CARE OF THE POOR IN CERTAIN TOWNS OF NEW YORK STATE, AS PER SPECIAL STATUTES.

Town of Fishkill, Dutchess County.

AN ACT for the better support of the poor in the town of Fishkill, in the county of Dutchess.

Chapter 89, Laws of 1857, as amended by chapter 186, Laws of 1882.

Section 1. The office of overseer of the poor of the town of Fishkill, county of Dutchess, is hereby abolished. There shall be one commissioner for the support of the poor in said town who shall have and possess all the powers and authority now vested by law in the overseers of the poor in towns, except as hereinafter provided, and shall be subject to the same duties and liabilities as such overseers. The commissioner of the poor of said town shall be elected by the electors of said town in the same manner, and at the same time, and shall be alike qualified to be elected as other town officers; and he shall hold office for the term of two years, or until his successor shall qualify. The first election under this act shall be held at the annual town election in said town on the first Tuesday in March, eighteen hundred and ninety. (As amended by chapter 22 of the Laws of 1890.)

§ 2. The said commissioner shall, on the last Thursday preceding the annual meeting of the board of supervisors of the county of Dutchess, submit to the board of auditors of the town of Fishkill, a report, containing an exact and accurate account of all moneys received by him, and the sources from which such moneys were received during the preceding year; an exact and accurate account of all his expenditures, and of all debts incurred by him which are unpaid for the same period of time, and the objects for which such debts were incurred, and to what such expenditures were applied, together with the names of the persons to whom they were paid for the same period of time, the number and names of those provided with permanent relief, the number and names of those provided with temporary relief; which

said report shall be signed by the said commissioner for the sup port of the poor, filed in the office of the town clerk of such town, and published in the papers printed, or in circulars, or both.

§ 3. The said commissioner shall also, on the last Thursday preceding the annual meeting of the board of supervisors of the county of Dutchess, furnish the supervisor of the town of Fishkill with a written estimate, to be signed by him, of the amount of moneys that, in his judgment, will be required for the support of the poor of said town; said estimate shall, by the said supervisor, be laid before the board of supervisors of the county of Dutchess, at their next annual meeting, who shall cause the moneys in such estimate mentioned, to be levied and collected in the said town, at the same time, and in the same manner as the other taxes are levied and collected; and they shall, also, by their warrant, direct and require the collector to pay the same over to the supervisor of the said town, who shall distribute the same to the said commissioner, according to the need of each district, to be applied by him to the relief and support of the poor, in the manner herein directed.

§ 4. The said commissioner shall have and possess the following powers: to visit the poor in said town, inquire and examine into their circumstances, the place of their former residences, their employments and the causes of their poverty; and a careful and accurate record of such information, in each case relieved, shall be embraced in the annual report of said commissioner and filed with said report, and said commissioner may grant relief to poor persons in conformity with the statute made and provided for overseers of the poor in towns; but such commissioner shall not grant relief to any person unless he has knowledge by personal examination, or from competent testimony, that such person is deserving and worthy of relief as provided by statute for the relief of the poor by overseers in towns.

§ 5. It shall not be lawful for the said commissioner, for the support of the poor, to be concerned or interested, directly or indirectly, in the sale of any goods, merchandise, or other personal property found, furnished or provided for the use of the poor of the town of Fishkill; nor shall such commissioner take or receive

any profit, emolument or reward for, or on account of any goods, merchandise, or personal property found, furnished or provided by any person or persons other than such commissioner, for the use of the poor of said town. Every violation of the provisions of this section, shall be deemed a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment.

§ 6. The said commissioner of the poor shall receive an annual salary of two hundred and fifty dollars. Any vacancy occurring in said office shall be filled in the same manner as a vacancy in the office of justice of the peace. (As amended by chapter 22 of the Laws of 1890, and by chapter 329 of the Laws of 1915.)

Town of Herkimer, Herkimer County.

AN ACT to secure the better application of funds for the relief of the poor in the town of Herkimer in the county of Herkimer.

Chapter 181, Laws of 1883.

Section 1. The supervisor of the town of Herkimer shall, on the first Monday in May next, appoint four freeholders of said town, two of whom shall belong to each of the two political parties casting the largest vote at the last general election in said town, who shall constitute a board of alms of said town, and be known as the "board of alms of the town of Herkimer." The board of alms so appointed shall meet on the second Monday in May in each year at the town room, and by a majority vote appoint a freeholder of said town, to be known as the overseer of the poor of said town, and who shall hold his office for one year. The town clerk shall attend all meetings and keep the minutes of their proceedings, which shall be recorded in the books of record of said town. (As amended by chapter 414 of the Laws of 1895.)

§ 2. At the time of their appointment the said supervisor shall designate one of the persons so appointed by him to hold, and who shall hold his office for one year; another to hold and who shall hold his office for two years; another to hold and who shall hold his office for three years; another to hold and who shall hold his office for four years. The supervisor shall thereafter annually on

the first Monday in May at the town room appoint one member of the said board of alms who shall be a freeholder of said town and shall hold his office for four years and until his successor shall be appointed. Vacancies in the office shall be filled for the unexpired term, and shall be from the same political party as the outgoing members. (As amended by chapter 414 of the Laws of 1895.)

§ 3. The said board of alms shall have control of the funds applicable to the relief of the poor in said town, and the disposition of the same. A majority of said board shall constitute a

quorum to do business. Said board of alms shall have power to procure, by rent or purchase, suitable grounds and buildings for a town almshouse, but no purchase shall be made unless specially authorized by a vote of the electors of the town at an annual town meeting, nor at a cost exceeding five thousand dollars.

§ 4. The overseer of the poor appointed by the said board of alms shall hold his office for one year from the second Monday in May of each year, and no longer unless reappointed. The board of alms of said town shall determine his compensation for all such services rendered by him as such overseer which shall not exceed four hundred dollars per annum. (As amended by chapter 414 of the Laws of 1895.)

§ 5. The board of alms of said town shall appoint a treasurer of the poor funds of said town, and take such security for the faithful performance of his duties, and to account and pay over the funds intrusted to him, as they shall deem adequate and shall approve, and they shall determine his compensation, which shail not exceed fifty dollars per annum. The said treasurer shall hold his office for one year and until his successor is appointed. The said board shall keep a record of all proceedings and shall adopt all needful rules as to their meetings and as to the management and dispensation of the funds for the relief of the poor under their control, and for the government of the treasurer and overseer of the poor.

§ 6. All moneys appropriated for the relief of the poor of said town shall be paid over to the treasurer of the poor fund of said

town, and all payments and disbursements shall be made by him. upon the order of the overseer of the poor or such other person as the board of alms may direct; and said treasurer shall not loan any moneys that may come into his hands, nor shall he use them for any other purpose than is provided for by this act. Any interest which may accrue on said fund shall be credited to said town.

§ 7. The board of alms may cause to be purchased all or any needful supplies for the relief of the poor, in such quantities as they may deem best, but not to exceed a supply for one year; and they may contract for such supplies, including medical and surgical services, to be delivered or rendered from time to time, as the same may be required or called for, but such contract shall not extend beyond thirty days after the annual town meeting next ensuing the time when such contract shall be made. Said board may also furnish relief to the poor in said town chargeable to the county or to any other town, and receive compensation therefor from the county or town to which such poor is chargeable.

§ 8. The board of alms shall audit and allow all charges and expenses incurred under their direction for the relief of the poor chargeable to the town of Herkimer, including the expense and compensation of officers, and shall report the same through the supervisor to the board of supervisors of the county at their annual meeting in each year, which shall cause the same to be inserted in the tax-list and raised as other town charges are directed to be raised. All charges and expenses for the support of the poor, chargeable to the county or to any other town of the county, shail be audited in the same manner that the charges for the support of the poor, chargeable to the county, are required by law to be audited and allowed.

§ 9. The duties of the office of overseer of the poor of the town of Herkimer are hereby transferred to the overseer of the poor to be appointed by the said board of alms, and to be administered under the direction of said board of alms to take effect as soon as said overseer has been appointed. The said overseer so appointed shall from time to time perform all the duties devolved upon the overseer of the poor of said town heretofore elected in and for