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REGULATIONS

FOR

Managing the HOSPITAL, &c.

CHAP. I.

§. 1. The Regulations of the CORPORATION.

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HIS CORPORATION is empowered, by Charter and Act of Parliament, to

act, either in an Affembly of the Governors and Guardians, which is called a General Court or Meeting; or by a select Number or Committee, which is called the General Committee, for managing the Estates and Effects of the Hofpital; which Committee is to be chofen annually by the General Court.

§. 2. GENERAL COURTS.

General Courts must consist of thirteen Governors at least; and in them the President, or in his

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Absence the Vice-Prefident first named in the Lift of Vice-Prefidents, which is always to be made alphabetically, prefides. In cafe no Vice-Prefident is prefent, the Treasurer is to prefide; to keep Order and Decency; to explain the Business of the Affembly; to put Questions, and that by way of Ballot, if demanded; to declare the Numbers of the Ballot, and in cafe of an Equality of Votes, he has a double or cafting Vote.

No Court is adjourned, but by Consent of the Majority of Governors prefent.

Previous to the holding any General Court, three Days Notice is given in the Gazette; which Notice expreffes the Purpose for which fuch Court is to be held.

The Ordinary General Courts appointed by the Charter, are an Annual Court for the Election of the Committee, and Quarterly Courts for other Purposes; but Extraordinary Courts may be called, if Occafion requires.

Fourteen Days previous to this Court, the Secretary is to caufe a Lift to be printed of the -Names of the General Committee, and of all the Governors, and alfo the Regulations con-cerning Elections.

The Annual Court is held on the fecond Wednesday in May, for electing a President, Six Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a General Committee, and a Secretary.

If the Election is not completed on that Day, the Court may be adjourned, and the Election -completed at any Time within forty Days after.

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§. 4. The METHOD of ELECTIONS.

Elections are made by Ballot: Two Scrutineers are nominated and chosen by the Majority of hands prefent, before the Ballot begins, which is at Eleven o'clock in the Forenoon, and at Two in the Afternoon the Ballot fhall be closed.

When any Governor offers to vote, his Name is marked in a Lift of Governors, by the Secretary and he is to deliver the Lift of the Names of the Perfons he votes for, to the Perfon who prefides, who fhall immediately put it into a proper Glafs.

The Prefident, Six Vice-Presidents, and the Treasurer, are first chofen, and they are always Part of the General Committee.

When they are chofen, fifty-four other of the Governors are elected, who together with them conftitute the General Committee, for managing and tranfacting the Affairs of the Hofpital, the Year enfuing, and till others fhall be chofen in their Room.

In the Election, every Lift containing the Names of more than two thirds of the Perfons which were elected the preceding Year, fhall be totally rejected.

All Difputes concerning the Election of this Committee are determined by the Majority of the Governors present.

When the General Committee is chofen, the Reader, and Secretary also, are chosen by Ballot.

§. 5. QUARTERLY COURTS,

These are to be held on the first Wednesday after Lady-Day, Midfummer, Michaelmas, and Christmas-Day.

At thefe Courts, and at no other, Leases may be executed, and By-laws made; which By-laws are not binding, till confirmed by the fubfequent Court.

At the Quarterly Court next after Christmas, a Committee confifting of feven Governors, who are not of the General Committee, are to be appointed for auditing the Accounts of this Corporation, according to the By-Law for that Purpose.

At the Quarterly Court held next after LadyDay, the Report of the faid Committee is received; and, if then approved, is figned by thirteen Governors, and ordered to be printed.

At any of thefe General Meetings, Governors and Guardians may be elected, who have been Benefactors to the amount of 50 l. or who have been nominated at any preceding Meeting, or have been recommended by the General Committee.

Extraordinary Courts are called by the Prefident, at the Requeft of the General Committee, figned by their Secretary, or of any feven Governors, figned by them according to the ByLaw for that Purpose.

$ 6. GENERAL COMMITTEE.

The General Committee, or any seven or more of them, have Power to manage and transact the Affairs

Affairs of this Corporation, according to fuch Rules and Directions as fhall be made and established, from Time to Time, by General Courts; but, for a readier Difpatch of Bufinefs, they appoint Sub-Committees, giving them fuch Power as they think proper.

In the General Committee all Questions are determined by the Majority, by Ballot, when demanded.

The Chairman has a double or casting Vote, when the Votes are equal. This Committee elects the inferior Officers and Servants, and removes them when they misbehave; they make all Contracts and Agreements which are registered in a Book: they appoint the Infpectors, and order the Difpofition of Children, from their Reception until their Discharge, giving proper Directions to the Infpectors, and regulating the Agreements with Nurses, Masters, and Mistresses, or other Perfons with whom they are placed. This Committee takes care

That the Cloathing of the Hofpital be provided of the Manufacture of Great-Britain or Ireland:

That Patterns of each Sort be kept by the Steward:

That the Goods be not paid for before they have been viewed by him, found conformable. to the Patterns, and the Bills of Parcels certified by him:

That the Books of the Hofpital be regularly kept:

That Debts and Legacies be recovered when due:

That all Legacies be entered in a Book:

That