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Sufficient and commodious sessions houses to be provided.
Commissioners of public works to build sessions houses in certain cases.
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14. If, in any town or place at which the lord lieutenant hath directed or may hereafter direct that a quarter sessions of the peace, or any adjournment thereof, shall be holden for the despatch of civil or criminal business, there be not a sufficiently commodious or convenient sessions house, it shall be lawful to and for the said lord lieutenant to direct any architect or engineer as he shall deem advisable to prepare such specifications, maps, plans, sections, and elevations as may be necessary for the erection of a sessions house, therein expressing the nature and probable expence of the works, and the materials proper to be employed, and the same shall be delivered to the secretary of the grand jury, who shall lay the same, together with the copy of the warrant of the lord lieutenant, before the grand jury, at the presenting term next after the time at which he shall receive the same; and the grand jury shall examine such specifications, maps, plans, sections, and elevations, and such others as may be laid before them, and either adopt the same, or make such alterations therein as they may think proper, or reject the same, and shall present that a proper and sufficient sessions house shall be provided or built in such town or place within the period of one year from the last day of such presenting term, and that a sum not exceeding one thousand pounds shall be levied off the county for that purpose at one time, or by instalments to be completed within the period of five years; and the architect or engineer shall thereupon prepare a proper form of tender for the execution of such work, and shall deliver the same to the secretary of the grand jury, who shall forthwith advertise for tenders for the execution thereof, and shall lay the same, together with the presentment, and the specifications, maps, plans, sections, and elevations, as approved of by the grand jury, and the tenders for execution thereof, before the next adjourned presentment sessions holden for the county at large; and the tenders that shall be made for the execution of such works shall be opened at such sessions, and dealt with in all respects in like manner as any other tender for a work approved of and presented is: Provided always, that if such presentment shall not be made, and a valid contract for, executing such work shall not be entered into, within the period of two calendar months from the last day of the presenting term in which such warrant shall have been laid before the grand jury, it shall be lawful for the lord lieutenant to direct the commissioners of public works in Ireland to build or provide such sessions house; and on the production to the grand jury at any presenting term of the certificate of the secretary of such commissioners that a sum not exceeding the sum of one thousand pounds has been expended in building such sessions house and purchasing a site for the same, or for either of such purposes, the grand jury shall and they are hereby required to present the sum so certified to be levied off such county in one payment, and to be paid to the secretary of the said commissioners, in satisfaction of the sum so expended: Provided also, that in case the said commissioners of public works shall find it convenient to take a lease of any premises for the purpose of building such sessions house thereon they shall be at liberty to do so, and to engage to pay an annual or other rent for the same, not exceeding the sum of fifty pounds per annum, and the grand jury shall and they are hereby required from time to time to present a sum equal to the amount of such rent, to be levied off the county, and paid in discharge of the same.
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