SEC. 7. The provincial treasurer shall keep a true account of all sales of animals made by the provincial board under the terms of this act, together with the consecutive numbers and brands of the animals sold, the name, address, business, or occupation of the purchaser, the full price for which sold, the cash paid, the amount due and the security given (in case of credit sales), and make a true report thereof to the insular auditor and to the insular purchasing agent. SEC. 8. No animal purchased under the terms of this act for which the full price has not been paid and a certificate given therefor shall be sold, transferred, or pledged without the permission of the provincial board making the sale by resolution or of the insular purchasing agent in writing, which resolution or written permission shall contain the name of the first purchaser and of the vendee, transferree, or pledgee and his business and address and a description of the animal with its brands, and shall be recorded in the books of the provincial treasurer and of the insular purchasing agent. In case the permission is given by the insular purchasing agent, he shall forward a copy thereof to the insular auditor and to the provincial treasurer of the province where the animal was originally sold, and when the permission is granted by a provincial board a copy of the resolution shall be forwarded by the provincial treasurer to the insular purchasing agent and the insular auditor. A purchaser or his agent violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred Philippine pesos or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment as to the court may seem just. SEC. 9. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 10. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 786.] AN ACT appropriating the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, in money of the United States, for expenses in connection with the purchase, sale, and distribution of rice to inhabitants of the Philippine Islands in the discretion of the civil governor. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, in money of the United States, is hereby appropriated out of the fund of three million dollars appropriated by the Congress of the United States for the relief of distress in the Philippine Islands, for expenditure in the purchase of rice for the purpose of securing to the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands opportunity to purchase rice at reasonable prices and for the purpose of distributing rice gratuitously to those people who are suffering from lack of food and unable to pay for the same. SEC. 2. The purchase of rice, authorized by section one hereof, shall be made by the insular purchasing agent in such manner and quantities and at such prices and times as the civil governor may direct. The rice so purchased shall be distributed by sale at such prices and in such localities as the civil governor may direct, or shall be paid for by work on roads or other public improvements, or shall be distributed in emergencies gratuitously to starving people upon order of the civil governor: Provided, however, That it is the declared policy of the Commission to distribute rice gratuitously only in cases of sudden emergencies and in all other cases of destitution to furnish rice in consideration of work done for the public. Where distribution of rice, either by sale or gratuitously, is made under the provisions of this act for the inhabitants of any province, such rice shall be sent to the provincial supervisor of such province, by him to be distributed under the orders of the provincial board and the civil governor. SEC. 3. When any of the rice purchased under this act shall be sold by a provincial supervisor or supervisor-treasurer, as the case may be, the proceeds of the sale shall be paid into the provincial treasury upon order of the supervisor. The provincial treasurer or provincial supervisor-treasurer shall then account to the insular treasurer for all moneys thus received and remit the same to the insular treasurer upon order of the insular auditor. When the rice shall be sold directly by the insular purchasing agent, the proceeds of the sale shall be deposited in the insular treasury forthwith upon order of the auditor. When the rice is distributed for work done or gratuitously, the supervisor shall keep careful account of the rice thus distributed and make report thereof to the insular auditor, including a statement of the work done for the rice distributed, with copy of the receipts received by him from the beneficiaries or from the presidents or other municipal officers, through whom such distribution is made. The accounting by the insular purchasing agent and the provincial supervisors and treasurers under this act shall be in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the insular auditor. SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 5. This act shall take effect on its passage. Enacted June 1, 1003. EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION CONCERNING RICE. Excerpt from minutes of July 23, 1903. Be it resolved, That under act No. 797 the civil governor is hereby authorized to direct the auditor to draw a warrant on the insular treasury in favor of the provincial treasurer of Albay for the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, United States currency, the same to be deposited in the provincial treasury of Albay and to be disbursed upon the order of the provincial board of Albay for public improvements in such a manner as to furnish labor to the people of the province who shall be in necessitous circumstances; the disbursement of the funds to be made by the provincial treasurer in accordance with law, subject to the same accounting to the auditor as provided for the disbursement of other provincial funds. The provincial treasurer is also required to make a full report of the expenditure of this fund to the civil governor to enable the civil governor, as required by the act of Congress, to report to Congress the disposition of the money. The provincial board of Albay is authorized to purchase rice with this fund and to use the rice in the payment of labor in so far as it may be wise. The provincial board of Albay may also authorize in limited quantities the use of rice purchased to relieve the wants of the indigent poor unable to earn money by labor, but the amount thus expended can only be expended by approval of the provincial board concurred in by the civil governor. On motion, Excerpt from minutes of August 5, 1903. Resolved, That the civil governor be, and he is hereby, authorized to pay, from the appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars made by act No. 797 from the Congressional relief fund, a sum equivalent at the authorized rate of exchange to $130.81, Mexican currency, to pay the expenses of transportation on one hundred and twentyfive sacks of rice furnished to the provincial government of Abra for the relief of the inhabitants of that province. On motion, Excerpt from minutes of August 29, 1903. Resolved, That the civil governor is hereby authorized to expend from the fund of five hundred thousand dollars appropriated from the three million dollar Congressional relief fund by act No. 797 and made available for expenditure under his direction, upon authorization by the Commission, the sum of two thousand dollars, Philippines currency, to be used for the purpose of paying the charges of transportation on five hundred piculs of rice from San Fernando, in the province of La Unión to Baguio, in the province of Benguet, which rice is to be used for the feeding of laborers engaged on public improvements, and for other purposes, as directed by the civil governor. On motion, Excerpt from minutes of September 24, 1903. Resolved, That the civil governor is hereby authorized to direct an expenditure from the funds appropriated under act No. 797 of the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, United States currency, in the purchase of rice and the payment of transportation and other charges incident to its distribution among the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands, for the purpose of relieving famine and distress therein, said funds having been withdrawn from the insular treasury by accountable warrant No. 3716, issued from the insular purchasing agent's requisition, dated August 12, 1903. On motion, Excerpt from minutes of October 1, 1903. Resolved, That the action of the insular purchasing agent in chartering the schooner Kodiak at thirty dollars, United States currency, per day, for a period not to exceed six months, to be used in the transportation of carabao, rice, coal, and other government property between ports of the archipelago, for the purpose of relieving distress among the inhabitants thereof, be, and is hereby, approved by the Commission; and Be it further resolved, That the civil governor be, and is hereby, authorized to expend from the funds appropriated by act No. 797, out of the Congressional relief fund, a sum not exceeding five thousand five hundred dollars, United States currency, for the payment of the charter fee of said schooner during such period as the same may be in use by the insular purchasing agent. Excerpt from minutes of October 2, 1903. On motion of the president, Resolved, That for the purpose of using the rice in the suppression of the locust pest, in the construction and repair of roads and bridges and other public works, and for the sale of rice in order to prevent the excessive prices in parts of the archipelago where such prices are reported, the civil governor be, and is hereby, authorized to purchase two shiploads of rice; one from Messrs. Castle Brothers, Wolf and Son, Saigon white rice No. 2, at six pesos and two centavos, Philippines currency, per picul, duty paid, said shipload containing between twenty-eight thousand and thirtytwo thousand piculs; and the second shipload from Messrs. Holliday, Wise and Company, Rangoon white rice No. 2, at six dollars and nineteen cents, Mexican currency, per picul, duty paid, said shipload containing between twenty-eight thousand and thirty-two thousand piculs; and that the civil governor is further authorized to distribute the rice bought in the various provinces in accordance with the methods now provided by law for the purposes above recited. Be it further resolved, That the civil governor is hereby authorized to expend from the moneys appropriated from the Congressional relief fund by act No. 797 a sufficient sum to meet the expenditures authorized herein; these resolutions being adopted in accordance with section two of said act No. 797. On motion, it was Excerpt from minutes of October 22, 1903. Resolved, That the civil governor is hereby authorized to direct an expenditure from the funds appropriated under act No. 797 of the sum of $88,858.75, United States currency, in payment of 29,521.18 piculs of Saigon No. 2 rice purchased from Castle Brothers, Wolf and Sons at 6.02 pesos per picul, such rice being required for the purpose of relieving famine and distress within the Philippine Islands. On motion, Excerpt from minutes of November 6, 1903. Resolved, That the civil governor is hereby authorized to direct an expenditure from the funds appropriated from the Congressional relief fund by act No. 797 of the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, United States currency, in the purchase of rice and the payment of transportation and other charges incident to its distribution among the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands for the purpose of relieving famine and distress therein. EXHIBIT B. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INSULAR PURCHASING AGENT FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1903. OFFICE OF THE INSULAR PURCHASING AGENT FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, The EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, Manila, P. I. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the annual report of the bureau of the insular purchasing agent for the year commencing October 1, 1902, and ending September 30, 1903. In order to show an aggregate of the business, as shown in the detailed statements attached hereto, I have reduced the amount shown as local currency, under the head of “Purchase of supplies," to United States currency at the present legal rate: It will be seen from the above that but about 14 per cent of all the purchases have been made in the United States, and but a little over 4 per cent in all other countries, and that over 80 per cent of the entire purchase of supplies have been made through the merchants of Manila. The two buyers of this bureau have issued during this period 11,840 orders, making an average of 38 orders placed in the local markets each working day of the year. Seven thousand and forty-four requisitions were received from the various bureaus and provinces, calling for 48,590 different items-an item consisting of any quantity of articles; thus, 150 tons hay or 2,000,000 slate pencils being considered as one item. The local receiving and shipping offices received and delivered during the year 50,941,122 articles. The foreign and provincial shipping office received 394,050 packages, weighing 62,446,224 pounds, or 1,244,522 cubic feet, making 31,223 tons, and shipped 271,889 packages, weighing 44,156, 465 pounds, or 749,065 cubic feet, weighing 22,403 tons, making a total of 53,626 tons handled. There were 11,459 letters received and 8,594 written and 621 free entries issued Under the provisions of Acts Nos. 495, 786, and 797 of the Philippine Commission this bureau, in addition to the regular purchase of supplies, has purchased rice amounting to $2,451,168.04 local currency, and has sold rice to the amount of $2,310,633.06; having on hand at the present time rice amounting to $107,152.84. A full and detailed statement of all rice transactions is attached hereto. Under an act of the Commission a part of the Congressional relief fund was set aside to be used for the purchase of carabao for the purpose of restocking the Philippine Islands by the sale of carabao to the provinces depleted by rhinderpest. A contract for 10,000 head of these animals has been entered into by this bureau with Messrs. Keylock & Pratt, of Shanghai, in deliveries of 500 per month. Up to the present but 773 have been delivered under the contract, and these are being sold as rapidly as they are permanently immunized against rhinderpest by the bureau of government laboratories. The demands on the transportation department of this bureau are rapidly increasing, and there is now in use in that department 18 American horses, 18 Australian horses, 34 mules, 158 native horses, 80 carromatas, 13 carratelas, 15 escort wagons, 7 trucks, 3 delivery wagons, 5 quilez, 1 calesa. Plans have been drawn for new stables, and when completed the work of this department can be carried on in a more satisfactory manner. The total amount of money received from all sources and accounted for by this bureau, as shown by the attached statements of the disbursing officer, aggregate $3,221,803.71 United States currency and $3,988,108.36 local currency, showing a balance on hand of $65,281.21 United States currency. There is also stock on hand in regular supplies amounting to $571,319.64 Philippine pesos. The disbursements and collections of this amount entailed 2,539 separate settlements, carried on 3,948 vouchers, covering approximately 15,000 invoices, as audited and checked against 12,908 purchase orders; the issuing of 11,719 invoices in quadruplicate; 718 settlements with provinces, covering 2,193 vouchers, and the settlement of 2,500 bills of lading. In rendering this report, showing as it does the purchasing, handling, and shipping of $3,281,000.85 worth of property and the accounting of $5,021,045.09 United States currency, I desire to express my appreciation of the able assistance rendered the chief of this bureau by Mr. Gus Johnson, chief clerk; Mr. W. W. Garver, disbursing officer; Mr. F. H. Garrett, chief of property division; Mr. H. J. Black and J. N. Weir, local buyers; Mr. S. J. Epperly, chief record division; Mr. George Raetzell, chief property returns, and their assistants. They have worked many hours overtime in order to help in meeting the demands made on this bureau. Respectfully submitted. M. L. STEWART, Assistant ana Acting Insular Purchasing Agent. |