1936 ARTICLE 54.

An. Code, sec. 11. 1904, sec. 11. 1888, sec. 9. 1854, ch. 149, sec. 3.

11. He may certify copies and proceedings of the court of chancery in
his possession and where such certificates are required to be under seal, he
shall affix his seal of office; and he shall be entitled to the same fees and
compensation for such services as the clerks of the circuit courts are
entitled to for similar services.

This section referred to in passing upon the validity of sec. 13 (An. Code, 1912)—
see footnotes to sec. 12. McMullen v. Shepherd, 133 Md. 162.

An. Code, sec. 12. 1904, sec. 12. 1888, sec. 10/1853, ch. 415, sec. 5.

12. He shall give bond to the State with security to be approved by
the governor and kept in the State department in the penalty of two
thousand dollars for the faithful performance of the duties of his office.1

An. Code, sec. 14. 1904, sec. 14. 1888, sec. 12. 1853, ch. 415, sec. 7.

13. He shall record all certificates that may be returned to the land
office and issue patents thereon so soon as they are ready for patents.

An. Code, sec. 15. 1904, sec. 15. 1888, sec. 13. 1874, ch. 66.

14. He shall have custody of all books containing deeds and transfers
of soldiers' lots and all other land record books and papers, including
extracts of deeds transferred to him by the clerk of the court of appeals
under the act of 1874, chapter 66, and of all the other extracts of deeds
which shall be hereafter received by him, and shall give certified copies
of such deeds and extracts and make searches for the same when so required,
and shall receive and retain therefor fees at the same rate now charged
for copies of and searches for other papers in his office.2

The legislature cannot take away from the commissioner fees belonging to him
after they have been earned. Scharf v. Tasker, 73 Md. 385.

An. Code, sec. 16. 1906, ch. 412. ' .

15. He shall have custody of all maps, books, records and papers- con-
nected with the office of the board of shell fish commissioners 3 of the State
of Maryland, which may be committed to his care and custody by the said
board of shell fish commissioners, and shall safely keep them in some place
reasonably free from accident by fire, and shall, whenever required to do
so, cause copies thereof to be made under the seal of his said office, and
shall receive and retain therefor fees at the same rate now charged for
copies and searches for other papers in his office, and shall receive as com-
pensation for his services and responsibility the sum of fifty dollars per
month, which shall be in addition to the salary now allowed him by law as
the commissioner of the land office; provided however, that the fees received
by him for copies of papers, etc., shall, after paying the actual expense of
the same, be turned over to the board of shell fish commissioners.

1 Sec. 13 of art. 54, An. Code (1912)—act, 1900, ch. 318 wvas held unconstitutional and
void in McMullen v. Shepherd, 133 Md. 158.

2 By act, 1908, ch. 606, the commissioner of land office is directed to have transcribed
or rebound such records in his custody as may require same, and an appropriation
is made therefor.

3 Now conservation commissioner.