visions of earlier laws, the mayor and aldermen, and selectmen, may from time to time appoint, for a term not exceeding one year, some person or persons who shall have the superintendence of the hay scales belonging to such city or town, and shall weigh hay offered for sale therein, and any other article offered to be weighed. Such weighers of hay may be at any time removed by such mayor and aldermen or selectmen. Pub. Sts., c. 60, § 32.

Superintendent of Schools. A city by ordinance, and a town by vote, may require the school committee annually to appoint a superintendent, who, under the direction and control of said committee, shall have the care and supervision of the public schools; or the school committee of any city without such ordinance may appoint a superintendent by a majority vote of the whole board; the compensation of the superintendent shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents for each day of actual service, and shall be determined by the school committee, and, in cities without such ordinance, by a majority vote of the whole board; in every city in which such ordinance is in force or in which a superintendent is appointed, and in every town in which a superintendent is appointed and which does not provide otherwise by vote, the school committee shall receive no compensation.

Two or more towns may, by a vote of each,

form a district for the purpose of employing a superintendent of public schools therein, who shall perform in each town the duties prescribed by law. Such superintendent shall be annually appointed by a joint committee, composed of the chairman and secretary of the school committee of each of the towns in said district, who shall determine the relative amount of service to be performed by him in each town, and shall fix his salary and apportion the amount thereof to be paid by the several towns, and certify such amount to the treasurer of each town. Said joint committee shall, for said purposes, be held to be the agents of each town composing said district. Pub. Sts., c. 44, §§ 43-45.

Any two or more towns, the valuation of each of which does not exceed $2,500,000, and the aggregate number of schools in all of which is not more than fifty nor less than thirty, may, by vote of the several towns, unite for the purpose of the employment of a superintendent of schools under the provisions of this act.

When such a union has been effected, the school committees of the towns comprising the union shall form a joint committee, and for the purposes of this act said joint committee shall be held to be the agents of each town comprising the union. Said committee shall meet annually in joint convention in the month of April, at a day and place agreed upon by the chairman

of the committees of the several towns comprising the union, and shall organize by the choice of a chairman and secretary. They shall choose, by ballot, a superintendent of schools; determine the relative amount of service to be performed by him in each town; fix his salary, and apportion the amount thereof to be paid by the several towns, and certify such amount to the treasurer of each town. St. 1888, c. 431, §§ 1, 2. If towns unite in employing a superintendent of schools under the provisions of St. 1888, c. 431, the Commonwealth pays a part of the expense.

Surveyor of Marble, Soapstone, and Freestone. The mayor and aldermen or selectmen of a city or town may establish such ordinances or by-laws, with suitable penalties, respecting the appointment of a surveyor, and the survey and measurement of marble, soapstone, and freestone of every description, foreign or American, that is imported or brought into such place for sale, as they may from time to time deem expedient. Pub. Sts. c. 60, § 53.

Truant Officers. - The school committee of each town shall appoint and fix the compensation of two or more suitable persons, to be designated truant officers, who shall, under the direction of said committee, inquire into all cases arising under such by-laws [relating to truant children and absentees from school], and shall alone be authorized, in case of violation thereof, to make

complaint and carry into execution the judgment thereon; and who may serve all legal processes issued by the courts in pursuance of such by-laws or of sections 10 to 16 inclusive, but who shall not be entitled to receive any fees for such service. Pub. Sts., c. 48, § 11. A truant officer appointed under the foregoing statute does not hold over after the expiration of his year, although no other has been appointed in his place. Huse v. Lowell, 10 Allen, 149.

Watchmen. The mayor and aldermen or selectmen of a place wherein no 'watch is established [by the city or town], may from time to time order a suitable watch to be kept in their place, and may warn all persons liable to watch and ward duty to perform the same. They may direct the number of the watch, the places and hours for keeping the same, and may order in writing any constable or officer to warn such watch, either by himself or by some person therefor by him appointed, and to see that all persons so warned attend and perform their duty. Pub. Sts., c. 34, § 4. The mayor and aldermen, or selectmen, shall appoint a suitable person to be officer of the watch, and shall direct the manner in which watchmen shall be equipped. Pub. Sts., c. 34, § 1.

CHAPTER VI.

WHEN CHECK-LIST MUST BE USED.

The presiding officers at meetings held for the election of town or other officers, or for taking the vote upon proposed amendments to the constitution, upon questions submitted to all the voters of the Commonwealth or of any city, and upon the license question, shall be provided with a complete list of the persons qualified to vote at such meeting; and no person shall vote at an election, or in taking any such vote, whose name has not been previously placed on such list, nor until the presiding officers find and check his name thereon, unless such person present a certificate from the registrars of voters as provided by law. St. 1890, c. 423, § 90.

The check-list must be used in the election of all officers whose election is required by law to be by ballot; in voting upon the questions of licensing the sale of intoxicating liquor, Pub.