1838 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 748

service commission may hold its meetings. The City Clerk
shall act for them and shall keep record of all their meet-
ings. The City shall also supply the said Commissioner all
necessary equipment to properly attend to such business.
Before entering upon the duties of their office, each of said
commissioners shall take or subscribe an oath which shall
be filed and kept in the office of the City Clerk to support
the Constitution of the United States and the State of Mary-
land and to obey the laws and to aim to secure and main-
tain an honest and efficient force of civil servants, free from
partisan. distinction or control and to perform the duties
of his office to the best of his ability. Such commission shall,
on the second Monday in June and December of the year
1949 and each year thereafter or oftener, if they shall deem
it necessary, under such rules and regulations as it may
prescribe, hold examinations for the purpose of determining
qualifications of applicants for positions of Chief of Police,
Assistant Chief of Police, patrolmen or policemen of the
police department, City Clerk, Street Superintendent, Water
Superintendent, Filtration Engineer and Equipment Engi-
neer, which examinations shall be practical in their character
and shall relate to such matters as will fairly test the
fitness of the person examined to discharge the duties
of the position to which he seeks to be appointed.

(d) Such commission shall, as soon as possible after such
examination, certify to the Mayor and Councilmen the
names of the persons for said positions who, according to its
records have the highest standing for the position they seek
to fill, as a result of such examination, and all vacancies in
positions under civil service which shall occur before the
holding of the next examination, shall be filled from the
said list so certified; provided, however, if the list for any
cause shall be reduced to less than two for any position
mentioned in sub-section (c) except policemen or patrol-
men or three for the position of policemen or patrolmen,
then the Mayor and Councilmen may temporarily fill a
vacancy until the next examination of the commission. From
the list so certified by said commission to the Mayor and
Councilmen, the latter shall select one person for each of the
positions mentioned in sub-section (c) except policemen or
patrolmen and as many persons as policemen or patrolmen
for said City as the Mayor and Councilmen may from time
to time designate by ordinance.

(e) (1) All persons subject to such civil service examina-
tion shall be subject to removal from office or employment
by a majority vote of such civil service commission, after
full hearing for misconduct or failure to properly perform