HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1133

this State, render a marriage null and void ab initio; thirdly,
for adultery; fourthly, when the court shall be satisfied by com-
petent testimony that the party complained against has aban-
doned the party complaining, and that such abandonment has
continued uninterruptedly for at least three years, and is
deliberate and final, and the separation of the parties beyond
any reasonable expectation of reconciliation; fifthly, when the
husband and wife shall have voluntarily lived separate and
apart, without any cohabitation, for five consecutive years
prior to the filing of the bill of complaint, and such separation
is beyond any reasonable expectation of reconciliation.

SEC. 2. And be It further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1939.

Approved May 27, 1939.

CHAPTER 559.
(House Bill 240)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 3 of
Article 64A of the Code of Public General Laws of Mary-
land, entitled "Merit System", creating the State Employ-
ment Commission of Maryland, to consist of three persons,
abolishing the office of the State Employment Commissioner,
transferring the rights, powers and duties of the State
Employment Commissioner to the Commission created by
this Act, authorizing the appointment of a director of State
employment and repealing all Acts and parts of Acts in-
consistent herewith.

(Vetoed. )

CHAPTER 560.
(House Bill 445)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 19
of Article 58A of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1935
Supplement), title "Loans—Petty", as said section was
amended by Chapter 564 of the Acts of 1929, said amend-
ment to alter the amount of the fee allowed to be charged
on certain loans by banks and certain other companies; and