Be it Enacted by his Excellency Gabriel Johnston Esqr. Governour the Council and Assembly, That the Justices of the Several Precinct Courts in the County of Bath, shall have Power every year in Court to nominate and appoint so many Commissioners as they shall think are necessary for laying out directing and manageing the Several Roads Highways and Bridges, as also for clearing and keeping clean the several Rivers and Creeks within the precinct and Districts aforesaid; and that the several Commissioners so appointed shall and are hereby impowered to meet at the several Court Houses or any such other place as the majority of them shall think more convenient, and as often as they shall think proper, and that the several Commissioners so appointed, or the majority so meet, be impowered to issue their Warrants directing any Constable or other person to summons such persons as are by this Act directed and ordered to work on the said Roads Highways Bridges Rivers and Creeks.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if the Constable or other person so directed, shall refuse or neglect to Execute the same, that then the Commissioners or the Majority of them, are hereby impowered and directed to issue their Warrants under their hands and Seals to some other Constable, to Levy on such persons so neglecting or refuseing to execute the same, the Sum of Ten pounds for every such neglect or refusal. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any person so summoned, shall refuse or neglect to come and send such persons or Slaves as are by this Act declared to be Tithables to work on the several Roads Highways Bridges Rivers and Creeks, on such neglect or refusal, the Commissioners or the Majority of them are hereby directed and impowered as aforesaid to Levy on such person for every such Tithable, the sum of Twenty shillings for every day he or they so neglect or refuse to come and work on the said Roads highways Bridges Rivers and Creeks And that the several Overseers appointed for working and managing the Slaves put under them be hereby directed and impowered on the misbehaviour of any such Slave to give moderate Correction, of which the Commissioners shall be sole Judges. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Commissioners of the precincts and districts aforesaid, are impowered to farm out or agree with any person or persons, to make mend or keep in repair any Roads Highways or Bridges, or to cleanse and keep clear any Rivers or Creeks or any particular parts of them in their precincts or Districts, and to raise such sums of money proportionably on the Inhabitants and Slaves, as are by this Act liable to work on the said Roads Highways Bridges Rivers and Creeks, to be levyed or collected in such manner as aforesaid. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all White males, as also Male slaves from the Age of Sixteen to Sixty, are deemed and held to be lyable to work on the several Roads Highways Bridges Rivers and Creeks in the precincts aforesaid and no other person whatsoever, and that the Several Roads Highways and Bridges be made mended kept in repair and altered, also the several rivers and Creeks to be clensed and kept clean, at the eaqual charge and labour of such persons as aforesaid. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if the Commissioners in the precincts aforesaid shall find or discover that any persons heretofore has fallen and thrown any Timber or Trees into any Navigable River or Creek where any craft can or could go, that in such case the Commissioners shall have power to order and direct such person or persons to take out the same, or remove out of the way, so that they do not hinder the Navigation, allowing the person so long time for doing the same as they shall think proper: And on such persons not complying in such case the Commissioners or the major part of them, are hereby impowered to levy so much money on such persons as they shall judge will be sufficient to give any other person who will undertake the doing the same.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Commissioners in each of their respective precincts and districts, be impowered, and they are hereby impowered, to pay out of any Sums of money that may arise by any distress on any persons neglecting and refuseing to pay Obedience to this Act, or by any other reasonable assessment, all such sums of money as they shall think may be necessary to pay any Surveyor or Surveyors, Constable Overseer or any other person that shall be employed about the said Roads Highways Bridges Rivers or Creeks. And be it further Enacted that all the Fines Penalties and forfeitures acrueing and arising by this Act, shall be applyed for such uses on the several Roads Highways Bridges Rivers and Creeks as the Commissioners shall agree or direct.

And be it further Enacted that the Commissioners appointed by virtue of this Act, shall be accountable to the Succeding Commissioners for all sums of money raised on the Inhabitants, or received by fines and Forfeitures in this Act Expressed.

CO 5/333, fs. 5-6b
This act was not included in the revisal of 1749.