814

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

estate or property to secure such investment of
capital shall in every case be worth twice the
amount loaned thereon.

Loan policy-
holders.

Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the
Trustees shall have power to invest a certain por-
tion of the premiums received, not to exceed one-
half thereof, in public stocks of the United States,
or of this State, or of any incorporated city of this
State. And the Company may loan to policy-
holders in said Company, from time to time, sums
not exceeding one-half the annual premiums on
their policies, upon notes to he secured by the pol-
icy of the person to whom, the loans may be made.

Enter suit.

Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That suits at
law may he maintained by said corporation against
any of its members for any cause relating to the
business of said corporation; suits at law may also
be prosecuted and maintained by any member
against said corporation for loss by death, if pay-
ment is withheld more than three months after the
Company is duly notified of such losses ; and no
member of the corporation shall be debarred his
testimony as a witness in any such cause on account
of interest in such suit, or of his being a member

Competent
witness.

of said Company, and no member of the corpora-
tion not being in his individual capacity a party
to such suit shall be incompetent as a witness in
any such suit on account of his being a member of
said Company.

Balance state
ment.

Sec. 13. And le it further enacted, That on some
day on the first thirty days after the expiration of
the first five years from the time when the Com-
pany shall issue its first policy, and within the
first thirty days of every subsequent five years, the
officers of said Company shall cause to be made a
general balance statement of the affairs of said
"Company, which shall be entered in a book pre-
pared for that purpose, which shall be subject to
the examination of every member of the Company
during the usual hours of business for the term of
thirty days thereafter, said statement shall contain:
first," the amount of premiums received during
the said period ; second, the amount of expenses
of said Company during the said period ; third,
the amount of losses incurred during said period;
fourth, the balance remaining with the Company;