Executive of the Islands. He shall be allowed one-half salary from the date of leaving home to come to Manila, and full salary from the date of his arrival in the Islands: Provided, That he proceeds directly to the Islands; otherwise, he shall be allowed half salary for such time only as is ordinarily required to perform the journey from his place of residence to Manila. If one has been employed as judge of the Court of Land Registration or municipal court of the city of Manila for three years, he shall, if he so requests, upon retirement from the service, be furnished with transportation for himself and family from Manila to his place of residence." SEC. 2. The provisions of the foregoing section shall apply to judges who have been or are now incumbent or who may hereafter be appointed. SEC. 3. 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. 4. This Act shall take effect on its [No. 1748.] passage. AN ACT Authorizing the adjustment of provincial and municipal boundaries and authorizing the change of capitals of provinces and subprovinces, as may be necessary from time to time to serve the public convenience and interest. Whereas the construction of railways and the establishment of commercial steamship routes and other conditions render it necessary, in consideration of the public convenience and interest, that provincial and municipal boundary lines and seats of governments be changed, in order that unnecessary expenditures of time and private funds by taxpayers and other persons having business to transact with the Government may be avoided; and Whereas some few of the provinces have very little revenue to support a provincial government and secure for the people necessary betterments, and as to such provinces it may become necessary to fuse them with other provinces; and Whereas the Legislature will not, in all probability, be in session more than ninety days per annum; and Whereas it is desirable that there be provided by law an expeditious method by which such changes may be made: Now, therefore, By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Whenever in the judgment of the Governor-General the public welfare requires, he may, by executive order, enlarge, contract, or otherwise change the boundary of any province, subprovince, municipality, or township or other political subdivision, or separate any such subdivision into such portions as may be required as aforesaid, merge any of such subdivisions or portions with another, divide any province into one or more subprovinces as may be required as aforesaid, name any new subdivision so created, change the seat of government within any subdivision, existing or created hereunder, to such place therein as the public interests require, and shall fix in such executive order the date when the change, merger, separation, or other action shall take effect. Whenever such action as aforesaid creates a new political subdivision the Governor-General shall appoint such officers for the new subdivision with such powers and duties as may be required by the existing provisions of law applicable to the case and fix their salaries; such appointees shall hold office until their successors are elected or appointed and qualified. Successors to the elective offices shall be elected at the next general election following such appointment. Such equitable distribution of the funds of changed subdivisions between the subdivisions affected shall be made as is recommended by the Insular Auditor and approved by the Governor-General. SEC. 2. In case any action by the Governor-General in accordance with this Act shall make necessary a change of the territory under the jurisdiction of any administrative district officer or any judicial officer the Governor-General, with the recommendation and advice of the head of the Department having executive control of such officer, shall redistrict the territory of the several officers affected and assign such officers to the new districts so formed. SEC. 3. 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. 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1749.] AN ACT Making appropriations for the friar lands bonds sinking fund created by act Numbered One thousand and thirty-four. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The sum of six hundred and ninety-six thousand one hundred and eighty-four pesos and ninety-three centavos is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated and transferred to the fund remaining from the proceeds of sales of the bonds issued for the purchase price of the Friar Lands by virtue of the Act of Congress approved July first, nineteen hundred and two, and Act Numbered One thousand and thirty-four of the Philippine Commission; and said fund so increased is hereby transferred to the sinking fund heretofore created by virtue of the said Act Numbered One thousand and thirty-four of the Philippine Commission. SEC. 2. There is hereby created a continuing appropriation from any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, as follows: On February first, nineteen hundred and eight, and on each succeeding anniversary thereof, to and including February first, nine teen hundred and thirteen, the sum of one hundred and forty thousand pesos; on February first, nineteen hundred and fourteen and on each succeeding anniversary thereof, to and including February first, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, the sum of two hundred and eighty thousand pesos; on February first, nineteen hundred and twenty-four, and on each succeeding anniversary thereof, to and including February first, nineteen hundred and thirty-three, the sum of two hundred and ninety-four thousand pesos; which sums, as appropriated, shall be transferred to the sinking fund aforesaid: Said sums so appropriated and the interest thereon shall be available for investment by the Insular Treasurer, with the approval of the Governor-General, by deposit at interest with qualified depositaries of Government moneys, and for loans, for periods not exceeding five years in any instance, to provincial and municipal governments for the construction of public works of a permanent character, and for investment in such loans and securities as are authorized for the Postal Savings Bank by existing laws: Provided, That the rates of interest on all loans made by authority of this section shall be fixed by the Governor-General: And provided further, That no loans shall be made from this fund for such period that the same will extend beyond the period for the redemption of the bonds for which this sinking fund is created: And provided further, That from the amounts hereby appropriated for any year moneys received during that year from the sale of the lands purchased by virtue of section sixty-four of the Act of Congress of July first, nineteen hundred and two, shall be deducted and the appropriation from general funds of the Insular Treasury correspondingly decreased: And provided further, That if any of said bonds shall be redeemed before the period of the maturity thereof, said bonds shall not be cancelled, but shall be held by the Insular Treasurer, who shall collect the interest on said bonds as the same falls due, and shall deposit such money to the credit of the sinking fund hereby established: And vided further, That whenever the Insular Treasurer shall certify that sufficient money has become available through the operation of this Act to redeem all of said bonds on maturity, principal and interest, thereupon the continuing appropriations provided for in this section shall cease and determine. pro SEC. 3. An annual appropriation of five hundred and sixty thousand pesos is hereby made, beginning with the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eight, for the payment of interest as it becomes due quarterly upon the so-called Friar Lands Bonds issued under the provisions of the Act of Congress of July first, nineteen hundred and two: Provided, That the sum hereby appropriated for any year shall be decreased for that year by the amount of receipts of whatever nature, derived during the year from said Friar Lands, except receipts from the sales of lands: And provided further, That if the receipts derived from the disposition of such Friar Lands, other than by sale, in any year exceed the interest for that year, the balance of such receipts remaining shall become available for the payment of interest in the succeeding year, or become a part of the sinking fund for the redemption of the bonds as the Secretary of Finance and Justice may direct. SEC. 4. The proceeds of sales of the lands purchased under the provisions of the Act of Congress of July first, nineteen hundred and two, shall in no case be used for any other purpose than the redemption of the principal of said bonds: Provided, That any other receipts from the said lands shall be first used to pay the interest upon the bonds as it matures, and any surplus, if any, shall be deposited to the credit of the sinking fund hereby created to meet the principal of such bonds at their maturity. SEC. 5. There is hereby appropriated out of the general funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum or sums necessary for the payment of the cost of exchange or of transfer to the City of New York of funds required for the payment of interest or principal of such bonds as such cost or exchange or transfer is incurred. SEC. 6. All Acts or parts of Acts in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed. SEC. 7. 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. 8. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1750.] AN ACT Making appropriation to reimburse the government of the city of Manila on account of expenditures made in the reconstruction of walls along the banks of the Pasig River below the Ayala Bridge. Whereas the Municipal Board of Manila has waived in favor of the Insular Government its claims to possession and ownership of that portion of the Pasig River below the Ayala Bridge in consideration of reimbursement on account of expenditures made in the reconstruction of walls along the banks of said portion of the Pasig River; and Whereas it is believed that the public interests will best be served by such adjustment of the question of possession and ownership between the Insular Government and the government of the city of Manila: Now, therefore, By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated, from any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of two hundred and seven thousand pesos, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to reimburse the government of the city of Manila on account. of expenditures made from the revenues of the city of Manila in the reconstruction of walls along the Pasig River below the Ayala Bridge: Provided, That the Municipal Board of Manila shall by resolution accept the conditions of this Act and waive, in favor of the Government of the Philippine Islands, its claims to possession and ownership of that portion of the Pasig River and the banks thereof and thoroughfares along said banks below the Ayala Bridge, reserving, however, to the city of Manila the right to occupy the property known as the "Arroceros Shops" site on the south bank of the Pasig River, with the exception of that portion of said site now used and occupied by the Philippine School of Arts and Trades, and the premises now occupied by the Quinta Market on the north bank of the Pasig River: And provided further, That nothing in this Act shall be construed to relieve the city of Manila from paving and otherwise maintaining said thoroughfares at the expense of said city, or from the obligation of creating and maintaining at the expense of said city a public park along the south bank of said river should the committee on parks appointed by the Governor-General pursuant to a resolution of the Commission dated April twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred and seven, recommend such action. The Insular Auditor is hereby directed to ascertain the amount of expenditures which have been made from the revenues of the city of Manila in the reconstruction of walls along the Pasig River below the Ayala Bridge and, after acceptance by the Municipal Board of the city of Manila of the prescribed conditions in a form satisfactory to the Attorney-General, to transfer to the credit of the government of the city of Manila, out of the sum herein appropriated, the amount so ascertained. 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. 1751.] AN ACT To provide for the arrest and return to ship of seamen deserting from certain merchant vessels in the Philippine Islands; for the adjudication by consuls of certain disputes and for the enforcement of consular decisions in such cases; and repealing Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and thirty-nine. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. On application made in writing by any consular officer of any foreign government having a treaty with the United States, stipulating for the restoration of seamen deserting, stating that the person therein named has deserted from a vessel of any such government while in any port of the Philippine Islands, and on proof by the exhibition of the register of the vessel, ship's roll, or other official document, that the person named belonged at the time of desertion to the crew of such vessel, it shall be the duty of the Court of First Instance, or a judge thereof, to issue a warrant and to cause such person to be arrested and brought before such Court for examination. If on examination the facts stated are found to be true, the person arrested, not being a citizen of the United States nor of the Philippine Islands, shall be delivered up to the consular officer to be sent back to the dominions of any such government, or on the request and at the expense of the consular officer shall be detained until the consular officer finds an opportunity to send him back to the dominions of any such government. No person so arrested shall be detained for any greater period than that stipulated by the treaty under and by |