1372 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 678

shall act for them and shall keep a record of all their meetings.
The city shall also supply the said commissioners with all
necessary equipment to properly attend to such business.

(a) Before entering upon the duties of their office, each of
said commissioners shall take or subscribe an oath which shall
be filed and kept in the office of the city clerk, to support the
Constitution of the United States and the State of Maryland
and to obey the laws and to aim to secure and maintain an
honest and efficient force, free from partisan distinction or
control and to perform the duties 6f his office to the best of
his ability.

(b) Such commission shall, on the first Monday in April,
and October of each year, or oftener if they shall deem it nec-
essary, under such rules and regulations as it may prescribe,
hold examinations for the purpose of determining the qualifi-
cations of applications for positions, including applications
for position of Chief of Police and Chief of Fire Department,
which examinations shall be practical in their character and
shall relate to such matters as will fairly test the fitness of the
person examined to discharge the duties of the position to
which he seeks to be appointed. Such commission shall, as
soon as possible after every such examination, certify to the
city council the names of ten persons for each department,
who, according to its records, have the highest standing for
the positions they seek to fill, as a result of such examinations
and all vacancies in positions under Civil Service which shall
occur before the holding of the next examination shall be filled
from said list so certified; provided, however, if the list for
any cause shall be reduced to less than three for any division
or department, then the commissioner of said department may
temporarily fill a vacancy until the next examination of the
commission. The officers and employees of the Police and
Fire Departments who shall be appointed by the Mayor and
City Council in the Month of April, 1916, shall only hold
office by virtue of such appointments until Civil Service lists
can be made up by the Civil Service Commissioners as pro-
vided by this Act.

(c) All persons subject to such Civil Service examinations
shall be subject to removal from office or employment by a
majority vote of such Civil Service Commission for miscon-
duct or failure to properly perform their duties under such
rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Council. The
Chief of Police and the Chief of the Fire Department may
peremptorily suspend or discharge any subordinate then under