Continuance of Laws Act 1758
The Continuance of Laws Act 1758 (32 Geo. 2. c. 23) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that continued various older acts.
Background
In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed. Many acts of parliament, however, contained time-limited sunset clauses, requiring legislation to revive enactments that had expired or to continue enactments that would otherwise expire.[1]
Provisions
Continued enactments
Section 1 of the act continued section 19 of the Trade with Africa Act 1697 (9 Will. 3. c. 26) "for allowing during a limited time a drawback of the duties upon the exportation of copper bars imported", as revived and continued by the Poor Act 1712 (12 Ann. c. 18), and the provision in section 5 of the Poor Act 1712 (12 Ann. c. 18) that provided that drawback on copper would be allowed on imports from the East Indies and the coast of Barbary, as continued by the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1726 (13 Geo. 1. c. 27), the Making of Sail Cloth, etc. Act 1741 (15 Geo. 2. c. 35) and the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1753 (26 Geo. 2. c. 32), from the expiration of those enactments until the end of the next session of parliament after 24 June 1766.[2]
Section 2 of the act continued the Silk Subsidies, Various Duties, Import of Furs, etc. Act 1721 (8 Geo. 1. c. 15) as relates to the encouragement of the silk manufactures of the kingdom, as continued by the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1724 (11 Geo. 1. c. 29), the Unlawful Games Act 1728 (2 Geo. 2. c. 28), the Continuance of Laws Act 1734 (8 Geo. 2. c. 18), the Making of Sail Cloth, etc. Act 1741 (15 Geo. 2. c. 35), the Stamps Act 1746 (20 Geo. 2. c. 45) and the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1753 (26 Geo. 2. c. 32), from the expiration of those enactments until the end of the next session of parliament after 24 June 1766.[2]
Section 3 of the act continued the Preservation of Woods, America Act 1728 (2 Geo. 2. c. 35) "as relates to the premiums upon malts, yards, and bowsprits, tar, pitch, and turpentine", as continued by the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1739 (13 Geo. 2. c. 28), the Continuance of Laws Act 1750 (24 Geo. 2. c. 52) and the Growth of Coffee, etc. Act 1751 (25 Geo. 2. c. 35), from the expiration of those enactments until the end of the next session of parliament after 24 June 1766.[2]
Section 4 of the act provided that the quantity of tar in each barrel intituled to a bounty would be greater than 32 gallons.[2]
Section 5 of the act continued the Growth of Coffee Act 1731 (5 Geo. 2. c. 24), as continued by the Continuance of Laws Act 1737 (11 Geo. 2. c. 18), the Growth of Coffee Act 1745 (19 Geo. 2. c. 23) and the Growth of Coffee, etc. Act 1751 (25 Geo. 2. c. 35), from the expiration of the act until the end of the next session of parliament after 24 June 1766.[2]
Section 6 of the act continued the Sail Cloth Act 1745 (19 Geo. 2. c. 27), as continued by the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1753 (26 Geo. 2. c. 32), until the end of the next session of parliament after 24 June 1766.[2]
Section 7 of the act provided relief for persons who had neglected to pay stamp duties on apprenticeship indentures by allowing them to pay the omitted duties before 1 September 1759, after which the indentures would be stamped and made legally valid, with all penalties for such neglect discharged.[2]
Section 8 of the act provided that persons who had neglected to make certain affidavits or attestations before 1 September 1759, could still make and file them as if made within the respective times required by law, with all penalties, forfeitures, incapacities, and disabilities discharged for such neglect or omission.[2]
Legacy
The Select Committee on Temporary Laws, Expired or Expiring, appointed in 1796, inspected and considered all temporary laws, observing irregularities in the construction of expiring laws continuance acts, making recommendations and emphasising the importance of the Committee for Expired and Expiring Laws.[3]
The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c. 59).
Notes
- ^ Start of session.
References
- ^ Imprisonment in Medieval England. CUP Archive. p. 345.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Britain, Great (1766). Statutes at Large ...: (43 v.) ... From Magna charta to 1800. Vol. 22. pp. 463–467.
- ^ Commons, Great Britain Parliament House of (1803). Reports from Committees of the House of Commons which Have Been Printed by Order of the House: And are Not Inserted in the Journals [1715-1801. Vol. 14. pp. 34–118.