ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 617

pointed, approved and qualified, unless removed for cause.
The County Commissioners shall have the power and au-
thority to designate the roads or parts of roads or bridges to
be constructed or repaired under the authority of this Act,
and such construction or repair shall be made by contract or
day labor as may appear most feasible to the Road Engineer
with the approval of the County Commissioners. The County
Commissioners shall make such appointments without any
reference whatever to the political opinions of the person so
appointed.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the County Road
Engineer shall not be liable to removal from office for any
reason other than incompetency or wilful neglect of duty.
and then only upon the sworn complaint of ten or more resi-
dent taxpayers of St. Mary's County, to be filed with the
County Commissioners of St. Mary's County, or upon com-
plaint by the Clerk of the County Commissioners, filed by
their discretion ; and every such complaint shall state spe-
cifically the nature and character of the charges preferred, of
which due and reasonable notice shall be given the County
Road Engineer. The County Commissioners shall set a day
for considering such charges or complaints, of which the
County Road Engineer shall have at least ten days' notice in
writing; and if the County Commissioners after hearing such
charges in open session, at which the County Road Engineer
and the parties making complaint shall be entitled to be repre-
sented by counsel and to produce any competent testimony,
find that the County Road Engineer is incompetent or has
been guilty of wilful neglect of duty, they shall immediately
remove him from office.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the County Commissioners of St. Mary's County, whenever
the office of County Road Engineer shall become vacant by
death, resignation or removal from, office, to appoint, within
sixty days from the date of such vacancy, some person to fill
the same, in the manner and with the same qualifications as
prescribed in Section 6 of this Act.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the County Road
Engineer shall reside in St. Mary's County during the term of
his office. He shall appear before the County Commissioners
as often as requested by the County Commissioners, and make
a statement to them of the work done. The County Road