Bureau, or Office shall hereafter be made payable only in United States currency, but may be made payable in United States currency or its equivalent in local currency, at the ratio authorized by the Civil Governor at the time of payment, at the option of the Government," is hereby repealed. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hund red. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect on its Enacted, September 9, 1902. [No. 457.] passage. AN ACT providing for the exemption of the lands in the Province of Batangas from payment of the land tax for the year nineteen hundred and two, and extending the date for the appraisement and assessment of land in said province for one year. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. In view of the depressed conditions prevailing in the Province of Batangas, due to its having been recently subjected to severe losses by reason of the war, the collection of the land tax provided by "The Municipal Code" and "The Provincial Government Act" is hereby suspended in said province for the year nineteen hundred and two. SEC. 2. The date prescribed by section fifty-two of "The Municipal Code" for the appraisement and assessment of lands for taxation purposes is hereby postponed in the Province of Batangas for the period of one year. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 458.] AN ACT amending Act Numbered One hundred and three, extending the provisions of "The Provincial Government Act" to the Province of Tayabas. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Section two of Act Number One hundred and three, extending the provisions of "The Provincial Government Act" to the Province of Tayabas, is hereby amended by increasing the salary of the provincial secretary to one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars per annum, in money of the United States. WAR 1903-VOL 8- 5 SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. Enacted, September 11, 1902. [No. 459.] AN ACT amending sections four and twelve of Act Numbered Three hundred and thirty-seven organizing the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, and section_five of Act Numbered Four hundred and twenty-two, organizing the Province of Paragua. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Sections four and twelve of Act Numbered Three hundred and thirty-seven, entitled "An Act providing for the organization of a provincial government in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya," are hereby amended by striking out the word "Treasurer," appearing in the seventeenth line of section four and in the eleventh line of paragraph (f) of section twelve, and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Auditor." SEC. 2. Section five of Act Numbered Four hundred and twenty-two, entitled "An Act providing for the organization of a provincial government in the Province of Paragua, and defining the limits of that province," is hereby amended by striking out the word "Treasurer" in the seventeenth line of said section and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Auditor." SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 460.] AN ACT appropriating ten thousand dollars in money of the United States, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to enable the Auditor for the Philippine Archipelago to prepare for the Secretary of War for transmittal to Congress at its ensuing regular session special detailed reports of the receipts and expenditures of the Government of the Archipelago for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and two. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of ten thousand dollars, in money of the United States, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the employment of such extra service in the office of the Auditor for the Philippine Archipelago as may be required to enable the Auditor to submit to the Secretary of War, for transmittal to Congress during its ensuing regular session, audited detailed statements of the receipts and disbursements of the Government of the Archipelago, and the provincial governments thereunder, for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and two. SEC. 2. For the purpose of executing this work within the time. required the Auditor is hereby authorized to expend the sum appropriated, in whole or in part, for the payment of such overtime services or work in excess of the number of hours of service now required by law as may be rendered by the regular employees of his Bureau or by the employees of other offices or Bureaus, at such rate of compensation as may seem to him equitable and proper, the provisions of Act Numbered One hundred and forty-eight to the contrary notwithstanding. The Auditor is further authorized to employ such additional emergency clerks as may be required to complete said work, such clerks to be employed by selection from the eligible lists of the Civil Service Board if a sufficient number of competent persons is available. If a sufficient number is not available such clerks may be selected by any test of fitness which may be prescribed by the Auditor and approved by the Civil Service Board." SEC. 3. The appropriation herein made shall be withdrawn from the Insular Treasury in local currency at the rate authorized at the time. of such withdrawal, and so disbursed. SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 5. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 461.] AN ACT amending Act Numbered One hundred and seventy-five, entitled "An Act providing for the organization and government of the Insular Constabulary, and for the inspection of the municipal police," so as to provide for the maintenance of the present telegraphic system in the Archipelago, so far as may be desirable and practicable. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The Chief of the Philippines Constabulary is hereby authorized and directed to take charge of all telegraph or telephone lines heretofore operated by the Signal Corps of the United States Army, Division of the Philippines, which have been abandoned by that Corps or which may hereafter be abandoned or turned over to him by it, so far as in his judgment it may be in the public interest to do so, and as may be feasible and practicable. He is authorized to change telegraph lines into telephone lines or vice versa whenever it is desirable in the interest of economy so to do. He is also authorized and directed to receive and receipt for all telegraph and telephone lines, or other telegraph or telephone property, which may be turned over to him by the Signal Corps. SEC. 2. In order effectually to operate and maintain these telegraph or telephone lines, he is authorized to employ the necessary number of experienced telegraph operators, and to appoint them inspectors of constabulary, and to assign them to duty in the Telegraphic Division of the Philippines Constabulary, which is hereby created. It shall be within his discretion to appoint them first, second, third, or fourth class inspectors and subinspectors, and to promote them from one class to another, as he may deem best in the public interests. He is also empowered to enlist, as privates, corporals, or sergeants, telegraph and telephone operators, to be employed as telegraph or telephone operators, or in any other capacity connected with the operation and maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines, and to fix their compensation subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Police. He is also authorized to use such of the Philippines Constabulary as are available and as he may deem necessary and desirable, in the construction, repair and maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines. He is further authorized to transmit messages over either the telegraph or telephone lines under his control for private persons or corporations, charging reasonable compensation therefor, and shall make and publish a tariff of charges for such service to be approved by the Secretary of Commerce and Police, and the money received therefor shall be accounted for by him and covered into the Insular Treasury as other public funds are accounted for and covered into the Treasury. He is hereby directed to make a separate quarterly report, through the Secretary of Commerce and Police, to the Commission, showing the number of inspectors and enlisted men in the Division of Telegraphs, and the probable increase for the ensuing quarter, the amount received by him from the general public as tolls for messages transmitted, and such other information as may be deemed of interest. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 462.] AN ACT changing the title of "Department of Posts" to "Bureau of Posts,” and the title of "Director-General of Posts" to "Director of Posts." By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The title of "Department of Posts" is hereby changed to that of Bureau of Posts," and the title of "Director-General of Posts" is hereby changed to that of "Director of Posts." SEC. 2. The powers and duties of the Director of Posts shall in all respects be the same as those formerly exercised by the DirectorGeneral of Posts, and the Bureau of Posts shall perform the same functions in all respects as those heretofore performed by the Department of Posts; and nothing herein contained shall affect existing orders or laws relating to the Department of Posts or Director-General of Posts, which shall be applicable in every particular to the Bureau of Posts and the Director of Posts. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect on its passage, [No. 463.] AN ACT authorizing provincial boards in their discretion to extend the time for the payment of the land tax for the year nineteen hundred and two to a date not later than January first, nineteen hundred and three. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Whereas, owing to the severe epidemic of cholera, the difficulties of transportation and the ravages caused by rinderpest, it has been rendered impossible in many provinces to collect the land tax for the year nineteen hundred and two by the first of October, nineteen hundred and two, as required by Act Numbered Four hundred and thirty-four, the provincial boards of the various provinces of the Archipelago organized under the provisions of Act Numbered Eightythree are hereby authorized, in their discretion, to extend the time for the payment, without penalty, of the land tax for the year nineteen hundred and two to a date not later than January first, nineteen hundred and three, anything in previous acts to the contrary notwithstanding. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 464.] AN ACT vesting the Insular Treasurer with power to increase or diminish the bonds of public officials, with the approval of the Civil Governor. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The Treasurer of the Philippine Archipelago is hereby vested with power and it shall be his duty to increase or diminish the penal sum of any official bond required by law when in his opinion the circumstances or the public interest demand such change. |