HARRY W. NICE, GOVERNOR. 1265

fare if a resident of Baltimore City, in such manner and
form as shall be prescribed by the Administrator of Pen-
sions and Relief. All statements in the application shall
be sworn to or affirmed by the applicant.

6. The said Local Board or the Department of Welfare
of Baltimore City shall promptly make or cause to be made
such investigation as they may deem necessary. The Local
Board or the Department of Welfare of Baltimore City
shall decide upon the application and fix the amount of the
pension, if any. An applicant whose application for a pen-
sion has been rejected may not again apply for a pension
until the expiration of six months from the date of his or
her previous application.

Any applicant or pensioner deeming himself or herself
to be aggrieved by any decision of the Local Board or the
Department of Welfare of Baltimore City in the exercise
of its duties under this Section or any other Section of this
Article, or by any decision of the Administrator of Pen-
sions and Relief under this Article, may within thirty days
after the announcement of such decision appeal therefrom
to the Board of Old Age Pensions and Relief. Such Board
shall cause an investigation to be made and shall set a date
for the hearing of said appeal, reaonable notice of which
shall be given to the said applicant or pensioner and to the
Local Board of the County in which the applicant or pen-
sioner resides, or the Department of Welfare of Baltimore
City, if he resides therein. The said Board shall take testi-
mony and proceed in an orderly manner but may consider
the reports of local investigators and of its investigators
and shall not be limited by any of the common law rules
of evidence. It shall have the same powers to secure the
attendance of witnesses and to compel the production of
documents as the State Industrial Accident Commission.
The County Commissioners of the County in which the
applicant or pensioner resides, if said Commissioners shall
not at that time be and constitute the Local Board, or the
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, if the applicant or
pensioner resides in Baltimore City, shall have the right to
appear and become a party to said case. The decision of
the Board of Old Age Pensions and Relief shall be final
and not subject to further appeal,, provided that the said
Board may at any time thereafter review and reopen said
case.

It shall be unlawful for any person to make any charge
or receive any fee for representation of an applicant or
pensioner in any proceeding hereunder, or with respect to