city. The city physician shall be the health officer of the city and as such shall have the powers and perform the duties prescribed by law. § 252. Powers and duties of the commissioner of charities. Except as otherwise provided by this act, the commissioner of charities of the city of Johnstown, shall have and exercise within the city of Johnstown the same powers and discharge the same duties, to the exclusion of any other officer, as overseers of the poor in the several towns, except the town of Johnstown, in Fulton county. The commissioner of charities shall have all the powers and authority of overseers of the poor of the several towns of this State in relation to the support and relief of indigent persons, the binding out of children, the care of habitual drunkards, the binding out and contract for the service of disorderly persons, and the same powers as overseers of the poor and county superintendents of the poor have in relation to the insane, the support of bastards and proceedings to charge the fathers and mothers of such bastards, and all such other powers as are conferred on overseers of the poor in the respective towns of this state, and shall be subject to the same duties, obligations and liabilities. He shall keep his office in some central and convenient part of the city, to be approved by the common council. He shall visit the poor of the city at their several places of abode and examine into their circumstances, and ascertain to what extent they are or may be in need and entitled to permanent or temporary relief. He shall require all persons making application for relief to make such application in writing, which shall be preserved by said commissioner, and at the end of each month all such applications made during the month shall be filed with the city clerk. He may administer oaths to and examine under oath any person applying to him for relief. all purposes relating to the maintenance and support of the poor, the city of Johnstown shall be deemed one of the towns. of Fulton county. The commissioner shall issue written orders for all means, provisions and supplies furnished to the poor of said city. He shall not employ any physician other than the city physician appointed by the common council, except where immediate surgical relief is required. For § 253. Expenditures for support of poor. All the expenses for the support and relief of the poor persons of the city of Johnstown incurred under the provisions of this article, and all expenses properly chargeable under any other act against the city for the support and relief of poor persons shall be paid out of the poor fund, and no other expenditures shall be made therefrom except as otherwise provided in this act. § 254. Monthly reports of commissioner. Said commissioner shall at the first regular meeting of the common council in each month, report to the common council under oath in detail, all appropriations, expenditures, temporary relief and allowances made by him as such commissioner during the month preceding, which report shall specify the name and place of abode of each person relieved, the quality, quantity and price per pound, or otherwise as the case may be, of each article ordered or furnished, and from whom obtained; said report shall also contain the names and places of abode of all persons to whom meals or lodgings have been furnished, the number of such meals and lodgings, from whom obtained, or by whom furnished, and the cost of the same. Said report shall be filed with the city clerk. Kingston, Ulster County. (Note. Commissioners of the almshouse appointed by the mayor for a term of three years. Compensation fixed by the common council.) Chapter 747, Laws of 1896. TITLE VII. Of the Commissioners of the Almshouse. Section 75. Terms and appointment. 76. Powers defined. 77. General powers. 78. Duties of superintendent. 79. Annual account. 80. Annual estimate. 81. City a separate district. § 75. The commissioners of the almshouse in office, and their successors, shall constitute a department of the city government and be designated "the commissioners of the almshouse of the city of Kingston," and may sue and be sued by that title as if a corporation. The term of office of commissioner shall be three years. Appointments, in case of vacancy therein, shall be for the unexpired term and at the expiration of a term for three years. § 76. Such department shall have the sole and exclusive management of the poor who are by law chargeable against said city; the power and authority vested in overseers of the poor of town and superintendents of the poor of counties, except as modified by this act; have the possession and be custodian of the almshouse and all property therein contained and all lands, premises and improvements thereon which may hereafter be acquired for the maintenance of the poor. The title of such lands shall vest in the city of Kingston and the commissioners of the almshouse are directed within thirty days after the passage of this act, to convey to said city all lands and premises to which they have acquired title. § 77. Such department may: 1. Appoint one of said commissioners president; establish rules and regulations for the government of the department and its superintendent, agents and servants, and for the examinations of persons applying for or entitled to relief, or admission to the almshouse and for the distribution of food, fuel, clothing and other necessities among the city poor. 2. Appoint a superintendent of the almshouse and such other agents and servants as may be necessary, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the department and receive such salary as shall be fixed by it. 3. Visit the poor at their places of residence and make such examination of their circumstances as it shall deem proper. 4. Contract with the city of Kingston hospital for the medical and surgical treatment of the city poor thereat and expend therefor forty-five hundred dollars per annum, or so much thereof as may be necessary. (As amended by chapter 91 of the Laws of 5. Prosecute all actions and proceedings maintainable by overseers of the poor of towns and superintendents of the poor of counties. Bonds required by law in bastardy proceedings and in relation to bastards shall be given to said department. 6. Prosecute actions and proceedings to recover against any municipality the amount expended by it in supporting and maintaining any poor person properly chargeable to such municipality. 7. Appoint such competent practicing physicians as may be necessary to render surgical and medical services to the city poor. 8. Prosecute actions and proceedings to compel the relatives of poor persons to support them or recover the amount expended for the same. § 78. The superintendent of the almshouse shall keep an office, to be provided by the department, which shall be open and accessible to all persons having business therein at such hours as the rules determine. He shall attend the meetings of the commissioners of the almshouse; be the secretary thereof and keep the record thereof; keep an account of the receipts and disbursements of the department, including warrants drawn upon the treasury, the number and amounts thereof; the names of persons relieved, the manner and date thereof; prepare the annual report of the department and such other reports as may be required of it; carry into effect the order and directions of the department and perform all other duties lawfully required of him. § 79. The department shall, on the first day of November of each year, prepare a report showing an exact and accurate account of all moneys received by it during the preceding year; all expenditures for the same period of time and the reason for such expenditures; to whom paid; the number of persons admitted to and discharged from the almshouse; the number of persons supplied with outdoor relief; the cost thereof and of keeping the almshouse. The report shall be signed and verified by the commissioners and superintendent, filed in the office of the city clerk and published in the official papers. § 80. The department shall, on the first day of November of each year, furnish the mayor with a written statement of the balance to the credit of the department and an estimate of the amount, not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, which will be required for the support of the poor of said city for the ensuing year. Such statement shall be signed by the commissioners and presented by the mayor to the common council together with other city estimates. The common council may reduce such estimate, or approve the same as presented, and when approved the amount thereof shall be levied and collected the same as other city taxes. § 81. The said city, for the purpose of supporting the poor within its limits and carrying into effect the law for support and relief of indigent persons, deaf-mutes, blind, insane and idiotic persons of said city shall be a separate and distinct district. The city shall not hereafter be subject to any quota of county charges for the support of such persons, nor shall any portion of the county of Ulster, without the limits of said city be taxed or re quired to contribute to the support of such persons within said city. Lackawanna, Erie County. (Note. Commissioner of charities, appointed by the mayor for the term of two years. Salary fixed by common council.) § 5. Care of the poor. The said city of Lackawanna shall be considered a town for the purposes specified in the "poor law " of the state of New York. And the poor of said city shall be received and cared for in the county almshouse of the county of Erie in the same manner and on the same terms and conditions as the poor of other towns in the county of Erie. Department of Charities. Section 170. Appointment of commissioner. 171. Powers and duties of commissioner of charities, |