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DELEGATE HARDWICKE: Mr. Chairman, ladies and

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gentlemen, I have to oppose this amendment as a transitional

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provision. First of all, if it is only an attempt to con-

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tinue the powers of municipalities as contained in Article

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23A, Sections 12 and following of the present annotated code

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it is unnecessary, because we are preserving all of the

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existing laws of the State of Maryland which are not in

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conflict with the new Constitution, and consequently we

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preserved all of the provisions of Article 23A, with regard

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to the rights of municipal corporations to amend their

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charter and to repeal charters.

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Section B of this amendment seems to give the

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municipalities the right to adopt a new charter, and under

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our new concepts this kind of adoption is a matter for the

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counties to determine whether or not new charters, new

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municipal corporations, will come into existence and con-

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sequently it is contrary to the philosophy of the new

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Constitution, and I must oppose this amendment as being

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either unnecessary or pernicious.

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THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gullett.

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DELEGATE GULLETT: Mr. Chairman, I rise to