ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 553

CHAPTER 200.

AN ACT to add a new section to Article 54 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1924 Edition), title "Land Office, " sub-
title '"Commissioner—His Powers and Duties, '' said new sec-
tion to be known as Section 52, to follow immediately after
Section 51 of said Article, to provide for the preservation
of the early land records prior to the establishment of the
abstract system, and to authorize the Commissioner of the
Land Office to secure any record book prior to 1787 for the
purpose of copying.

WHEREAS, Throughout the State of Maryland in the various
offices of the Clerks of Courts, are deposited three hundred and
seventy-three (373) volumes of land records, covering the period
between 1642 and 1787, all prior to the general abstract system
which has been in force since 1786; and

WHEREAS, In many instances these books are showing the
ravages of time, and so may be lost to posterity if action is not
taken to ensure their preservation; and

WHEREAS, The Commissioner of the Land Office is equipped
with the necessary machinery to enable him to make a rapid
copy of such books, but is not possessed of sufficient authority to
demand said records from the various Clerks of Courts; now,
therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article
54 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1924 Edition), title
"Land Office, " sub-title "Commissioner—His Powers and
Duties, " said new section to be known as Section 52, to follow
immediately after Section 51 of said Article, and to read as
follows:

52. The Commissioner of the Land Office is hereby authorized
to demand any record book prior to 1787 from any Clerk of
Court in the State of Maryland, giving a receipt therefor, and
for the purpose of copying said record by photographic process,
but that said record shall not be kept longer by the said Com-
missioner than shall be necessary for said purpose, not to exceed
sixty days; and shall be returned by said Commissioner to said
Clerk of Court, the expense of transportation and insurance to
be borne by the Land Office.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1929.

Approved April 2, 1929.