SECTION 2.-When any personal property is purchased for the use of any department or bureau from funds of the People of Porto Rico, it shall be entered in the property inventories of said department, and in all cases where the personal property of any department is lost, stolen, condemned or sold, a full and complete report of the facts and reasons therefor shall be filed with the property inventories of said department and have the approval of the head of said department indorsed thereon.

SECTION 3.-The Auditor shall make such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, as may be necessary for the carrying out of this Act. Such regulations shall be subject to the approval of the Governor, and when so approved, shall be of binding force and effect until the first day of February, A. D. 1905.

SECTION 4.-The Auditor may detail a clerk, whose duty it shall be to check the said inventories up from time to time by personal inspection, and to make investigations of any personal property not included in said inventories, when there is reason to suspect that the said property belongs to the People of Porto Rico.

SECTION 5.-To enable the Auditor to carry out the purposes of this Act, the sum of two hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

SECTION 6.-This Act shall take effect from and after its passage.

Approved, March 3, 1904.

AN ACT

TO AUTHORIZE THE SALE OR LEASE OF THE LAUNCH "HERMES." Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico:

SECTION 1.-That the Comissioner of the Interior of Porto Rico is hereby authorized to sell or lease the launch “Hermes,” now under custody of the bureau of docks and harbors, Department of the Interior of Porto Rico, to the United States Treasury Department, or to the United States collector of customs at San Juan, upon such terms as may be agreed upon between said Comissioner of the Interior and the United States collector of customs at San Juan, or other proper officer of the United States Treasury, Department and approved by the Governor of Porto Rico:

SECTION 2.-That this Act shall take effect from and aftr it s passage.

Approved, March 10, 1904.

AN ACT

AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF A BUILDING BELONGING TO THE

PEOPLE OF PORTO RICO BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
INTERIOR.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico : SECTION 1.-That the Commissioner of the Interior be hereby authorized to sell by public auction and at the price at which it might be assessed, the building belonging to the People of Porto Rico situated in the Barrio of Hato Rey, Rio Piedras, known as the old Agricultural Station of Rio Piedras, and which is constructed on grounds owned by Mr. Ubarri; and after the person to whom the bid has been awarded shall have deposited the amount of its assessed value in the office of the Treasurer of Porto

Rico, the Governor of Porto Rico shall transfer to the successful bidder all the rights that the People of Porto Rico may have over the aforesaid building.

SECTION 2.-That this Act shall take effect from and

after its passage.

Approved, March 10, 1904.

AN ACT

REORGANIZING THE JUDICIARY OF PORTO RICO, DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, PROVIDING THAT ONE JUDGE SHALL CONSTITUTE A COURT TO TAKE COGNIZANCE OF ALL CASES AND FIXING THE SALARY OF THE JUDGES. TO GREATE MUNICIPAL COURTS AND DEFINING THEIR POWERS, JURISDICTION AND SALARY OF THE JUDGES, AND PROVIDING AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE SAME, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico:

SECTION 1.-That the territory of Porto Rico is hereby divided into seven judicial districts, as follows: The district of San Juan, with its capital in the city of San Juan; the district of Arecibo, with its capital in the city of Arecibo; the district of Mayaguez; with its capital in the city of Mayaguez; the district of Ponce, with its capital in the city of Ponce; the district of Humacao, with its capital in the city of Humacao; the district of Guayama, with its capital in the city of Guayama; and the district of Aguadilla, with its capital in the city of Aguadilla; Provided, that the said judicial districts shall in the future be made of the following municipalities: The district of San Juan shall comprise the municipalities of Bayamón, Carolina, Rio Grande, Rio Piedras, Toa Alta, Vega Baja, Comerío and San Juan. The district of Arecibo shall comprise the city of Arecibo and the municipalities of Camuy, Ciales, Manatí, Morovis and Utuado. The

district of Aguadilla shall comprise the city of Aguadilla and the municipalities of Aguada, Isabela, Lares, San Sebastian, Añasco and Las Marias. The district of Mayaguez shall comprise the city of Mayaguez and the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Lajas, Maricao, Sabana Grande and San German. The district of Ponce shall comprise the city of Ponce and the municipalities of Adjuntas, Yauco, Juana Diaz, Coamo and Barros. The district of Guayama shall comprise the city of Guayama and the municipalities of Santa Isabel, Patillas, Cayey and Aibonito. The district of Humacao shall comprise the city of Humacao and the municipalities of Naguabo, Fajardo, Vieques, Yabucoa, Caguas, Aguas Buenas and San Lorenzo.

SECTION 2.-Each district judge shall have the following qualifications: He shall be over twenty-five years of age, shall be a lawyer of good standing, admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Porto Rico, and must be able to conduct the business of his court in the Spanish language, including the ability to instruct the jury, either verbally or in writing, in the said language. The salary of the district judge shall be three thousand dollars per annum, and his duties shall be as provided in the different laws, decrees and Codes of Porto Rico. One judge shall constitute a District Court; Provided, that the Governor may appoint a judge familiar with the proceedings in jury trials, who must be able to speak and write the Spanish language, and who shall assist, under the direction of the Attorney General, the courts of the various districts to inaugurate the proceedings according to the Code of Civil Procedure, and especially in the practice of jury trials, and said special judge shall have the same powers and functions of a regular judge. Said judge shall receive a salary of three thousand five hundred dollars per annum and his actual traveling expenses when traveling under instructions from the Department of Justice. The Governor, by and with the consent of the Executive Council, shall

appoint all the district judges for a period of four years; Provided, that the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Attorney General, may, if the public service requires it, order any other district judge to fulfill the duties of any judge regularly appointed when he is temporarily disqualified, either on account of illness or any other cause; and, provided, further, that in cases of absolute necessity, the Governor may, upon the recommendation of the Attorney General, appoint a substitute judge for such time as may be necessary, and said substitute judge shall have the same qualifications as are required for the dis trict judges, and shall receive a salary of ten dolllars for each day that he acts as such judge.

SECTION 3.-The office of justice of the peace and secretary and clerks of justices of the peace, and the offices of municipal judges and secretaries, and other employees of the municipal courts at present in existence, are hereby abolished; and there is created hereby the office of municipal judge, who shall perform the duties and functions which are hereafter prescribed in this law; and all the proceedings in said municipal courts must be conducted according to the rules and proceedings in force in the District Courts.

SECTION 4.-Except as provided hereafter in this Act, the municipal judges created hereby shall fulfill all the duties which are at present performed by the justices of the peace and municipal judges. He shall have jurisdiction in all civil matters in his district to the amount of five hundred dollars, including interest; he shall have jurisdiction in all criminal cases except felonies, and in all felony cases the municipal judge may act as a committing magistrate, and he may fix bail under the laws in force; Provided, that in the cities of San Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez, there shall be a justice of the peace appointed by the Governor, by and with the consent of the Executive Council; he shall have jurisdiction in all cases in which the punishment imposed shall not exceed a fine of