Item

Jan 6, 1818
Overseers of Poor Petition for Relief re 1817 influx of immigrants
"That in consequence of the extraordinary influx of emigrants from Ireland into this part of the province during the last season, this parish has been encumbered with the maintenance of a number of aged, feeble, and diseased persons, and in some instances whole families, in a most wretched and distressed situation. Your petitioners from motives of duty and humanity have exerted themselves to the utmost to relive or at all events to mitigate the sufferings of those unfortunate persons, by procuring them shelter in and about the own of SA, with food, raiment and medical attendance, notwithstanding which several of them died of fever contracted on the passage, and communicated the distemper t those with whom they were boarded, to such a degree, as rendered them equally the objects of public charity. That at the general sessions of the peace for the County of Charlotte in April last an assessment was ordered for this parish by the Justices, for 120 pounds and at another sessions in September following an additional assessment of 70 pounds, but those sums falling so far short of what was immediately wanted, your petitioners were obliged to solicit a loan from individuals in SA and also make very considerable advances toward the support of those distressed objects, relying upon the justice and liberality of your Honorable House to relieve them from the unprecedented and responsible situation in which they are now placed. Your petitioners respectfully suggest to your Honorable house the expediency of passing an act to prevent in future the indiscriminate admission of emigrants from the Mother Country to this province without some security given to indemnify the parish they may arrive at having found from experience that a large proportion of those who possess the means of removing have gone to the United states, leaving behind only such as your petitioners have been obliged to provide for. Under all the circumstances your petitioners are induced to request that your honorable house will grant them the sum of 170 pounds to remunerate them for the extraordinary expenses already incurred as aforesaid, as will appear by their certified account herewith."

Jan 27, 1818
Act to convey commons land for erection of poor house
"Whereas from the late great influx of poor and disabled persons into the county of Charlotte it is found necessary to erect a poor house and work house in the town of SA, Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant Governor, Council and Assembly, that the Justices of the Peace for the County of charlotte, in their General Session be and they are herby authorized and empowered to agree fro the erecting and finishing of a proper building, for a poor House and Work House in the town or Parish of Saint Andrews, and to fix upon a certain sum of money toward defraying the expense thereof, which sum of money shall be raised by an assessment upon the inhabitants of the said County . . . ; And be it further enacted that it shall and my be lawful for the Governor or Commander in Chief of this Province . . . to appoint so many persons, not exceeding seven, nor less than five, of whom two shall be Justices of Peace for the said County as he shall think fit, to be Commissioners for superintending and managing he said building . . . ; and shall have power and authority at their discretion to compel such idle or poor people begging or seeking relief, as do not betake themselves to some lawful employment, or who do or shall hereafter seek and receive alms of any of the Parishes within the said county, or may stand in need of relief from any of the said Parishes, to work in the said poor house and work house, and to do all such work as they shall think them able and fit for, and shall have the same powers to bind out poor children apprentices as are by the laws of this province given to the overseers of the Poor in the several Towns or Parishes; And be it further enacted that the said Commissioners to be appointed as aforesaid, shall have power to make such rules orders, and regulations for the good government and management of the said poor house and work house, as they shall find necessary, . . . and to inflict such correction and punishment by solitary confinement from time to time, as to them shall seem reasonable on any person or persons within the said Poor House or Work House who shall be so set to work and shall not conform to such rules, orders and regulation to be made or aforesaid, or shall misbehave in the same; . . . and be it further enacted that the profits of any work or labor to be performed under the direction of the said Commissioners shall e clearly accounted for by them, and shall be applied towards the support and maintenance of the persons inhabiting within the said poor house and work house; and be it further enacted that until such time as a proper building shall be erected and prepared within the said town or parish of S for the purposes by this act contemplated it shall and may be lawful for the Commissioners to be appointed as herein before mentioned, to hire and make such use of any other house within the said town or parish which they shall think fit and convenient as is by this Act prescribed."a