bond or bonds to said city in such penal sum or sums, and with such sureties and conditions, as the common council may deem necessary to protect the interests of the city, and thereupon said commissioner of charities shall within the time so limited give such additional bond or bonds.

§ 302. Duties of commissioner of charities; itemized and verified accounts. It shall be the duty of the commissioner of charities personally to investigate the character, habits, location of residence, settlement, condition and necessities of all applicants for assistance and relief, the results of which shall be recorded in a proper book to be kept for that purpose. He shall not allow or pay any bill, account or claim for supplies furnished by any dealer, merchant or other person, unless the claimant, his agent or legal representative annex thereto an affidavit of such claimant, agent or representative stating that the bill or account is just and correct, that the items charged therein and specified in each accompanying order for supplies or relief have been in fact and good faith furnished by the claimant to the person named in the order and to no other person, and that no part thereof has been paid or satisfied, and that there are no offsets thereto; nor for compensation, expenses or services, unless the affidavit shall state that the account is just and correct and that no part thereof has been paid or satisfied, and there are no offsets thereto. He shall take up and preserve all orders, bills, accounts and vouchers of his expenditures and payments, and exhibit the same with his books and files to the common council whenever directed so to do.

§ 303. Reports of commissioner of charities to common council; examination of reports. The commissioner of charities shall report to the common council at its first meeting in January, April, July and October in each year, a detailed statement of all his receipts and disbursements for the three months next preceding that in which such report is made, showing the money on hand at the beginning and end of the quarter, the date and amount of each order or payment for temporary relief, and the person to whom made or given, and all his other disbursements in like detail. Said report shall be verified by his oath taken before some proper

officer, that the same is and the items thereof are, correct to the best of his knowledge and belief. If said report is not sufficiently explicit the common council may call for a further report, which the commissioner of charities shall immediately furnish. Upon receiving said report the common council shall refer it to some proper committee, which shall proceed without delay to carefully investigate and examine said report and the vouchers thereof, and the books of said commissioner of charities; and for that purpose the committee shall have power to send for persons and papers, and examine said commissioner of charities and any other person or persons, under oath, in respect to any matter or thing in the premises. Such committee shall report to the common council, favorably or adversely, in whole or in part, with its reasons and recommendations, and the common council shall thereupon proceed to consider and audit the account of said commissioner of charities; and shall have all the powers, duties and responsibilities of a board of town auditors, in the premises. The affidavits annexed to said commissioner of charities' report or to any of said bills, accounts or vouchers, shall not be conclusive upon the common council in case it shall appear that any claim or item in said report is illegal, unjust or improper, in whole or in part, but in such case such item or portion thereof shall be disallowed, and said commissioner of charities and his sureties shall be liable for the amount thereof. The common council shall cause each of said reports of the commissioner of charities to be published in full, except the names of the persons to whom orders for temporary relief were given, as a part of the proceedings of the meeting at which the same is made.

§ 304. Estimate of amount required for relief of poor. The common council shall, at some regular meeting thereof in the month of September in each year, make an estimate of the sum which it shall deem necessary for the temporary relief and support of the poor in said city for the ensuing fiscal year, and to supply any deficiency in the preceding year, and shall cause such estimate to be laid before the board of supervisors of Niagara county at its then next annual meeting. The board of supervisors shall cause the said sum to be levied and collected in said city in the same manner and together with other taxes by it levied

therein, and such sum shall be retained by the city treasurer on his settlement with the county treasurer, and paid over to the commissioner of charities from time to time as the common council may direct.

(Note.

Mechanicville, Saratoga County.

Commissioner of public safety, elected by the people

at large for a term of two years, at a salary of $300.)

Chapter 170, Laws of 1915

TITLE II.

City Officers; Powers and Duties Generally.

§ 10. Terms of officers; city council. The officers of said city shall be as follows: The mayor, elected by the people at large, for a term of two years; the commissioner of accounts, elected by the people at large, for a term of four years; the commissioner of finance, elected by the people at large, for a term of two years; the commissioner of public works, elected by the peo-. ple at large, for a term of two years; the commissioner of public safety, elected by the people at large, for a term of two years. The terms of office prescribed by this section are subject to the special provisions of this charter relating to the terms of the officers first chosen. Said mayor and commissioners shall constitute the council of said city.

§ 17. The commissioner of public safety. He shall have charge and supervision of the sanitary, health, charity and correction departments, and shall make all rules and regulations for the conduct thereof, not in conflict with the laws of the state or ordinances of the city. He shall provide in all ways possible for the peace, safety, health, care, comfort and protection of the inhabitants of the city, and of their property, and shall recommend ordinances when advisable or necessary, to the council for such purposes. The health officer of the city shall be under his authority. He shall be the inspector of all plumbing, weights and measures, and he shall impartially enforce all laws and ordinances appertaining to his department. He shall receive a salary of three hundred dollars a year, payable monthly.

(Note.

Middletown, Orange County.

Commissioner of charities appointed by board of estimate and apportionment, for term of one year, at a salary to be fixed by such board.)

Chapter 572, Laws of 1902.

TITLE XI.

Of the Commissioners of Charities.

§ 204. Upon the taking effect of this act the offices heretofore created and existing of commissioners of charities and that of overseer of the poor of said city are abolished and the duties of the said commissioners of charities, as well as those of overseer of the poor, shall be performed by the commissioner of charities, and all moneys or funds in the hands of the commissioners of charities shall be forthwith transmitted to the city clerk and placed by him in the excise fund.

The commissioner of charities shall be appointed by the board of estimate and apportionment and such appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the common council. The commissioner of charities shall be a citizen of the United States over twentyone years of age, a graduate of some school of philanthropy, or with a training equivalent to such a graduation, preferably a woman, who shall be under the supervision of the mayor and common council. Before entering upon the discharge of the duties of his office, the commissioner or deputy or temporary deputy, if any, shall each execute and file with the city clerk a bond to the city of Middletown, in such sum as shall be fixed by the board of estimate and apportionment, and with such sureties as the mayor shall approve, conditioned that he will faithfully discharge the duties of his office and pay over all moneys received by him, and the premium for the said bond shall be paid by the city out of its excise fund. (As amended by chapter 200 of the Laws of 1916.)

§ 205. The commissioner of charities shall have the general care, management and supervision of the charities, hospitals and charitable institutions of any nature, the control or government of which belongs to or is entrusted with the city and such institutions as shall receive from the commissioner or the city public

moneys in support of the poor or indigent or the charities of the city; he shall institute and prosecute all actions and proceedings authorized by law to compel any persons liable for the care, maintenance, education or support of any destitute or dependent person or one liable to become dependent, to contribute thereto, and to indemnify the city against any expenditure on account thereof; and shall prosecute all bonds, undertakings or recognizances given for purposes mentioned in this section or relating thereto. He shall investigate fully the circumstances of all persons alleged to be destitute, or without proper means of support, or without proper guardianship, or who are in danger of becoming or are a public burden in any respect, and also the circumstances of their relatives or other person, whose duty it is to relieve or maintain them, or contribute to their support; and shall investigate and as far as possible ascertain what aid or assistance, if any, such persons have received or are receiving from any individual or any charitable or philanthropic organization. He shall have the power to examine under oath any person applying for relief, and may take proof and testimony in respect of their right thereto, or any matter pertaining to the duties of his office. He shall make inquiries and as far as possible ascertain all parties and persons in the said city or vicinity desiring to engage laborers or employees, and shall keep a register thereof, and so far as pacticable assist all persons applying to him for aid and who are alleged to be destitute or without proper means of support or without proper guardianship or who are in danger of becoming, or are, a public burden in any respect, in finding employment. The said commissioner shall make inquiries and investigations concerning all charitable and philanthropic organizations engaged in charitable and philanthropic work in said city and making appeals for public funds. He shall keep books or records in which shall be entered the name, age, sex and native country of every person who shall be relieved or supported by him, together with a statement of the time, place and nature of such relief and of the causes which shall have operated to render such relief necessary, so far as can be ascertained. He shall also enter upon such books or records a statement of the name and age, and of the names and residence of the parents of every child placed by him in a family,