual drunkard who having been thrice convicted of drunkenness within the preceding twelve months shall in any street or public place or place of public resort behave in a riotous or indecent manner. 2. The Governor with the advice of the Executive Council may by Proclamation in the Government Gazette declare any building or place together with any yards enclosures grounds or lands attached thereto to be a " W o r k h o u s e . " 3. The Governor with the like advice may appoint a Superin tendent and such officers and servants as may be necessary for the management of every such Workhouse. 4. The Governor with the like advice may from time to time as occasion may require make regulations for the conduct management and supervision of every such Workhouse and for the employment correction and restraint of such persons as may in manner hereinafter mentioned be committed thereto and for the conduct of the proceedings of the Visitors to be appointed as hereinafter mentioned and such regulations shall immediately after their publication in the Government Gazette be in force Provided that all such regulations shall be laid before Parliament if then sitting within one month after the publication thereof or if Parliament be not then sitting then within one month after the next meeting of Parliament, 5.

5. I t shall be lawful for any two or more Justices of the Peace before whom any person charged with being a person within either of the classes hereinbefore mentioned shall be brought summarily to inquire into such charge and adjudicate thereon and in case the Justices shall adjudge such charge to be established it shall be lawful for them if they shall be satisfied that such person is an irreclaimable drunkard or is not likely to seek for and obtain employment or to otherwise obtain or provide any lawful means of support by warrant under their hands and seals in the form or to the effect set forth in the Schedule to this Act annexed marked A to commit such person to the charge or custody of the Superintendent of any such Workhouse as aforesaid And such person so committed may under the authority of such warrant be detained in any gaol or watch-house until he can be sent to the Workhouse specified therein. 6. The Superintendent of any Workhouse to which any person shall be committed as aforesaid shall have the custody and control of such person until he shall be discharged as hereinafter mentioned. 7. If any person so committed to any Workhouse shall before his discharge be absent therefrom without the leave of the Superin tendent thereof it shall be lawful for any constable to apprehend such person and convey him back to such Workhouse to be delivered into the custody of such Superintendent. 8. I t shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace on oath made before him that any person committed to any Workhouse has left such Workhouse without the leave of the Superintendent to issue his warrant directing such person to be apprehended and taken back to such Workhouse and delivered into the custody of the Superintendent thereof. 9. I t shall be lawful for the Superintendent of any Workhouse to punish any person committed thereto who may leave such Workhouse without permission or disobey any lawful order of such Superintendent or violate or fail to observe any of the regulations of such Workhouse by placing such person in close confinement for any period not exceeding seven days. 10. The Governor with the advice of the Executive Council shall and may appoint some fit and proper persons not less than three nor more than six to be the Visitors of each such Workhouse And some two or more of the respective Visitors for each such Workhouse shall visit the Workhouse of which they are Visitors at least once in every month and shall inquire into the behaviour condition and circumstances of the persons in such Workhouse in the charge or custody of the Superintendent thereof and shall make such other inquiries respecting such persons as they shall deem requisite for the purpose of ascertaining if it is expedient and proper that any of such persons should be discharged from such Workhouse And the said Visitors shall report to the Clerk of the Executive Council for the information of the Governor and the said Council the results of all such inquiries. 11. I t shall be lawful for the Governor with the advice of the Executive Council to order any person committed to any Workhouse to be discharged therefrom at any time. 12. Every such Workhouse as aforesaid shall be maintained by such funds as may be appropriated by Parliament to such purpose. 13. This Act shall come into operation so soon as the Governor with the advice of the Executive Council shall by proclamation in the Government Gazette declare that it shall take effect. 14. This Act may be cited for all purposes as the " Workhouse Act of 1866."
SCHEDULE A.

S C H E D U L E A.

WHEREAS A. B . has been found by us two [or more as the case may be] of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace to be a person within the meaning of the Workhouse Act of 1866 and we are satisfied that such person is an irreclaimable drunkard or a person not likely to seek for and obtain employment or to otherwise obtain or provide any lawful means of support Now we the said Justices do hereby commit the said A . B . to the charge and custody of the Superintendent of the Workhouse at [here name the locality of the Workhouse] there to remain until duly discharged therefrom in accordance with the provisions of the said Act. Given under our hands and seals at day of .A D. this C. D . J . P . E . F. J . P .
(L.B.) (L.B.)