Labourers (Ireland) Act 1883
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1883 c. 60 |
| Year | 1883 |
Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1883
(46 & 47 Vict.) CHAPTER. 60.
An Act to better the condition of Labourers in Ireland.
[25th August 1883]
B E it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
1 Short title.
1. This Act may be cited for all purposes as theLabourers (Ireland) Act, 1883.
2 Extent of Act.
2. This Act shall extend to Ireland only.
3 Description of rural sanitary districts and rural sanitary authority.
3. For the purposes of this Act the terms ‘rural sanitary district’ (herein-after called the sanitary district) and ‘rural sanitary authority’ (herein-after called the sanitary authority) shall have the meanings assigned to them respectively by the sixth section of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, and this Act shall, in so far as is consistent with the scope and tenor thereof, be construed as one with the said Act.
Scheme by Sanitary Authority.
4 Sanitary authority to make improvement scheme.
4. Where a representation as herein-after mentioned is made to the sanitary authority that the existing house accommodation for agricultural labourers and their families within any section of the sanitary district, to be defined in such representation, is deficient, having regard to the ordinary requirements of the district, or is unfit for human habitation owing to dilapidation, the want of light, air, ventilation, or proper conveniences, or to any other sanitary defects, and that such deficiency or sanitary defects cannot be effectually remedied otherwise than by an improvement scheme for the erection of other dwellings in lieu of or in addition to the dwellings already existing in the section, the sanitary authority shall take such representation into their consideration at a meeting of which not less than fourteen days public notice has been given, and of which a special notice has been sent to each member of the sanitary authority not less than fourteen days before the day of meeting, and if satisfied of the truth thereof, and of the sufficiency of their resources, shall pass a resolution that an improvement scheme ought to be made in respect of such section, and after passing such resolution they shall forthwith proceed to make a scheme for the improvement of such section.
The sanitary authority may from time to time postpone their decision as to passing a resolution, or may postpone the making of a scheme, to any subsequent meeting specified by them at the time of such postponement, and in such case not less than three days notice of such meeting shall be sent to each member of the sanitary authority.
Two or more sections may be included. in one improvement scheme.
The Local Government Board may, if they think fit, exercise for the purposes of this Act the powers conferred upon them by the twelfth section of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, of forming two or more sanitary districts or contributory places into a united district, as if the purposes of this Act were among the purposes specified in the said section; and the provisions of section thirteen of the said Act as to the governing body of a united district, and of section fourteen as to the constitution of a joint board, shall apply in the case of such united district, and such united district shall be deemed to be a rural sanitary district for the purposes of this Act.
5 Representation by whom to be made.
5. A representation in pursuance of the last preceding section shall mean a representation signed by not less than twelve persons rated for the relief of the poor within the sanitary district; provided that if, after the area upon which the cost of the scheme is to be charged shall have been proposed by the sanitary authority, it shall appear that less than twelve of the persons who shall have signed the representation are resident within the said area, then the said representation, and all proceedings consequent thereon, shall cease to be of any force or validity, unless within one month after the making of the scheme an approval in writing of the said representation and proceedings shall be signed and forwarded to the sanitary authority by so many additional persons, rated as aforesaid and resident within the said area, as, with those who shall have already signed the representation and are resident within the said area, shall make up the number of twelve. The representation, if made on the ground of insufficient house accommodation, shall set forth specific instances of such insufficiency, and if made on the ground of sanitary defects shall be accompanied by a certificate of a sanitary officer of the sanitary authority to which the representation is made in corroboration of the sanitary defects alleged. The representation shall also define the section to which the scheme is to apply, and shall contain a suggestion on the part of the signatories as to the locality or localities in their opinion most suitable for the erection of the proposed new dwellings.
6 Requisites of improvement scheme of sanitary authority.
6. The improvement scheme of a sanitary authority shall be accompanied by maps, particulars, and estimates; it may exclude any part of the section in respect of which a representation is made, or may include any neighbouring lands within that district if the sanitary authority are of opinion that such exclusion is expedient or inclusion is necessary for making their scheme efficient for the purposes for which it is intended; it shall distinguish the lands proposed to be taken compulsorily. It shall further propose the erection of a sufficient number of labourers cottages so as to provide for the accommodation of the labouring class in suitable dwellings, with the requisite approaches to such dwellings; it shall also provide for proper sanitary arrangements, and for a plot or garden not exceeding half a statute acre being allotted to each dwelling. It may also provide for such scheme or any part thereof being, carried out and effected by the person entitled to the first estate of freehold in any property subject to the scheme or with the concurrence of such person, under the superintendence and control of the sanitary authority, and upon such terms and conditions to be embodied in the scheme as may be a greed upon between the sanitary authority and such person. The scheme shall also specify the area which the sanitary authority propose as the area upon which the cost to be incurred in carrying the scheme into execution shall be charged. The scheme shall avoid all interference with the demesne and amenity of residence of the owner of the lands proposed to be taken, or with any home farm, or lands immediately adjoining and customarily occupied with such residence, and in all cases lands shall be selected with due regard to the general situation and convenience of the owner's property, so as to diminish the value thereof as little as possible.
Confirmation of Scheme.
7 Proceedings for the confirmation of the Improvement scheme.
7. Upon the completion of an improvement scheme the sanitary authority shall publish during three consecutive weeks in the month of September, or October, or November in some two or more newspapers circulating within the jurisdiction of the sanitary authority, an advertisement stating the fact of a scheme having been made, the limits of the section to which the scheme relates, the estimated cost of carrying the scheme into effect, and the proposed area of charge, and naming a convenient place where a copy of the scheme may be seen at all reasonable hours: and during the month next following the month in which such advertisement is published serve a notice on every owner or reputed owner, lessee or reputed lessee, and occupier of any lands proposed to be taken compulsorily, so far as such persons can reasonably be ascertained, stating that such lands are proposed to be taken compulsorily for the purpose of an improvement scheme, and in the case of any owner or reputed owner, lessee or reputed lessee, requiring an answer stating whether the person so served dissents or not in respect of taking such lands, such notice to be served—
One notice addressed to the occupier or occupiers without naming him or them and left at any house shall be deemed to be a notice served on the occupier or on all the occupiers of any such house.
Upon compliance with the provisions contained in this section with respect to the publication of advertisements and the service of notices, the...
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