J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                             1499

THE SEVERAL CLERKS OF THE COURT OF THE SUPREME
BENCH OF BALTIMORE CITY TO PAY A CERTAIN SUM OF
MONEY TOWARD THE COST OF LAW BOOKS PURCHASED
BY THE JUDGES OF ANY SUCH COURT AND RELATING
GENERALLY TO THE AMOUNT AND CONDITIONS OF SUCH
PAYMENT.

May 5, 1959.

Honorable Perry O. Wilkinson
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I have today vetoed House Bill 338 which would have allowed the
expenditure of excess fees of all the Clerks of the Circuit Courts in
the State of Maryland and of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City,
subject to judicial approval, in an amount not to exceed ten thousand
dollars ($10,000) for the purchase of law books. While I wish to
encourage the scholarly pursuits of the members of the Bar and
have a deep respect for the legal research required of our judges
throughout the State, etc., I do not feel that this Bill answers the
problem. This Bill does not provide for any uniformity and there
are some counties in which the Clerks of the Court would have little
or no excess fees, whereas, in other counties and Baltimore City they
would be substantial. Yet, the need for basic legal research is cer-
tainly as great in one county as in another.

I have also been advised by the Comptroller's Office that this Bill
would reduce the revenue of that Office from excess fees by approxi-
mately seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) a year.

It is felt that essential law book texts, legal supplement services,
legal periodicals, etc., which are a part of the working tools of the
Bar and Bench should be purchased by the respective local govern-
mental units so as to insure their presence in the Bar libraries of all
counties and in the City of Baltimore and that the purchase of these
books should not be dependent upon the existence or non-existence
of excess fees.

Therefore, I have vetoed House Bill 338.

Respectfully,

(s) J. MILLARD TAWES,

JMT:ss                                                                           Governor.

House Bill No. 358—Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission; Acquisition of Property

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section IV of the
Maryland-Washington Metropolitan District Act enacted by Chap-
ter 1008 of the Acts of 1943, so as to authorize and empower the
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, in the
acquisition and development of land or other property or in the
exercise of its duties under the said Maryland-Washington Metro-
politan District Act or for other purposes, to enter into commit-
ments and agreements and receive funds from federal, state and/or