Construction of act. Prima facie evidence of trustees. the provisions of this act, the same as if originally incor- SEC. 11. In all proceedings or suits that may arise, or be brought in any of the courts of this state, touching, or in any way concerning, churches that may be incorporated under this act, or which by vote of the quarterly conference thereof may have placed themselves under its provisions, all other acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith shall be interpreted and construed in such manner as to give full force and effect to all the provisions of this act, and to all the rights and privileges granted by this act to churches incorporated or placed thereunder. SEC. 12. It is further provided that the execution by the appointment of acting trustees of said corporation, in proper form, of any deed, mortgage, note, bond, or other obligation or contract of said corporation, shall be prima facie evidence of the proper appointment of said trustees and that the necessary steps have been taken to give them full authority to make such transaction. How may extend corporate existence. Resolution must be attested by pastor or presiding elder. SEC. 13. Any corporation organized under the provisions of this act whose corporate existence is about to expire by limitation may extend its corporate existence from time to time for a term not exceeding thirty years, by causing to be recorded in the office of the clerk of the county where such corporation is located, a copy of a resolution expressing a desire to so extend its corporate existence, which resolution shall be adopted by such corporation at a meeting called for the purpose by the pastor of the church or the presiding elder of the district within which said corporation is located. When such resolution is left for record with the clerk of the county within which said corporation is located it shall be duly attested by the pastor of the church or the presiding elder of the district. Upon the leaving of such resolution for record, as above specified, with the attestation as above specified, the corporate existence of such body shall be ex-' tended in accordance with the terms of such resolution for a term not exceeding thirty years from the date of the expiration of its former term, and all rights of property and of contract shall remain unimpaired and the corporate identity of such body shall remain unchanged. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. [No. 12.] AN ACT to provide for the relief of sick, disabled and needy ex-soldiers, sailors and marines of the late Spanish-American war. The People of the State of Michigan enact: for soldiers' SECTION 1. That an amount not exceeding the sum of four Appropriation one-hundredths of a mill on each one dollar of the equalized aid fund. valuation of taxable property of the State as fixed by the State Board of Equalization for the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six, is hereby appropriated from the general fund, not otherwise appropriated, to be set apart and be nominated "The Soldiers' Aid Fund," for the maintenance, care and support of sick, disabled and needy Michigan exsoldiers, sailors and marines of the late Spanish-American war, and Michigan men who enlisted from this State in any other State volunteer forces, or the United States regular service in said war and who were employed in the United States volunteer or regular service in the said war, and were residents of this State at the time of said enlistment and service, and who reside within this State, and have been honorably discharged from such service, or who may be hereafter honorably discharged, prior to July first, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine. relief. SEC. 2. The prosecuting attorney, judge of probate, county Relief boards, clerk and county treasurer of every organized county within constitu this State are hereby constituted a county relief board, for the purpose of ascertaining the necessity of extending relief to any sick, disabled or needy ex-soldier, sailor or marine of said war within their respective counties, and whenever a majority of such board shall determine that it is just and when to extend proper to extend relief to any such sick, disabled or needy exsoldier, sailor or marine within their county, they are hereby authorized to make such arrangement as they shall deem necessary, for the proper care, maintenance and support of such ex-soldiers, sailors and marines as are specified in section one of this act: Provided, That the amount which said board Proviso. is authorized to arrange for being incurred by the terms of this act shall not exceed four one-hundredths of a mill on each one dollar of the equalized valuation of taxable property of the county as determined by the State Board of Equalization for the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six: And Provided further, That the members of said board shall per- Further form the services required of them under this act without proviso. compensation and without expense to the State or any county thereof, of any nature whatsoever. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of such county relief boards to Relief boards keep a correct record of all expenditures authorized by them to keep record for the care and support of every such sick, disabled or needy of expense, etc. Relief boards to report to ex-soldier, sailor or marine within their county, and said board shall, at least once in each month during the time this act shall be and remain in force, report to the State Military Board a military board. complete account of all expenditures or indebtedness so authorized by them, showing the reasons therefor, when and for whom such expenditures were authorized and such additional facts as they may deem necessary and proper. Duty of county relief boards. Auditor General to issue warrants. Proviso. Amounts to be appropriation. Proviso. SEC. 4. The several county relief boards created by this act shall, once in each month, from and after the time this act takes effect, present to the Auditor General itemized vouchers upon form furnished by the State and certified to under oath by a majority of the members of said board, showing the sev eral expenditures authorized by said board, the reasons therefor, and when, and for whom such expenditures were authorized, and when such vouchers properly receipted by the payee shall also contain a certificate of the State Military Board certifying to their correctness, the Auditor General shall issue his warrant for the payment of the amount so certified in said vouchers: Provided, That the total amount of such vouchers issued to claimants in each county shall not exceed the maximum amount specified for each county by the terms of this act. SEC. 5. The amount paid by the Auditor General by charged against Voucher under the terms of this act shall be charged against the amount of the appropriation herein provided for to which each county is entitled: Provided, That no part of the moneys appropriated by this act shall be expended for the maintenance, care and support of such ex-soldiers, sailors and marines which shall not have been incurred previous to the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, and it shall be the duty of each of said county relief boards to make their final report to the State Military Board, and to present to the Auditor General their certificates showing the expenditures herein provided for to the first day of August, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, by the first day of September next succeeding: Provided, That every county having an unused balance of this appropriation to its credit, shall have the same placed to the credit of the general tax account of such county with the State. Proviso. Penalty for embezzlement of funds, etc. SEC. 6. If any person shall embezzle, fraudulently use, appropriate, or intentionally misappropriate any part of the moneys provided for in this act, or shall intentionally apply any part of said moneys to any other use than that herein specified, such person shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or imprisonment in the State prison for a term not exceeding five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. [No. 13.] AN ACT to provide a Probate Register for Berrien County and to fix his compensation. The People of the State of Michigan enact: probate register SECTION 1. That the judge of probate of Berrien county Appointment of shall have power to appoint a probate register for said county, authorized. who shall receive an annual salary as provided by section one Salary. hundred eighty-three, public acts eighteen hundred ninetythree, to be paid monthly out of any money in the county treasury of said county not otherwise appropriated. Said register shall have power to receive all petitions and fix the time for all hearings and do all other acts required of the probate judge of probate, except judicial acts. The said register shall register. hold office during the term for which the judge of probate ap pointing him shall have been elected, unless sooner removed by said judge of probate. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. Power of Term of office. [No. 14.] AN ACT to establish the office of Assistant Treasurer for the County of Muskegon, naming his powers and duties and fixing the salary thereof. The People of the State of Michigan enact: assistant. SECTION 1. That the treasurer of the county of Muskegon Treasurer to shall appoint an assistant treasurer for said county, who shall appoint be under the direction of the treasurer and assist him in the duties of his office, and who, in the absence of the treasurer from his office, or in case of a vacancy or any disability of the treasurer to perform the duties of his office, shall perform all Powers and the duties of the office of treasurer until such vacancy be filled, duties. or such disability be removed: Provided, That nothing in this Proviso. act shall be construed as in any way relieving the county treasurer from any responsibilities on his bond as provided in section thirty-six of act fifty-seven of the laws of eighteen hundred fifty-nine. of assistant. SEC. 2. The assistant treasurer for the county of Muskegon Compensation shall receive as compensation for his services the sum of one thousand dollars per annum, which salary shall be paid in monthly payments out of the contingent fund of the county: Provided, That for the term commencing January first, A. D. Proviso. nineteen hundred one, and for all terms thereafter, the salary This act is ordered to take immediate effect. Act amended. Judicial 36th judicial [No. 15.] AN ACT to amend Sections Two and Nine of Act 186 of the Public Acts of 1897, entitled "An act defining the limits of the judicial circuits of the State of Michigan," and to add a new Section thereto. The People of the State of Michigan enact: SECTION 1. Act number 186 of the Public Acts of 1897, entitled "An act defining the limits of the judicial circuits of the State of Michigan," be and the same hereby is amended by adding a new section thereto, creating the thirty-sixth judicial circuit, and by amending sections two and nine so as to read as follows: SEC. 2. The second circuit shall be composed of the county of Berrien. SEC. 9. The ninth circuit shall be composed of the county of Kalamazoo. SEC. 36. The thirty-sixth circuit shall be composed of the counties of Van Buren and Cass. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. [No. 16.] AN ACT to amend section four of act number one hundred and twenty-nine of the Public Acts of eighteen hundred and eighty-three, entitled "An act for the organization of Telephone and Messenger Service Companies," approved May thirty-first, eighteen hundred and eighty-three, the same being section six thousand six hundred and ninety-one of the Compiled Laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-seven. 126N. W. 425 Section The People of the State of Michigan enact: SECTION 1. That section four of act number one hundred and twenty-nine of the public acts of eighteen hundred and |