52 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 29

distinguished from its judicial or semi-judicial functions, shall
be under the supervision and direction of the Comptroller, and
shall have and exercise all the rights, powers, duties, obliga-
tions and functions conferred upon it by law.

(e) The Central Purchasing Bureau, constituted and or-
ganized as at present, shall be assigned to the Division of Fi-
nancial Review and Control, and, under the supervision and
direction of the Comptroller, shall have and exercise all the
rights, powers, duties, obligations and functions conferred upon
it by law.

SEC. 4. The head of the Division of Deposit and Disburse-
ment shall be the Treasurer, exercising, as aforesaid, the rights,
powers, duties, obligations and functions conferred upon him
by law.

SEC. 5. The Board of Public Works, composed of the Gov-
ernor, the Comptroller and the Treasurer, shall constitute the
third Division of the Finance Department, and shall have and
exercise the rights, powers, duties, obligations and functions
now or hereafter conferred by law.

SEC. 6. All bills or vouchers for merchandise, materials
and supplies of any kind purchased by any of the departments,
institutions or other governmental agencies of the State shall
be forwarded promptly to the Comptroller, for such audit and
review as he may deem necessary, and shall be paid by the
Treasurer, upon the warrant of the Comptroller, from any
appropriation standing to the credit of such department, in-
stitution or governmental agency that may be applicable there-
to; provided, however, that the Comptroller shall have the
power and it shall be his duty to exempt from the operations
of this section such purchases as he may, from time to time,
determine should, in the public interest, be paid for by the de-
partment, institution or other governmental agency itself; and
for the purpose of enabling such department, institution or
other governmental agency to make prompt payment for such
exempted purchases, and also for the purpose of providing
it with a working cash balance, if the same be necessary, the
Treasurer is authorized to advance, on the warrant of the
Comptroller, from time to time, to such department, institu-
tion or other governmental agency, out of any appropriation
standing to the credit thereof, such sum or sums of money as
the Comptroller may find necessary for the purposes afore-