408

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

forms to be provided by the insurance commissioner, and shall
be verified under oath by the duly authorized officer of such
association, and shall be published, or the substance thereof, in
the annual report of the insurance commissioner, under a
separate part, entitled "Fraternal Beneficiary Associations."
The insurance commissioner is authorized and empowered at
any time to address any additional inquiries to any such asso-
ciation in relation to its doings or condition, or any other
matter connected with its transactions relative to the business
contemplated by sections 143 E to section 143 R (both inclusive)
of this article, and such officers of such associations as the
insurance commissioner may require shall promptly reply in
writing under oath to all such inquiries if so required; and in
case after such inquiry the insurance commissioner shall have
reason to believe that such association is insolvent or cannot
meet its obligations to its beneficiaries or certificate holders, or
is conducting its business in an illegal manner, he may, by
some person designated by him, examine the accounts, books
and investments of said association at its home office at the
expense of said association, not to exceed in the aggregate the
sum of fifty dollars; each such association on filing its annual
report shall pay to the insurance commissioner the sum of
twenty-five dollars.

SEC.143 I. Each such association now doing or hereinafter

Insurance
commis
sioner to
act as
attorney
for non-
resident
societies.

admitted to do business within this State, and not having its
principal office within this State, and not being organized
under the laws of this State, shall appoint, in writing, the
insurance commissioner, or his successor in office, to be its true
and lawful attorney, upon whom all lawful process in any
action or proceeding against it may be served, and in such
writing shall agree that any lawful process against it which is
served on said insurance commissioner shall be of the same
legal force and validity as if served upon the association, and
that the authority shall continue in force so long as any
liability remains outstanding in this State. Copies of such
certificate, certified by said insurance commissioner, shall be
deemed sufficient evidence thereof, and shall be admitted in
evidence with the same force and effect as the original thereof
might be admitted. Service upon such attorney shall be
deemed sufficient service upon such association. When legal
process against any such association is served upon said insur-
ance commissioner, he shall immediately notify the association
of such service by letters prepaid and directed to its president,
secretary and supreme or chief secretary or corresponding