1608 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 691

office or a vacancy is created, the State Registrar of Vital
Statistics is authorized to make such-appointment. After ap-
pointment the tenure of office of a local or deputy local regis-
trar shall be permanent until he resigns, unless by reason of
his conduct the State Registrar, with the advice and consent of
the State Board of Health, requires him to vacate his office.
Bach deputy local registrar appointed as herein provided shall
accept the appointment in writing, and it shall be his duty to
act as local registrar in his stead in case of absence, illness or
disability, and when it is necessary in order to promote public
convenience to do so, and who shall be subject to all rules and
regulations governing local registrars. No local registrar or
deputy local registrar shall issue any permit for the disposition
of any dead body excepting upon the presentation of a proper
and correct certificate of death, nor shall he in any case issue a
permit for the disposition of any body already interred, en-
tombed, transported, removed, cremated or in any other man-
ner disposed of except as provided in this Act. Each deputy
local registrar shall, on the last day of each month, transmit to
the local registrar all certificates of birth or death in his pos-
session.

Every local registrar shall on or before the fifth day of each
month transmit to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics in the
envelopes furnished for that purpose the originals of all cer-
tificates of birth or death remaining in his possession on the
last day of the month next preceding, and if there are no such
certificates of birth or death remaining in his possession he
shall immediately certify such fact to the State Registrar in
writing. The local registrar shall at the time of mailing his
returns to the State Registrar mail to the county registrar a
copy of all certificates of birth or death certified as correct
under his hand and remaining in his possession on the last day
of the month next preceding.

Provided, that the State Registrar may in the event of un-
usual sickness or mortality or for the purpose of legal, legisla-
tive or other inquiry, require of any local registrar returns at
shorter intervals.

It shall be the duty of all. local registrars and deputy local
registrars to receive death certificates and issue burial permits
thereon, as hereinafter provided, and accept birth certificates,
and shall note over his signature the date on which such certifi-
cate was filed and shall forward all certificates in his possession