Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                   193

money for the construction and maintenance of certain drainage
ditches, under the provisions of Article 25, Sections 48 through
118, inclusive, of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition
as amended from time to time), including, but not limited to, the
purchase, maintenance and operation of drag lines, trucks and
other equipment and tools and the payment of salaries to em-
ployees for the operation thereof; and further to authorize said
County Commissioners to expend the sums necessary to complete
those ditches for which Public Drainage Associations have been
organized.

Whereas, The County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County
have deemed the construction and maintenance of drainage ditches
constructed under the provisions of Article 25, Sections 48 through
118, inclusive, Annotated Code of Maryland, (1951 Edition as
amended from time to time), to be a public benefit and conducive to
the public health, convenience and welfare; and

Whereas, The County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County
have deemed that Section 48 of Article 25 granted unto it the power
and authority to cause to be constructed, straightened, widened or
deepened any ditch, drain or watercourse for the purpose of drain-
ing wet, swampy or overflowed lands or lands subject to overflow;
and

Whereas, to promote the construction and maintenance of drain-
age ditches in said County, The County Commissioners of Queen
Anne's County have heretofore expended certain sums of money for
the purchase, maintenance and operation of drag lines, trucks, and
other equipment and tools and maintained employees for the opera-
tion thereof; and

Whereas, some question has arisen as to whether or not The
County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County were and are author-
ized by the provisions of Article 25, Sections 48 through 118 afore-
said, to expend public funds for the construction and maintenance
of drainage ditches;

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the ac-
tion of the County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County in here-
tofore expending public funds for the construction and maintenance
of drainage ditches of Public Drainage Associations in said County
is hereby ratified and confirmed.

And be it further enacted, That The County Commissioners of
Queen Anne's County are hereby authorized to expend such sums as
are necessary to complete those drainage ditches for which Public
Drainage Associations have been organized.

And be it further enacted, That no liability shall attach to The
County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County, either personally or
in their official capacity, for any act or acts performed in expending
public funds for the construction and maintenance of said drainage
ditches in said County.

And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby declared to be
an emergency law and necessary for the immediate preservation of

7