17 February 1774

and Alterations necessary to be done to Hicks Hall into Execution without
the Assistance of Parliament

And the Committee further Report

That since the Date of the above resolutions some doubts having arrisen
as to the powers of the said Act the Committee resolved that the Opinion
of Counsel should be taken whether the Justices of the Peace for this County
have a power under the said Act to order and direct Hicks Hall to be
repaired and to Assess the County for the sums of Money expended in the
said Repair and the Clerk was thereupon order'd to prepare a Case for
Counsels opinion That the Clerk having accordingly prepared and laid the
following Case before the Committee (Vizt.) Case By an Act of the 9th of George
the third Chap 20. It is Enacted That it shall and may be lawful for The
Justices of the Peace in their respective General or Quarter Sessions or the
Greater part of them then and there Assembled within the Limits of their
Commissions upon presentment of the Grand Jury at the Assizes or Great
Sessions or General Goal Delivery held for the said County at their Shire Hall
or other Building usually made use of for the Holding the Assizes or Great
Sessions within such County of the ill State and condition of any such
Shire Hall or other building and the necessity of repairing the same to order
and direct in pursuance of such presentment such Shire Hall or other Building
to be repaired in such Manner as they in their discretions shall think fit
and shall Assess and Rate all and every sum and sums of Money which
shall be laid out and expended in repairing the same upon the several
Hundreds Lathes Wapentakes Rapes Cities Towns Parishes Townships
Wards or other Division of the said County

The County of Middlesex have no Assizes or Great Session and
the Session of General Goal Delivery for the said County is held at
Justice Hall in the Old Bailey which is in the Suburbs of the City of