Chap. 176.—An ACT to amend Chapter 94 of the Acts of Assembly of 1934, ap-
proved March 7, 1934, and known, designated and cited as the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Act, by adding thereto a new section numbered 31-c,
prescribing how the court may determine the validity of petitions filed for
local option elections on the sale of certain alcoholic beverages in counties,
cities and towns. [H 27

Approved March 10, 1948

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1, That chapter ninety-four of the Acts of Assembly of nine-
teen hundred thirty-four, approved March seven, nineteen hundred
thirty-four, and known, designated and cited as the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Act, be amended by adding thereto a new section
numbered thirty-one-c as follows:
Section 3l-c. In order to determine the validity of any petition
filed under section thirty of this chapter the court or judge may,
before calling the election, refer the petition to a master in chancery
for an investigation and report as to (1) the qualification as voters
of the county, city or town of the persons whose names appear
thereon, (2) the genuineness of the signatures to such petition,
(3) the number of qualified voters signing said petition and/or
(4) any other matter or inquiry deemed pertinent by the court or
judge. The costs of the reference, including a fee for the master in
chancery as fixed by the court or judge, shall be taxed as a part
of the costs of the proceeding.