Public hearings, etc. Proviso. cretion; and such of them as have not been distributed by the commission before the first Wednesday in January next shall be deposited in the legislative document room for distribution by the sergeant-at-arms. The commission shall have a room in the state house assigned for its use, shall give such public hearings as it may deem necessary, may employ such assistance, clerical or otherwise, as it may require, and shall receive such sums for clerical assistance, travel and other expenses, and for the compensation of its members as shall be allowed by the governor and council: provided, however, that the whole expense of said commission, including compensation and clerical and other expenses, shall not exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars. Approved May 28, 1915. Chap.135 RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR THE PURCHASE BY THE BOARD OF Purchase by fisheries and game commissioners of two COMMISSIONERS ON FISHERIES AND GAME OF TWO PARCELS Resolved, That there be allowed and paid out of the treasury of the commonwealth from the ordinary revenue, a parcels of land. sum not exceeding ten hundred and forty dollars, to be expended by the board of commissioners on fisheries and game for the following purposes: Fortune property. Daniel Vincent land. For the purchase of the land with the buildings thereon, known as the Fortune property, consisting of eighty-five acres, more or less, situated in the town of Palmer adjoining the land of the state fish hatchery and being the same premises now held by the commonwealth under a lease, a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars. For the purchase of a lot of land formerly known as the Daniel Vincent land, consisting of thirty-seven acres, more or less, adjoining the state reservation at Martha's Vineyard, a sum not exceeding forty dollars. Approved May 28, 1915. Chap.136 RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND A REPORT Investigation as to advisability of establishing BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AS TO THE AD- Resolved, That the state department of health be authorized and directed to investigate with reference to the district tuber advisability of establishing county or district hospitals for county or the care and treatment of cases of tuberculosis, from cities culosis hosand towns having less than fifty thousand inhabitants. pitals. Said department shall report the result of its investigation to the next general court on or before the second Wednesday in January, and shall accompany its report with such recommendations for legislation as it may consider to be advisable. Approved May 28, 1915. RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR AN INVESTIGATION RELATIVE TO Chap.137 THE HOURS OF LABOR OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND RELATIVE as to hours public em urday half Resolved, That the subject-matter contained in the bill Investigation relative to the hours of labor of public employees, printed of labor of as House Document No. 397, and in the bill relative to ployees. SatSaturday half-holidays for laborers, workmen and mechanics holidays, etc. employed by or on behalf of the commonwealth, printed as House Document No. 2140, both of the current year, be referred to the commission on economy and efficiency for investigation. Said commission shall report the results of its investigation, together with such recommendations as it may deem advisable, to the next general court on or before the second Wednesday in January. Approved May 28, 1915. RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR THE PREPARATION OF PLANS AND Chap.138 arrangements hospital in district. Resolved, That there be allowed and paid out of the treas- Preparation of ury of the commonwealth a sum not exceeding fifteen thou- plans, etc., for sand dollars, in addition to the unexpended balance of the for insane appropriation made under authority of chapter one hundred metropolitan and forty of the resolves of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, to be expended by the state board of insanity, subject to the approval of the governor and council, for the preparation of plans and for such studies relative to water supply, sewage disposal and any other matters necessary to complete the preliminary arrangements for the erection Chap.139 RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE SHORE IN Protection of shore in Winthrop. Proviso. THE TOWN OF WINTHROP. Resolved, That the board of harbor and land commissioners is hereby authorized to provide for the building in the town of Winthrop along the shore of Broad Sound on the easterly side of Point Shirley for the whole, or a part, of the distance from the southerly end of the existing sea wall south of Great Head to Shirley Gut, a sea wall or breakwater, or other form of shore protection sufficient to protect the shore and shore property from damage by the sea, and may expend for the purpose a sum not exceeding eighteen thousand dollars, of which sum fifteen thousand dollars shall be paid out of the treasury of the commonwealth from the ordinary revenue, and three thousand dollars shall be appropriated by the town of Winthrop, which amount the said town is hereby authorized to raise by taxation, or otherwise, and pay into the treasury of the commonwealth: provided, that no expenditure shall be made upon the improvements hereby authorized until satisfactory evidence has been furnished to the auditor of the commonwealth that the town of Winthrop has complied with the conditions of this resolve. Approved May 28, 1915. Chap.140 RESOLVES TO PROVIDE FOR SUBMITTING TO THE PEOPLE Proposed article of amendment submitted to THE ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION RELATIVE TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE GENERAL COURT TO IMPOSE TAXES. Resolved, That the following article of amendment to the to constitution constitution, having been agreed to by the last and the present general court and published in the manner required by the constitution, be submitted to the people for their ratification and adoption: the people. ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT. amendment. Full power and authority are hereby given and granted to Article of the general court to impose and levy a tax on income in the manner hereinafter provided. Such tax may be at different rates upon income derived from different classes of property, but shall be levied at a uniform rate throughout the commonwealth upon incomes derived from the same class of property. The general court may tax income not derived from property at a lower rate than income derived from property, and may grant reasonable exemptions and abatements. Any class of property the income from which is taxed under the provisions of this article may be exempted from the imposition and levying of proportional and reasonable assessments, rates and taxes as at present authorized by the constitution. This article shall not be construed to limit the power of the general court to impose and levy reasonable duties and excises. Resolved, That the people shall be assembled for the Vote upon purpose aforesaid, in their respective polling places in the article, etc. several cities and towns in meetings to be legally warned and held on Tuesday, the second day of November next, at which meetings all persons qualified to vote for state officers may give in their votes by ballot for or against said article of amendment; and the same officers shall preside in said meetings as in meetings for the choice of state officers, and shall, in open meetings receive, sort, count and declare the votes for and against the said article of amendment; and the said votes shall be recorded by the clerks of said cities and towns, and true returns thereof shall be made out under the hands of the mayor and aldermen or board having the powers of aldermen, and of the selectmen, or a major part of them, and of the clerks of the said cities and towns, respectively, and sealed up, and, within ten days after the said meetings, transmitted to the secretary of the commonwealth. So far as the same can be applicable, the provisions of law applicable to the election of state officers shall apply to the taking of the vote on said article of amendment. Resolved, That every person qualified to vote as aforesaid may express his opinion on said article of amendment and the following words shall be printed on the ballot: Question upon ballot. Examination of returns of votes, etc. Governor to issue procla mation. Shall the following proposed amendment to the constitution, relative to the taxation of incomes and the granting of reasonable exemptions, be approved and ratified? ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT. Full power and authority are hereby given and granted to the general court to impose and levy a tax on income in the manner hereinafter provided. Such tax may be at different rates upon income derived from different classes of property, but shall be levied at a uniform rate throughout the commonwealth upon incomes derived from the same class of property. The general court may tax income not derived from property at a lower rate than income derived from property, and may grant reasonable exemptions and abatements. Any class of property the income from which is taxed under the provisions of this article may be exempted from the imposition and levying of proportional and reasonable assessments, rates and taxes as at present authorized by the constitution. This article shall not be construed to limit the power of the general court to impose and levy reasonable duties and excises. YES NO And if said article shall appear to be approved by a majority of the persons voting thereon, it shall be deemed and taken to be ratified and adopted by the people. Resolved, That his excellency the governor and the council shall forthwith open and examine the votes returned as aforesaid; and if it shall appear that said article of amendment has been approved by a majority of the persons voting thereon, according to the votes returned and certified as aforesaid, the same shall be enrolled on parchment and deposited in the secretary's office as a part of the constitution of the commonwealth, and shall be published in immediate connection therewith, numbered according to its numerical position, with the articles of amendment of the constitution heretofore adopted, in all future editions of the laws of the commonwealth printed by public authority. Resolved, That his excellency the governor is hereby authorized and requested to issue his proclamation forthwith after the examination of the votes returned as aforesaid, |