164 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 76

written order of the authorized agent of the State Board.
Thereafter when a certified copy of the certificate of birth, of
such a person is issued, it shall be a copy of the new certificate
of birth, except when an order of a court of competent juris-
diction shall require the issuance of a copy of the original
certificate of birth.

(e) It shall be the duty of the Clerks of the several equity
courts of this State to transmit to the State Board of Health
upon forms to be supplied by the said Board a report of each
decree of adoption or adjudication of paternity and a report
of the revocation of any such decree.

23. The State Board of Health is hereby authorized and em-
powered to adopt rules and regulations governing the filing of
records of births in those cases where certificates of birth
have not been recorded within the time limited by Section 20
of this Article.

24. (Care and Use of County Records. )

(a) The copies of birth and death records transmitted to
the county registrar as provided in this sub-title shall be pre-
served by him and shall be open to inspection for proper
purposes by all city, town or county officials and by the State
Board of Health or its accredited representatives, provided
that such examination shall be made in such a way that the
contents of the registers shall not be subjected to risk of dam-
age or alteration.

(b) The county registrar shall promptly inquire into the
facts when any omissions or discrepancies in the personal or
statistical facts in the vital records are called to his atten-
tion; he shall truly ascertain such missing facts of record
and make a certified statement thereof to the State Board, and
enter the correction in red ink upon his record. The county
registrar shall further inquire into and investigate violations
or suspected violations of this sub-title and shall furnish to the
State Board full data and information regarding the same.

25. (Payment of Fees to Registrars. )

(a) The local registrar shall receive for performing the
services required under this sub-title the following fees:

(1) For each proper and correct certificate of birth or death
as provided in this sub-title, except those transmitted to him
by any deputy local registrar, and for each monthly report
rendered to the State Board of Health reporting that no cer-
tificates have been received, the sum of fifty cents to be paid
by the County upon warrant of the County Commissioners,