Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                     87

dedicated to public use unless abandoned by order of the Circuit
Court and for abandonment of subdivisions.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article 23 of the Code
of Public Local Laws of Maryland (1930 Edition), title "Wicomico
County," said new section to be known as Section 170A, to follow
immediately after Section 170 of said Article, to be under the new
sub-title "Plats," and to read as follows:

Plats

170A. When plats of subdivisions in Wicomico County are re-
corded among the land records of said County, those portions of land
designated on said plats as streets, roads, and other thoroughfares,
shall be forever dedicated to public use; provided that nothing herein
shall affect the rights of any person owning any interest in said lands,
other than the person or persons making the dedication by said plat;
and provided further that the maker of said plat or plats or his suc-
cessors in interest shall have the right to petition the Circuit Court
for said County for abandonment of the subdivision of lands so made
and reconversion of the same into one tract or parcel, and the aban-
donment of all or any of the dedications made by said plat, or both.
Said Court, after such notice by publication or otherwise as it shall
direct, if convinced upon such proof as it shall require that no damage
can be sustained by persons or the public generally, other than
petitioners, shall have power to pass an order abandoning such sub-
division or dedication, or both, either in whole or in part; and the
proceedings had under such petition shall be docketed and recorded
in the equity dockets and records of said Court, and when such orders
are passed, the Clerk of said Court shall endorse on the plat affected
thereby the dates and place of record of such orders.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby declared
to be an emergency measure and necessary for the immediate preser-
vation of the public health, safety and welfare, and having been
passed by a yea and nay vote, supported by three-fifths of all the
members elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly
of Maryland, the same shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved February 13, 1957.

CHAPTER 75
(Senate Bill 2)

AN ACT to add new Section 225A to Article 27 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Crimes and Punishments",
sub-title "Crimes and Punishments", sub-heading "False Adver-
tisements", said new section to follow immediately after Section

Explanation: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.