WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 737

for examination shall be given by posters placed at each
mine and local postoffice in or contiguous to coal mining
territory throughout the State.

40. No applicant for a first-class certificate of com-
petency shall be admitted to an examination until he has
filed upon a form to be provided by the Bureau, a sworn
statement as to all matters of fact establishing his right
to receive the examination, a certificate of good character
and temperate habits signed by at least ten residents. of
the community in which he lives, and the fee prescribed
for the examination to be taken, together with the follow-
ing particular qualifications shown:

(a) Applicants for first-class mine foreman certificate
of competency shall produce evidence satisfactory to the
Examining Board that they are citizens of Maryland, at
least 24 years of age; and shall furnish a verified history
of their experience in mining employment, showing in
detail the several mines in which they have worked, their
location, the particular occupations followed therein dur-
ing a period of at least five years, and particularly their
knowledge of gaseous mines and the extent of the expe-
rience therein; and shall pay an examination fee of five
dollars to the State.

(b) Applicants for "permits of competency" shall pro-
duce evidence satisfactory to the Director of the Bureau
of Mines that they are qualified by experience to take the
examination for such permit. Such examination shall be
given by the Director, or by a district inspector duly desig-
nated by said Director, and may be either oral or written
at the discretion of the Director. If such examination is
oral it shall be reduced to writing and filed among the
records of the Bureau. The examination shall include
practical mining questions relating to the operation of
small mines including questions relating to ventilation
and the methods of detecting noxious and explosive gases
in mines. The applicant must by written or oral examina-
tion demonstrate to the Director or other person or persons
conducting the examination that he is qualified to super-
vise the operation of a small mine. If the Director or
inspector fails to qualify the applicant the applicant may
sixty days after each unsuccessful examination request
another examination and it shall be the duty of the Direc-
tor to conduct such other examination as soon after the
request is made as is practicable. If for any reason the
applicant shall fail to qualify he may request the Examin-
ing Board to conduct an examination and said Board shall

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