[No. 1645.] AN ACT To legalize municipal elections, heretofore held under the provisions of Act Numbered Eighty-two, on and after January fifteenth, nineteen hundred and seven. Whereas sundry elections for municipal officers were in good faith held under the election provisions of the Municipal Code on and after the fifteenth day of January, nineteen hundred and seven, in ignorance of the fact that said provisions were repealed on said date: Now therefore, to give effect to the choice of the people and to avoid the expense and disturbance of repeated elections: By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. All elections to fill municipal offices which were held prior to the date of the passage of this Act and on or after the fifteenth day of January, nineteen hundred and seven, under the provisions of the Municipal Code in force prior to said fifteenth day of January, nineteen hundred and seven, which have been or may be confirmed by the provincial board in accordance with the said Municipal Code are hereby legalized and declared to be of full force and effect. The officers elected at such elections are hereby authorized to assume and fill the respective offices to which they were elected for the remainder of the respective terms for which they were elected. SEC. 2. 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 twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1646.] AN ACT Establishing a new boundary line between the subprovince of Amburayan and the Provinces of Ilocos Sur and La Union, making the municipality of Tagudin the capital of the subprovince of Amburayan, and fixing the powers and duties of provincial officers and provincial boards in provinces organized under the special provincial government act relative to municipalities organized under the Municipal Code. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The municipality of Tagudin, in the Province of Ilocos Sur, is hereby transferred to the subprovince of Amburayan and upon the transfer of the office of the lieutenant-governor shall become the capital of the said subprovince. The municipal authorities of Tagudin shall furnish adequate space in the municipal building for the office of the lieutenant-governor until other provision is made for such office. The boundary line between the subprovince of Amburayan and the Province of Ilocos Sur shall be as follows: Beginning at the Coast and Geodetic Survey station called "Bald Peak," latitude sixteen degrees fifty-nine minutes forty-four and ninety-five hundredths seconds, longitude one hundred and twenty degrees twenty-eight minutes forty-four and fifty-four hundredths seconds, thence South eighty-seven degrees eight minutes West, three thousand and sixty-two and six-tenths meters to a wooden cross on the west side of the main road and continuing on the same bearing five hundred and eighteen meters more or less to the seashore. Starting again at the above-mentioned Bald Peak and running thence South seventy-nine degrees twelve minutes East, toward a high and prominent peak lying in the range of mountains to the east, until this line intersects the present north and south boundary between Amburayan and Ilocos Sur. SEC. 2. A new boundary line between the subprovince of Amburayan and the Province of La Union is hereby established as follows: Beginning at a point called "Initial," from which the Tagudin church bell tower, latitude sixteen degrees fifty-six minutes eight and five-hundredths seconds, longitude one hundred and twenty degrees twenty-six minutes twenty-four and nine-hundredths seconds, bears North thirty-nine degrees fifty-five and five-tenths minutes West, and the Bangar church cross, latitude sixteen degrees fiftythree minutes forty-three and fifty-hundredths seconds, longitude one hundred and twenty degrees twenty-five minutes eight and ninety-four hundredths seconds, bears South fifty-four degrees six and five-tenths minutes West, the two latter being Coast and Geodetic Survey points; thence South sixteen degrees twenty-nine and fivetenths minutes West, two thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine and nine-tenths meters to a point called "Cruz," or "A2;" thence South twenty-two degrees twenty-four and five-tenths minutes East, two thousand six hundred and eighty and five-tenths meters to a point called "Bangar," latitude sixteen degrees fifty-two minutes nineteen and thirty-five hundredths seconds, longitude one hundred and twenty degrees twenty-seven minutes twenty and sixty-five hundredths seconds, which is a Coast and Geodetic Survey station of the same name; thence South four degrees twenty-five minutes West, one thousand five hundred and sixty and three-tenths meters to a point called "Chow," or "A6;" thence South twenty-five degrees fifty-seven and five-tenths minutes West, two thousand nine hundred and fifty-eight and two-tenths meters to a point called "San Francisco," or "A7;" thence South eighteen degrees fifty-one and fivetenths minutes West, one thousand seven hundred and six and fourtenths meters to a point called "Calat," or "X2;" thence South four degrees fifty-six minutes West, two thousand eight hundred and ninety-three meters to a point called "Bungcayo," or "A9;" thence South eight degrees fifty-one and five-tenths minutes West, three thousand two hundred and sixty-eight and two-tenths meters to a point called "San Jose," or "AA10;" thence South thirty degrees thirty-one minutes West, four thousand four hundred and sixty-four and seven-tenths meters to a point called "Lacong No. 1," or "A11;1 thence South twenty degrees twenty-three minutes West, eight hundred and five and seven-tenths meters to a point called "Lacong No. 2," or "A12;" thence South twenty-four degrees fourteen minutes West, one thousand two hundred and eighty-three and threetenths meters to a point called "Hill," or "A13;" thence South two degrees twenty-one minutes West, two thousand one hundred and eighteen and seven-tenths meters to a point called "San Gabriel," or "A14;" thence South twenty-six degrees forty-eight and five-tenths minutes West, one thousand four hundred and sixty and five-tenths meters to a point called "Road," or "X7; " thence South ten degrees seven and five-tenths minutes East, two hundred and ninety-seven and eight-tenths meters to a wooden cross set on the south side of the main road from San Juan to San Gabriel; thence on the same bearing, South ten degrees seven and five-tenths minutes East, one thousand four hundred and nine and seven-tenths meters to a point. called "Final," or "X6," which point was the end of the boundary line and is at the junction of the Cabassitan and Baroro, or Cadaclan, Rivers. From Final the Coast and Geodetic Survey station Saragosa, latitude sixteen degrees forty-two minutes thirty-two and twentyseven hundredths seconds, longitude one hundred and twenty degrees twenty-two minutes fourteen and sixty-six hundredths seconds, bears North twenty-nine degrees forty-nine and five-tenths minutes West, five thousand six hundred and ten and four-tenths meters. SEC. 3. So much of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and three as provides for the placing of certain non-Christian inhabitants of the Province of La Union under the jurisdiction of the lieutenantgovernor of the subprovince of Amburayan and the governor and provincial board of the Province of Lepanto-Bontoc is hereby repealed. For the purpose of electing delegates to the Philippine Assembly at the election to be held on July thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, the territory hereby added to the subprovince of Amburayan shall constitute a part of the assembly districts of which it formed a part prior to the passage of this Act, and the inhabitants of said territory shall have the right, if otherwise qualified, to vote for delegates to the Philippine Assembly at the elections to be held on July thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, in the same manner and to the same extent as if this Act had not been passed. SEC. 4. Whenever in a province organized under the Special Provincial Government Act a municipality is organized under the Municipal Code, or when a municipality already so organized is brought within the territory of a province organized under the Special Provincial Government Act, the provisions of the Municipal Code shall be of full force and effect and the powers and duties of provincial officers and the provincial board as to such municipality shall be those prescribed by the Municipal Code and the Provincial Government Act. SEC. 5. 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 twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1647.] AN ACT Amending section seven hundred and eighty-nine of Act Numbered One hundred and ninety providing for fees for governors, sheriffs, and other persons serving process. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Section seven hundred and eight-nine of Act Numbered One hundred and ninety is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following proviso: "Provided, however, That in serving summons and copy of complaint upon defendants, if copy of the complaint is furnished by the officer, there shall be charged for each one hundred words in excess of three hundred and fifty words in the original complaint, in each copy of the complaint served, five cents; but if copy of complaint for each defendant is furnished by the complainant no additional fee shall be charged for said copy." SEC. 2. 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 twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1648.] AN ACT Further to amend Act Numbered Four hundred and ninety-six, entitled "An Act to provide for the adjudication and registration of title to lands in the Philippine Islands," so as to provide for the taking of evidence and the making of findings of fact in certain land registration cases by judges of the Courts of First Instance, to empower judges of the Court of Land Registration to grant injunctions, to establish a fixed table of fees for registration cases, and for other purposes. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Section four of Act Numbered Four hundred and ninety-six is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following words: "All cases arising in the Court of Land Registration in the city of Manila shall be assigned to the regular judges of the court by rotation, as nearly as may be, and all cases arising in said court outside of the city of Manila shall be assigned by districts to the regular judges and the judges at large of the Court of First Instance performing the duties of judges of the Court of Land Registration. The limits of said districts shall be determined by agreement among all of the judges serving on the court. The judge to whom a case is once assigned shall thereafter have exclusive authority and jurisdiction therein unless and until he shall be absent from the Philippine Islands, or shall have voluntarily transferred such case to another judge, or such transfer shall have been authorized by the Secretary of Finance and Justice: Provided, That any judge of the Court of First Instance outside of the city of Manila shall, whenever directed in writing to do so by the Secretary of Finance and Justice, hear and make findings of fact in land-registration cases at the times and places prescribed by law for holding regular or special terms of the Court of First Instance in his judicial district, whenever any application or applications under this Act shall have been duly published, mailed, and posted for hearing at any such times and places. For the purposes of any such hearing such judge of the Court of First Instance shall exercise all the powers exercised for like purposes by judges of the Court of Land Registration, including the power to determine whether the application has been duly published, mailed, and posted for hearing, and the power of adjournment to such times and places as may be convenient, and, after the hearing, such judge of the Court of First Instance shall return the application and all papers and documents filed in connection therewith and all evidence presented in support thereof or in opposition thereto, together with his findings of fact, by official messenger or registered mail, to the clerk in Manila, who shall thereupon transmit the papers and record in the case to the judge to whom the case has been assigned for decision. Such judge to whom the case has been assigned may, of his own motion, or on motion for a new trial made by any party to the case on proper grounds and in due time, reopen the case and, with the previous approval in writing of the Secretary of Finance and Justice, return it to the judge of the Court of First Instance of the district in which the findings of fact were originally made for further hearing. Such judge of the Court of First Instance shall thereupon conduct such further hearing and return the application, papers, documents, and evidence and any further findings of fact to the clerk in Manila in the manner hereinbefore provided, to be again delivered to the judge to whom the case has been assigned. Nothing in this section contained shall be construed to prevent judges serving on the Court of Land Registration from referring any such case to an examiner of titles, as referee, to take testimony and make report thereon to the court." SEC. 2. Section seven of said Act, as amended, is hereby further amended by striking out said section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "SEC. 7. There shall be a clerk and an assistant clerk of the Court of Land Registration, who shall be appointed by the Attorney-General, with the approval of the Secretary of Finance and Justice. The clerk and assistant clerk shall perform their duties under the control and supervision of the senior judge of the court and may be removed from office for cause by said senior judge. "The clerk shall have authority, subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Law and with the approval of the Attorney-General, to appoint and employ the necessary deputies, assistants, clerks, translators, stenographers, typewriters, messengers, and other subordinate employees which may be authorized by law. "The assistant clerk shall act as chief deputy to the clerk of the court and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the senior judge or the clerk of the court. In case of the death or disability of the clerk, the assistant clerk shall perform the duties of clerk until the vacancy is filled or the disability is removed: Provided, however, That any judge of the Court of Land Registration having |