CONGRESSIONAL RELIEF FUND PAYMENT OF LAND TAX UPON LAND OF SEÑOR VICENTE LOPEZ FOR 1903.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of December 14, 1906.]

Whereas a certain parcel of land in the municipality of Orani, Province of Bataan, was tendered the insular government in the year 1903 by Señor Vicente Lopez for use in the pasture of carabaos then being imported by the insular government, and, while no charge was to be made for the use of said land, Señor Lopez claims that he had a verbal agreement with the Hon. William H. Taft, then civil governor, that the property was to be exempted from the land tax upon the same then due and in arrears; and

Whereas while there is no record of such agreement having been made and therefore the insular government can not recognize the claim of Señor Lopez, nevertheless in view of the fact that the land was actually used by the insular government for the purposes mentioned and of the fact that Señor Lopez's insistence upon the point makes it appear probable that Governor Taft contemplated asking the Commission to give Señor Lopez some compensation for the use of his land; and

Whereas the exemption of the land from taxation for three years, as requested by Señor Lopez, would result in the payment by the gov ernment of a very high rental in view of the fact that the land was occupied less than a year, but the release of the land from taxation for the year 1903, in which it was used, would be a reasonable and equitable compensation: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That, without acknowledging any obligation upon the part of the insular government, the governor-general is hereby authorized to expend from the funds appropriated by act No. 1406 from the Congressional relief fund, the sum of 130.18, or so much thereof a may be necessary, for the purpose of paying the land tax upon said land of Señor Vincente Lopez for the year 1903, together with the penalty and interest thereon.

CIVIL-SERVICE EMPLOYEES TRANSPORTATION TO THE UNITED STATES AFTER THREE YEARS' SERVICE TO BE TAKEN WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER SEPARATION FROM THE SERVICE.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of December 14, 1906.]

The recorder presented a communication from the second assistant executive secretary inclosing an application from Mr. Albert E. Somersille, formerly an employee of the provincial government of Albay, who resigned his position on August 31, 1906, after more than three years' continuous service, and is therefore entitled to return transportation to the United States at government expense, less $30 United States currency. It appeared, however, that Mr. Somersille did not desire to use this transportation at present, but merely filed his request in order that he might preserve his right to receive such transportation when ready to use it. The second

assistant executive secretary suggested that this raised the question whether or not the Commission, by its resolution of February 14, 1905, deciding that applications of this kind by resigning employees should be "filed" within six months after resignation, intended to mean that transportation could be furnished at government expense at any subsequent time, possibly several years removed, provided the application was made within six months after resignation, or whether it was the intention of the Commission that applications should not only be filed, but the transportation granted the employee as well, within six months after resignation: It was, on motion,

Resolved, That the second assistant executive secretary be informed. that the intention of the Commission in its resolution of February 14, 1905, was that transportation should not only be applied for within six months from the date of separation from the service, but actually taken within that time.

PUBLICATIONS-AUTHORIZING THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO ARRANGE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING IN ONE OF THE VISAYAN NEWSPAPERS.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of December 14, 1906.]

After a discussion of the question of the payments now made by the government monthly to certain of the Manila newspapers and the advisability of publishing the laws and resolutions of the Commission and notices and advertising matter of the government of general interest in a newspaper established in some other part of the islands with a good circulation: On motion, it was

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Commission that it is unnecessary to authorize the publication at the expense of the government of notices, laws, resolutions, advertising, etc., of the government in any additional newspaper in Manila, for the reason that the publication thereof in three American newspapers and three Filipino newspapers as at present is sufficient to give the necessary information to the inhabitants of Manila and vicinity, but it is deemed advisable to consider the publication of such notices, etc., in one of the Visayan papers, "El Tiempo" preferred on account of its large circulation; and be it

Resolved further, That the governor-general be, and is hereby, authorized to take this matter up with the newspaper "El Tiempo " and inform such newspaper that the government is willing to authorize the payment thereto of P150 per month on condition that it will publish all laws and such resolutions and government advertising of general interest, except ordinances, notices, and advertising matter of the city of Manila, as may be forwarded to it for publication by the executive secretary, and in the event that said newspaper accepts this proposition the governor-general be, and is hereby, authorized to make such agreement with the said newspaper as may be necessary to accomplish the end desired.

PUBLICATIONS; PAYMENT TO "EL GRITO DEL PUEBLO FOR PUBLICATION OF GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING DISCONTINUED.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of December 14, 1906.]

The president stated that his attention had been called to the fact that the daily paper "El Grito del Pueblo," for advertising in which the insular government is paying at the rate of P300 per month, has been published very irregularly for a month or more, Mr. Pascual H. Poblete, the director, claiming that he has been unable to secure the paper required for his daily edition.

After consideration by the Commission, on motion, it was—

Resolved, That the payment of the sum of 300 per month to "El Grito del Pueblo " for the publication of laws, orders, and advertising of the insular government and the government of the city of Manila, in accordance with resolutions of the Commission of August 26, 1903, and January 3, 1906, be discontinued from October 31, 1906.

PUBLICATION-AUTHORIZING THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO ARRANGE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING IN THE "VIDA FILIPINA."

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of December 18, 1906.]

The president called attention to the resolution of the Commission of December 14, 1906, discontinuing the monthly payment of $300 to the newspaper "El Grito del Pueblo" for the publication of laws, orders, and advertising of the insular government and the government of the city of Manila, by reason of the fact that said newspaper was not published regularly and therefore was not rendering to the government the service for which it was paid, and suggested that in order to maintain so far as possible the present circulation through the press of information which it is necessary for the public to have authority be given for the publication in some other newspaper in Manila of the information heretofore published in the newspaper "El Grito del Pueblo."

After consideration, on motion, it was

Resolved, That the governor-general be, and is hereby, authorized to take the matter up with the newspaper "Vida Filipina" and inform said newspaper that the government is willing to authorize the payment thereto of 150 per month on condition that it will publish all laws and such resolutions and government advertising of general interest, except ordinances, notices, and advertising matter of the city of Manila, as may be forwarded to it for publication by the executive secretary, and in the event that the said newspaper accepts this proposition the governor-general be, and is hereby. authorized to make such agreement with the director thereof as may be necessary to accomplish the end desired.

MORO PROVINCE EXTENSION OF THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER VI OF THE PUBLIC LAND ACT TO-EXCEPTION.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of December 29, 1906.]

Resolved, That in accordance with the provisions of section 78 of act No. 926, known as the public-land act, the provisions of Chapter VI of said act, save and except subsection 6 of section 54 thereof, are hereby extended over and put in force throughout the whole of the Moro Province.

CONGRESSIONAL RELIEF FUND-APPROPRIATION FOR PAYMENT OF SALARIES OF MUNICIPAL SCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE PROVINCE OF CAGAYAN.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of January 5, 1907.]

Whereas the municipalities of the province of Cagayan have been swept by a most unprecedented flood throughout the valley of the Cagayan River and its tributaries, with the result that not only have private properties been devastated but municipal school buildings destroyed or seriously damaged; and

Whereas after a careful study of the financial situation of these municipal governments, the secretary of public instruction finds that by reason of the extraordinary conditions resulting from the catastrophe hereinbefore mentioned it will be impossible for the work of primary instruction to be continued in the public schools of the municipalities of the province of Cagayan unless assistance be given, this notwithstanding the reorganization of the police and other municipal services upon a basis of expense which is unquestionably the minimum consistent with public safety: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the governor-general be, and is hereby, authorized to transfer to the provincial government of Cagayan the sum of 15,000 Philippine currency from moneys appropriated by act No. 1406 from the Congressional relief fund, to be distributed in the discretion of the provincial board among the municipal governments of that province for expenditure in the payment of salaries of municipal teachers in the public schools and for no other purpose.

CONGRESSIONAL RELIEF FUND EXPENDITURE FOR COMPLETION OF DIKE, PROVINCE OF TARLAC.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of January 24, 1907.]

Whereas the sum of 16,000 made available by resolution of the Commission of May 1, 1906, for the construction of the Tarlac dike is insufficient for the completion of said project, by reason (1) of the failure of the people to pay their subscriptions made toward the carrying on of the work; (2) of the failure of the promise of the people to furnish "capatazes" for the supervision of the work without charge and to furnish labor at 30 centavos a day, the laborers

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declining to work at that rate after the project was started; (3) of the failure to furnish piles at a sufficiently low price, and the consequent failure of the contribution that was expected of the Tabacalera Company; and (4) of the damage done by the typhoon of May 18, 1906, which swept away and rendered useless a portion of the work already completed; and

Whereas there is necessity for the immediate continuation of this work during the present dry season: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the governor-general be, and is hereby, authorized to expend from the funds provided by act No. 1406 from the Congressional relief fund the sum of #29,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the completion of the dike in the municipality of Tarlac, province of Tarlac, from the site of the old government building to a point 600 feet beyond the conjunction of the TarlacVictoria road with the Tarlac Railway station road; and

Resolved further, That the money hereby made available shall be paid to the provincial treasurer of Tarlac, who shall, upon presentation of proper vouchers approved by the district engineer, pay all bills for services rendered and material furnished for the construction of said dike; and

Resolved further, That the director of public works shall have general supervision of the construction herein provided for, and the district engineer shall have immediate charge of the work of construction.

CONGRESSIONAL RELIEF FUND-EXPENDITURE FOR RELIEF OF INHABITANTS OF SAN ISIDRO, NEUVA ECIJA.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of February 11, 1907.]

Whereas a disastrous fire occurred at San Isidro, Neuva Ecija, on January 30, 1907, rendering homeless and destitute about 300 persons; and

Whereas the provincial governor of Neuva Ecija has come to Manila and has verbally requested an allotment of 500 from insular funds for the relief of destitution in San Isidro: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the governor-general be and hereby is authorized to expend out of the funds appropriated by act No. 1406 from the Congressional relief fund the sum of 500 for the relief of persons who have become homeless and destitute on account of the conflagration which occurred at San Isidro, Neuva Ecija, January 30, 1907, the provincial board of that province to be in charge of the distribution of said relief.

CONGRESSIONAL RELIEF FUND-EXPENDITURE FOR RELIEF OF VOLUNTEERS OF DAGAMI, LEYTE, INJURED IN LINE OF DUTY, AND THEIR FAMILIES.

[Excerpt from minutes of the Commission of February 13, 1907.]

Whereas certain volunteers of the municipality of Dagami, province of Leyte, have been killed or wounded in line of duty while assisting in the maintenance of order, by being accidentally fired into by the troops whom they were assisting; and