THE HANDY BOOK OF PARISH LAW BY Hillion cAndrews W. A. HOLDSWORTH, ESQ. OF GRAY'S INN, BARRISTER-AT-LAW AN ENTIRELY NEW AND REVISED EDITION LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS, LIMITED 1891 XXV.-Of Corrupt and Illegal Practices at the Election of Members of Boards of and the Metropolis Common Poor Fund 219 XXVII. Of the Powers of Justices of the Peace in the Administration of the Poor Laws XXIX. Of Assistant Overseers and Collectors PREFACE TO THE ELEVENTH EDITION. THE object of the following work is to present within a small compass a popular and practical statement of the most important portions of parochial law. Few subjects have a wider interest; for the parish is the unit of that great system of local self-government which is the foundation of English freedom. And although that self-government is now conducted to a considerable extent, in larger districts, through more complicated arrangements, and with a greater interference on the part of the Government of the country, than formerly, the ancient parochial organization is in many important respects untouched, while in almost every instance where this is not the case, the old is wisely incorporated with the new machinery. Notwithstanding all the innovations introduced by modern legislation, it is still the province of "parish law" to regulate our rights and duties in regard to the Established Church. It is by parish officers that the highways of the country are maintained and preserved. To them is committed the execution of recent acts for improving the sanitary condition of the country. They are still in some degree responsible for the preserva |