Credit for such allowances, etc.

Annual report

by supervisors

lieved and expense.

may have been recovered against him, in any suit brought by him pursuant to law; and he shall also be allowed the same daily [pay] for attending to any such suit, as is allowed him for the performance of his official duties.

(1866.) SEC. 51. Such allowances may be credited to them, in their accounts for moneys collected for penalties, and may be deducted from such moneys; and the balance of such penalties shall be paid over to the township or county treasurer, as directed by law, in respect to such penalties.

(1867.) SEC. 52. It shall be the duty of the supervisors of such of number re- townships which make their poor a township charge, on or before the first day of April in each year, to report to the township board of their respective townships, in such form as they shall direct, the number of paupers that have been relieved or supported in such township the preceding year, and the whole expense of such support.

Penalty for neg lect to report, etc.

Power of board of supervisors.

Acts repealed.

(1868.) SEC. 53. Any supervisor who shall neglect or refuse to make such report, or who shall willfully make any false report, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof be subject to a fine of not exceeding one thousand dollars, to be recov ered by the prosecuting attorney of the county, in the name of the people of this State, and to be paid into the township treasury.1

(1869.) SEC. 54. At any annual meeting of the board of supervisors of any county, they may, by a two-thirds vote, restore or abolish the distinction between town and county poor.

(1870.) SEC. 55. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

1 Vide noto to section 41 of this act.

CHAPTER

LI.

RELIEF OF THE FAMILIES OF VOLUNTEERS.

An Act to provide for the relief, by counties, of the families of volunteers mustered from this State into the military service of the United States or of this State.

[Approved May 10, 1861. Laws of 1861, p. 602.]

visors to pro

borrow money.

(1871.) SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the board of supervis- Board of superors of each organized county, at their sessions to be held in the vide relief. month of June, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-one, and at each subsequent session, whenever necessary, to make adequate provision for all requisite relief and support of the families of the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates enlisted or drafted from their counties, or as substitutes for persons so drafted and mustered into the military or naval service of the United States or of this State, and for such purposes the said boards of Authorized to supervisors are severally authorized to borrow money, at a rate of interest not exceeding ten per centum per annum, and to issue bonds, or other securities, for the sums borrowed, payable at some time therein to be mentioned, not exceeding three years from the date thereof, and to assess, levy, and collect taxes upon all the real and personal property of said counties, not exempt from taxation, sufficient to pay such moneys borrowed and to provide the relief hereby authorized: Provided, That the family of no person SO Proviso. drafted and furnishing a substitute shall receive any relief under the provisions of this act.1

1 As amended by Act 173 of the Laws of 1863, p. 817, approved March 20, 1863.

Volunteer family

relief fund.

Officials authorized to relieve

(1872.) SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of any county, at the first regular or special meeting held after this act shall take effect, to establish a separate fund, into which the moneys so borrowed, or collected by tax, shall be paid, and be lawful for them to direct the transfer of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, at any time, to such fund. Whenever such separate fund shall have been established, it shall be known as the "Volunteers' family relief fund," and all orders thereafter drawn, shall be drawn payable out of such fund.1

(1873.) SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the supervisor of each soldiers' families township, and each supervisor, alderman, or other officer representing any city or ward upon the board of supervisors of his county, from time to time, to afford such temporary relief as may be necesAmount limited. sary for the support of such family, not exceeding fifteen dollars per month to any one family, and not exceeding, in any case, to any family or person, the actual sum necessary, in connection with his, her, or their other means of support, to relieve such family or person, which support shall be afforded only in the manner prescribed by this act, and in no greater sum than shall be necessary Relief to families to afford the necessary relief. In case of the decease of any noncommissioned officer, musician, or private, while in the service of the United States or of this State, his family shall be entitled for two years, and no longer, after his decease, to the same measure of relief as his family would be entitled to receive if he had not deceased: Provided, That if the widow or minor children of such deceased person be entitled to receive the pension allowed to widows and children of deceased soldiers, under acts of Congress passed previous to July first, one thousand eight hundred and sixtysix, shall not have received the same, then said family shall be entitled to relief for three years from his decease, unless said pension is sooner obtained. "

of privates and

others.

Proviso.

Duty of supervisors before affording relief.

(1874.) SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the supervisor or other officer, before giving any order for such relief, to ascertain and report to the county treasurer of his county, in writing, the following particulars in reference to the person and family seeking relief:

First. The name, rank, company, and regiment, and time, as near as may be, of enlisting into the military service, of the officer or soldier on whom the family or persons seeking relief are depend

1 As amended by Act 14 of the Laws of 1862, p. 14, approved January 17, 1862.

* As amended by Act 84 of the Laws of 1867, p. 117, approved March 23, 1867.

ent for support, and his place of residence at the time of his enlistment;

Second. The name and age of the person, for the time being remaining the head of the family, and his or her residence;

Third. The name and age of each member of the family for whom relief is sought;

Fourth. The amount received from, and the provisions made by, the soldier for or toward the support of his family and those dependent on him;

Fifth. The measure of relief that the particular family or persons, in his opinion, require per week or month.

applicants to

questions under

statement of ap

The person seeking such relief, and any member of the family When required, of years of discretion, shall answer all questions and give all answer certain information to the supervisor or other officer, touching the matters oath. aforesaid, and all other things touching his, her, or their means of support, circumstances and necessities, which answer shall be given on oath, when required by the supervisor or other officer affording relief, which oath said supervisor or officer is hereby authorized to administer; and in case the board of supervisors of any county shall so direct, said oath shall be administered in all cases of application for relief as aforesaid; and any false statement, or untruth- Penalty for false ful representation, or withholding information sought and inquired plicant. after by such supervisor or other officer, at any time, intended to deceive such officer, or procure a larger measure of relief than otherwise would be afforded, shall forfeit by such person or family all further relief under this act; and the supervisor or other officer may incorporate in the same report such information and particulars of one or more families, and shall from time to time re-inquire and report in reference to any family or persons, and change the measure of relief, as his, her, or their circumstances and necessities may seem to require.'

made.

(1875.) SEC. 5. All reports shall be signed by the supervisor, or Reports, how other officer or person making the same, and shall contain, as far as he has been able to ascertain, the material facts and circumstances tending to show the measure of relief required by such family or persons. All such reports shall be indorsed by the county Duty of county treasurer, with the date of receiving the same, and be filed and preserved in his office; and such county treasurer shall procure, at the expense of his county, a book, in which he shall register the names of every person so reported to him, and the amount of relief stated by such report as required for each family, and noting

1 Vide note to section 2.

treasurer.

Orders for relief to be given upon

urer.

from time to time, any changes shown by further report in reference to that particular family; and the county treasurer shall pay no order drawn or given under this act, unless the family or person in whose behalf the same is given shall have been first reported to him, as aforesaid. 1

1

(1876.) SEC. 6. Such supervisor or other officer, for the purpose the county treas of carrying out the objects contemplated in this act, may give orders upon the county treasurer of his county, payable only to the person, or order, who is for the time being the head of the family to whom relief is afforded, but in no case to a greater amount than fifteen dollars per month, nor in any case for a greater sum per month than shall be actually necessary, taking into consideration the number, and pecuniary and other circumstances of the person or persons relieved, which orders shall be paid out of any moneys appropriated for that purpose.2

How paid.

Rules and regulations relative

families.

(1877.) SEC. 7. The board of supervisors are hereby authorized to the relief of to adopt and enforce such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, as shall secure prompt relief to families and persons, and may modify the amount of relief from time to time afforded, by any supervisor or other officer, to any family or persons, as in their judgment the particular case may require, and as shall be just; and every supervisor and other offi cer shall be governed thereafter by such modification in the amount of relief or otherwise, and shall give no orders contrary to the terms of any such modification, nor shall the county treasurer pay a greater amount of orders drawn by any such supervisor or officer than that fixed at any time by the board of supervisors.

Relief inde

pendent of that afforded poor

persons.

Persons entitled to relief.

Common coun

cil to appoint a

temporary relief,

2

(1878.) SEC. 8. The relief hereby authorized to be afforded shall be and remain separate from, and independent of, the relief, temporary or otherwise, afforded to poor persons under existing laws. 2

(1879.) SEC. 9. This act shall be construed to authorize the relief of the families of all volunteer non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, enlisted from this State, and actually mustered into the military or naval service of the United States.'

(1880.) SEC. 10. The common council of the city of Detroit person to afford shall appoint, on the recommendation of the mayor of said city, some suitable person, whose duty it shall be to afford such temporary relief as may be necessary for the support of such families as shall be entitled to relief under and by virtue of this act, or the act

etc.

1 Vide note to section 1.

2 Vide note to section 2 of this act.