Chap. 413.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 4, 52 and 54 of an act enti-
tled “an act to amend and re-enact the charter of the town of Martinsville,
in the county of Henry,” approved March 3d, 1892 so as to provide for the elec-
tion of sergeant by the qualified voters of said town.

Approved February 21, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That so
much of an act approved March three, eighteen hundred and ninety-
two, which relates to appointment of a sergeant of the town of Mar-
tinsville, in the county of Henry, as amended by sections four, fifty-
two and fifty-four of an act entitled “an act to amend and re-enact
the charter of the town of Martinsville, in the county of Henry,”
approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-two, be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 4. The administration and government of said town shall be
vested in one principal officer, to be styled the mayor; eight other
trustees, who shall constitute the council of said town; one officer, to
be styled the sergeant of said town, and such other officers and agents
as may be appointed by the council.

The mayor, members of council, sergeant and other officers elected
or appointed shall have resided in said town twelve months and be
elected or appointed from among the electors of the town; and where
elected by the qualified voters who shall have resided within the cor-
porate limits of said town one year previous to the election, which
shall take place on the fourth Thursday in May, eighteen hundred
and ninety-six, and every two years thereafter. The said mayor,
councilmen and sergeant shall hold their respective offices for the
term of two years, commencing on the first day of July next after
their election, and afterwards until their successors shall qualify ;
and members of council shall receive no pay. And in the said coun-
cil, 30 composed (any five members shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business), shall be vested the corporate powers of said
town, and which shall be known as the council of the town of Mar-
tinsville. .

§ 52. The council shall appoint annually a clerk, a commissioner
of the revenue and such policemen and other officers and agents for
the proper conduct and business of the town ds may be necessary ;
shall fix their compensation and prescribe their duties where this
charter does not, and require from any or all of them such bonds
as'may be deemed proper, payable to the town in its corporate
name and conditioned for the faithful discharge of their respective
duties, which shall be executed before the mayor and approved by
the council. The terms of each of said officers so appointed shall
expire on the thirtieth day of June of each year after their appoint-
ment; and any of said officers, with the consent of the council, may
appoint a deputy or deputies, who shall have all the power and
authority of their principal.

§ 54. The sergeant of said town, who shall from time to time be
elected under this act, shall have the like rights of distress and such
other power for collecting the taxes and levies made by said council
as county treasurers have in similar cases, and shall be entitled to
the same or like fees and commissions, and in the service of process,
arrest of parties and the collection of fines arising under authority
of this act, or of any by-laws or ordinances made in pursuance
thereof, he shall have and possess the same rights and powers and
be entitled to the same or like fees and commissions as are now
allowed by law to sheriffs for similar services. He shall report an-
nually, in the month of July, all delinquent taxes, erroneous assess-
ments and insolvents to the council.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.