year, nor granted to two or more persons to peddle as partners in trade. And the board of commissioners shall grant licenses for the sale of spirituous liquors to all persons possessing the qualifications required by law, except in those localities where the sale of spirituous liquors shall be prohibited by law.

19. TO ESTABLISH PUBLIC LANDINGS, PLACES OF INSPECTION, AND

INSPECTORS.

To establish such public landings and places of inspection as the board of commissioners may think proper; and to appoint such inspectors in any town or city as may be authorized by law.

20. TO LICENSE AUCTIONEERS.

To license for the term of one year any number of persons to exercise the trade and business of auctioneers in each county, and to take their bonds as prescribed by law.

21. TO REQUIRE FROM ANY COUNTY OFFICER A Report under oath.

To require from any county officer, or other person employed and paid by the county, a report under oath at any time, on any matters connected with his duties.

22. TO AUTHORIZE CHAIRMAN TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS.

To authorize the chairman to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance before the board, of persons, and the production of books and papers relating to the affairs of the county for the purpose of examination, on any matter within the jurisdiction of the board. The subpoena shall be served by the sheriff or any constable to whom it is delivered; and upon return of personal service thereof, whoever neglects to comply with the subpoena or refuses to answer any proper question, shall be guilty of contempt and punishable therefor by the board. A witness is bound in such case to answer all the questions which he would be bound to answer in like case in a court of justice; but his testimony given before the board shall not be used against the witness on the trial of any criminal prosecution other than for perjury committed on the examination; the chairman of the board of county commissioners for each county is authorized in his official capacity to administer oaths in any matter coming before either of such boards. Any member of such board while temporarily acting as such chairman shall have and exercise like authority.

23. TO

APPROVE BONDS OF COUNTY OFFICERS AND INDUCT THEM

INTO OFFICE.

To qualify and induct into office at the meeting of the board, on the first Monday in the month next succeeding their election or appointment, the following named county officers, to-wit: Clerk of the superior court, sheriff, coroner, treasurer, register of deeds, surveyor, and constable; and to take and approve the official bonds of such officers, which the board shall cause to be registered in the office of the register of deeds. The original bonds shall be deposited with the clerk of the superior court, except the bond of the said clerk, which shall be deposited with the register of deeds, for safe-keeping: Provided, however, that if the said board shall declare the official bonds of any of said county officers to be insufficient, or shall decline to receive the same, the said officers may appeal to the superior court judge riding the district in which said county is, or to the resident judge of said district, as he may elect, who shall hear said appeal in chambers, at any place in said district which he shall designate, within ten days after notice by him of the same, and if, upon the hearing of said appeal, the judge shall be of the opinion that the said bond is sufficient, he shall issue an order to the said board of commissioners to induct the said officer into office, or that he shall be retained in office, as the case may be; but if, upon the hearing of said appeal, the judge shall be of the opinion that the bond is insufficient, he shall give the appellant ten days in which to file before him an additional bond, and if the appellant shall within the said ten days file before the said judge a good and sufficient bond, in the opinion of said judge, he shall so declare and issue his order to said board directing and requiring them to induct the appellant into office, or retain him, as the case may be; but if, in the opinion of the said judge, both the original and the additional bonds are insufficient, he shall declare the said office vacant and notify the said commissioners, who shall notify the clerk of the superior court, who shall appoint to fill the vacancy, except in cases of the clerk of the superior court, which vacancy shall be filled by the resident judge. The judgment of the superior court judge shall be final. The appeal and the finding and judgment of the superior court judge shall be recorded on the minutes of the board of commissioners.

24. TO ADOPT A COUNTY SEAL.

To adopt a seal for the county, a description and impression whereof shall be filed in the office of superior court clerk and of the secretary of state.

25. TO LEVY COUNTY TAXES.

To levy, in like manner with the state taxes, the necessary taxes for county purposes; but the taxes so levied shall never exceed the double of the state tax, except for a special purpose, and with the special approval of the general assembly. All county taxes shall be levied at the regular meeting of the board on the first Monday in June. The board may extend the time for the collection and settlement of the county taxes to such time as may be deemed expedient, not beyond the first day of May next after the taxes were levied.

26. TO ERECT AND REPAIR COUNTY BUILDINGS.

To erect and repair the necessary county buildings, and to raise, by taxation, the moneys therefor.

27. TO BORROW MONEY.

To borrow money for the necessary expenses of the county, and to provide for its payment, with interest, in periodical instalments, by taxation.

28. TO DESIGNATE SITE FOR COUNTY BUILDINGS.

To remove or designate a new site for any county building; but the site of any county building already located shall not be changed, unless by an unanimous vote of all the members of the board at the regular December meeting, and unless upon notice of the proposed change, specifying the new site. Such notice shall be published in a newspaper printed in the county, if there is one, and posted in one or more public places in every township in the county for three months, next immediately preceding the annual meeting, at which the final vote on the proposed change is to be taken. Such new site shall not be more than one mile distant from the old, except upon the special approval of the general assembly.

29. TO CONSTRUCT AND REPAIR BRIDGES.

To construct and repair bridges in the county, and to raise by tax the money necessary therefor, and when a bridge is necessary over a stream, which divides one county from another, the board of commissioners of each county shall join in constructing or repairing such bridge; and the charge thereof shall be defrayed by the counties concerned, in proportion to the number of taxable polls in each.

30. TO ERECT, DIVIDE OR ALTER TOWNSHIPS.

To erect, divide, change the names of, or alter townships in the manner following: In any county, any three freeholders of each township to be affected, may, after the notice presently to be mentioned, apply by petition to the board of commissioners, to erect a new township, or divide an existing township, or change the name of or alter the boundaries thereof. Notice of the application shall be posted in one or more public places in each of such townships, and published in a newspaper printed in the county, if there is one, for at least four weeks preceding the meeting at which the application is made to the board. No township shall have or exercise any corporate powers whatsoever, unless authorized by an act of the general assembly, to be exercised under the supervision of the board of commissioners.

31. TO PROVIDE FOR A HOUSE OF CORRECTION.

To make provision for the erection in each county of a house of correction, where vagrants and persons guilty of misdemeanors shall be restrained and usefully employed; to regulate the employment of labor therein; to appoint a superintendent thereof, and such assistants as may be deemed necessary, and to fix their compensation.

32. TO REGULATE SPEED OF AUTOMOBILES.

To regulate the speed of automobiles, motor-cycles and other like vehicles on the public roads and bridges, and make such ordinances as they may deem necessary governing the same. This subsection shall not apply to the counties of Mecklenburg and New Hanover.

1319. Powers in certain counties. In the counties of Montgomery and Vance, the powers conferred by subsections twenty-five and twenty-eight of the preceding section shall be exercised only with the concurrence of a majority of the justices of the peace, sitting with them; and the powers conferred by subsections thirteen, twenty-six, twenty-seven, thirty and thirty-one of the preceding section shall be exercised only with the concurrence, or assent of a majority of the justices of the peace; and the powers conferred in subsection twenty-nine of the preceding section shall not be exercised without the concurrence of the justices of the peace, where the costs exceed five hundred dollars; and in said counties subsection twenty-three of the preceding section shall not be enforced, but the following shall govern, to-wit: To qualify and induct into office at the meeting of the board on the first

Monday in the month next succeeding their election or appointment the following-named county officers, to-wit: Clerk of the superior court, sheriff, coroner, treasurer, register of deeds, surveyor and constable; and to take and approve the official bonds of said officers, which the board shall cause to be registered in the office of the regis ter of deeds. The original bonds shall be deposited with the clerk of the superior court, except the bond of the said clerk, which shall be deposited with the register of deeds for safe-keeping.

Code, s. 707; 1895, c. 135; 1899, c. 89; 1899, c. 166; 1899, c. 488; 1901, c. 680; 1903, c. 790; 1905, c. 422.

1320. Purchase of county indebtedness. The board of commissioners may purchase at any price, not exceeding their par value and accumulated interest, any of the outstanding bonds or other indebtedness of the county.

Code, s. 718.

1321. To fill vacancies in certain offices. Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the offices of sheriff, constable, coroner, register of deeds, county treasurer or county surveyor, the board of commissioners of the county shall fill the same by appointment.

Code, s. 720.

1322. To settle disputed county lines. Whenever there shall be any dispute concerning the dividing line between counties, the board. of commissioners of each county interested in the adjustment of said line, a majority of the board consenting thereto, may appoint one or more commissioners, on the part of each county, to settle and fix the line in dispute; and their report, when ratified by a majority of the commissioners in each county, shall be conclusive of the location of the true line, and shall be recorded in the register's office of each county, and in the office of the secretary of state.

Code, s. 721; R. C., c. 27; 1836, c. 3.

1323. Such commissioners, how sworn and paid. Such commissioners, before entering on the duties assigned them, shall be sworn before a justice of the peace; and they, with all others employed, shall be allowed reasonable pay for their labors.

Code, s. 722.

NOTE. County commissioners failing to discharge duty guilty of misdemeanor, see ss. 3573, 3574, 3592.

County commissioners liable for taxes, see s. 2814.