The Short Title of this Act is “The Thames Harbour Board Act, 1890.”

This Act shall be and be deemed to be a special Act within the meaning of “The Harbours Act, 1878,” which Act and all the Acts amending the same shall be incorporated with this Act so far as the provisions thereof are not inconsistent herewith or repugnant hereto.

In this Act, if not inconsistent with the context,—

The Thames Harbour Board shall be and be deemed to be a Harbour Board constituted under “The Harbours Act, 1878,” and this Act.

The members of the Board at the time this Act comes into operation shall continue to hold office until the second Monday in the month of February, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one, on which day they shall go out of office; but any vacancies occurring prior to such last-mentioned date shall be filled up as if this Act had not been passed.

The Board shall, from and after the second Monday in the month of February, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one, consist of nine members, of whom five shall form a quorum; and such members shall be respectively appointed or elected as follows:—

On the second Monday in the month of February in every alternate year the Governor shall appoint two persons to be members of the Board, who shall hold office from the date of their appointment until the appointment of their successors. The first of such appointments shall be made on the second Monday in the month of February, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one.

On the second Monday in the month of February in every alternate year there shall be an election of the elective members of the Board, and the first election of such members shall be held on the second Monday in February, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one; and such members shall come into office on their election, and shall hold office from the time of their election until the election of their successors.

A certificate under the corporate seal of a local body that any person or persons named therein has or have been appointed a member or members of the Board shall be conclusive evidence of the appointment of such person or persons as a member or members of the Board by such local body.

The Board shall appoint a Returning Officer, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the Board; and such Returning Officer shall conduct the election of two members to he elected by the payers of harbour dues and the owners of vessels under the provisions of “The Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876,” so far as the same is applicable.

The secretary of the Board shall, on the fifteenth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one, and thereafter on the fifteenth day of January in each year preceding a general election of elective members of the Board, prepare an alphabetical list of all persons who shall in the twelve preceding months have paid the sum of three pounds and above that sum for harbour dues.

The list aforesaid prepared by the secretary of the Board shall be the roll for the election of persons to serve as members by the payers of dues, and such roll shall continue in force until the fifteenth day of January preceding the next general election of elective members of the Board.

So much of the Second Schedule of the said Act as relates to the number, nomination or appointment, succession to office, and election of the members of the Board is hereby repealed.

The limits of the Port of Thames are hereby declared to be those set out and described in the Schedule hereto; and, subject to the provisions of this Act, such limits shall he deemed for all purposes to have been so defined by the warrant issued on the seventh day of September, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, up to and until the eighteenth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven, and shall, as from and after the eleventh day of September, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, he and continue the limits of the said port for the purposes of “The Harbours Act, 1878,” until the same are altered, annulled, or redefined under any law for the time being authorising the same.

All acts, matters, and things heretofore done or suffered, and all liabilities incurred, by the Thames Harbour Board before the passing of this Act within or in respect of the Harbour or Port of Thames as defined by this Act, or as defined by the said several warrants of the eighteenth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven, and the twenty-third day of May, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, shall respectively be deemed good, valid, and effectual for all purposes so far as the validity of any such act, matter, thing, or liability may depend on the sufficiency or validity of any warrant hereinbefore respectively mentioned and recited.

And, notwithstanding any defect in or want of validity in any such warrant as aforesaid, all dues and other moneys whatsoever payable to or by the Thames Harbour Board, within or in respect of the limits defined or intended to be defined by any of the hereinbefore-recited warrants, shall be payable to and may be sued for and recovered by the Board, or by the person, body, or authority entitled thereto, as effectually as if there had been no such defect or want of validity.

The Thames Harbour Board may compound with any person, company, or corporation for such sum of money or recompense as it thinks fit, in respect of any debt now due to the said Board in respect of harbour dues, whether before or after any action or suit is brought for the recovery of the same.