Aye Harbour. Act 1772

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1772 c. 22
Anno Regni GEORGII III. duodecimo. An Act for deepening, cleaning, scouring, preserving, and maintaining, the Harbour ofAyr ; for enlarging and improving the Quays and Piers; for erecting Docks, Breasts, Jettees, and Piers; and for regulating Ships, Lighters, and other Vessels, trading into and going out of the said Harbour; and for other Purposes therein mentioned.

(12 Geo. 3) C A P. XXII.

'WHEREAS the Harbour ofAyr , in the County of Ayr , is not, in its present State, capable of receiving Ships or Vessels of any considerable Burthen: And whereas the Trade of the Town of Ayr , and of Newtown upon Ayr , hath of late Years considerably increased; and the Ships and Vessels employed in that Trade are more numerous and of larger Dimensions, than heretofore: And whereas it would be of great Benefit to the said Trade, that the Harbour of Ayr was cleansed, scoured, deepened, and otherwise improved; and that Rules and Regulations were established for Ships and Vessels coming into or going out of the said Harbour; but as these falutary Purposes cannot be obtained without the Aid of Parliament, may it please Your Majesty that it may be enacted;' and be it enacted by the King'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, Thatit shall and may be lawful to and for the Provost, Two Bailies and Dean of Guild, of the Borough ofAyr ; the first Bailie of the Burgh of Barony of Newtown upon Ayr ; the Sheriff Depute of the County of Ayr , and the Convener of the Trades of Ayr , and their Successors in Office, and the Eight other Persons after mentioned to be chosen by Ballot annually, (as herein after provided for) to deepen, clean, scour, and preserve, the said Harbour of Ayr , and the Improvements and Additions which shall be made thereto by virtue of this present Act, from Dirt, Mud, and other Obstructions whatsoever; and also to raise, repair, and make sufficient, or cause to be raised, repaired, and made sufficient, the Dykes, Piers, Quays, and other Works, at present belonging to the said Harbour of Ayr ; and to alter and extend the same, or any Part thereof, as the said Trustees, or any Five or more of them, shall judge to be necessary for the more effectual Improvement of the said Harbour, and for scouring and cleansing the Bed and Channel of the River of Ayr , from the said Harbour to the Bay of Ayr ; and likewise to build, erect, or cause to be built or erected, in the said Harbour, Piers, Quays, Jettees, Breasts, Dock or Docks, Lock or Locks, and other necessary Works for the Improvement of the said Harbour; and to fix and maintain such Buoys, Moorings, Lamps, Light-houses, and other Land marks, as shall be judged necessary by the said Trustees, or any Five or more of them; and to do, or cause to be done, such other and further Works as shall be proper and necessary for the Safety and Reception of Ships and Vessels resorting to the said Harbour, and for the more convenient lading and unlading of such Ships and Vessels.

S-II who are annually to be appointed Trustees.

II who are annually to be appointed Trustees.

II. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Provost, Two Bailies, and Dean of Guild, of the Borough ofAyr ; the first Bailie of the Borough of Barony of Newton upon Ayr ; the Sheriff Depute of the County of Ayr , and the Convener of the Trades of Ayr , and their Successors in Office, and the Eight Persons before and after mentioned, (to be chosen annually by Ballot, as herein after provided for) shall be, and they are hereby appointed Trustees for putting this Act in Execution, and for the better effecting the Ends and Purposes of the same.

S-III What Harbour Duties are to paid.

III What Harbour Duties are to paid.

III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the First Day ofJune , in the Year of Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy-two, it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Trustees, or any Five or more of them, and such Person or Persons as they shall appoint, to demand, collect, receive, and take, (over and above all Duties at present subsisting, and which are levied by the Magistrates and Town Council of the Burgh of Ayr , on Ships, Vessels, Barks, Lighters, and Boats, coming in or going out of the said Harbour of Ayr ) of and from all and every the Masters and Owners of any Ships, Vessels, Barks, and Lighters, importing into or exporting from the Harbour of Ayr , any Kind of Goods or Merchandise, the Sum of Sixpence Sterling for each and every Ton which such Ships, Vessels, Barks, and Lighters, shall measure; and of and from the Masters and Owners of Vessels, above the Burthen of Seventy Tons, carrying out Coals, Three-pence Sterling for each Ton the same shall measure; and for all Vessels, of the Burthen of Seventy Tons or under, carrying Coals outward-bound, Two-pence Sterling for each Ton; and of and from the Masters or Owners of all Ships, Barks, and Lighters, arriving in the Harbour of Ayr , or put into the same by Stress of Weather, or otherwise, when neither the Ship is sold, nor any Part of the Cargo is landed, Three-pence Sterling for each and every Ton.

S-IV Exemptions from Duties.

IV Exemptions from Duties.

IV. Provided always, That all Ships and other Vessels, under the Burthen of Seventy Tons, coming into the said Harbour with Limestone, or any other Manure for the Improvement of Land, and going out in Ballast only, and all Vessels or Boats of Seven Tons or under, coming into the said Harbour with Fish, shall be, and are hereby declared to be, exempted from the Rates and Duties by this Act imposed; and that all Ships and other Vessels, for which the Rates and Duties by this Act imposed shall be paid on coming into the said Harbour, shall be permitted to depart from the same, without paying the said Rates and Duties a Second Time.

S-V Ships and Vessels to be measured;

V Ships and Vessels to be measured;

V. And be it also further enacted, That the Masters and Owners of all Ships, Vessels, Barks, and Lighters, trading to and from the said Harbour, and liable to the Payment of the Rates and Duties by this Act imposed, shall permit and suffer the said Ships, Vessels, Barks, and Lighters, to be measured by the said Trustees, or by such Person or Persons as they shall, from Time to Time, appoint for that Purpose; and shall pay the Rates and Rates aforesaid according to such Measurement; and that every Owner or Master aforesaid who shall refuse to have his or their Ship, Vessel,Bark, or Lighter, measured as aforesaid, shall, for every such Offence, respectively forfeit and pay to the said Trustees the Sum of Five Pounds Sterling.

S-VI Trustees to appoint Collectors, Receivers, and other Officers,

VI Trustees to appoint Collectors, Receivers, and other Officers,

VI. and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Trustees to nominate and appoint a Collector or Collectors, Receiver or Receivers, for levying the Rates and Duties by this Act granted, and such other Officers and Servants as they shall judge necessary to be employed under them for carrying the same into Execution; and, from Time to Timer, to remove such Officers and Servants, or any of them, and to appoint others in their Stead; and to settle such reasonable Fees or Salaries for them as to the said Trustees shall appear to be just and proper: And that all and every the Collectors and Receivers of the said Rates and Duties shall keep fair and regular Books and Accounts of all Monies received under the Authority of this Act, (which Books and Accounts shall be open and patent to the said Trustees at all Times when they shall demand Inspection of the same) and shall pay and dispose thereof in such Manner as by the said Trustees shall be directed; and that the Collector or Collectors, Person or Persons, so to be appointed to receive the said Rates and Duties, and all and every of them, shall give good and sufficient Security to the said Trustees, for answering and paying the Monies arising from the same, and which shall be by him or them respectively collected or received, and shall make Oath to the Truth of his or their Accounts so often as required; and that it shall be in the Power of the said Trustees to let in Lease, to the best Bidder or Bidders, at publick Roup or Sale for that Purpose appointed, and advertised in all theEdinburgh and Glasgow News-papers Two several Times, Fourteen Days at least before such Roup or Sale, the Rates and Duties aforesaid, for any Term or Space not exceeding Three Years.

S-VII General Accounts of Receipts and Payments to be stated.

VII General Accounts of Receipts and Payments to be stated.

VII. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That the said Trustees shall, and they are hereby required, annually, at their General Meeting, which will be held on the FirstWednesday of June in every Year, to make up, and prepare a general State and Account of all the Receipts and Payments for the Year immediately preceding, and an Account of all the Debts and Sums of Money which they owe at the Time, and on or before the Twenty-fourth Day of the same Month, to affix, or cause to be affixed, such State and Accounts, (signed by the Preses of the aforesaid General Meeting) on One of the most publick and accessible Places within the Custom-house of Ayr , for the Inspection of all Persons having an Interest in the same.

S-VIII Evading the Payment of the Duties, how to be prevented.

VIII Evading the Payment of the Duties, how to be prevented.

'VIII. And to prevent any Delay or Evasion in the Payment of the Rates and Duties aforesaid,' be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said First Day ofJune , One thousand seven hundred and seventy-two, there shall be produced to the Collector, or other Officers of His Majesty's Customs at...

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