duties. 1909, 483, pose connected with the consumption of gas or with gas companies, and shall not give certificates or written opinions to makers or vendors of any such articles or commodities. [SECTION 3. Said inspectors, subject to the rules and regula- Powers and tions prescribed by the board, shall make the inspections of gas Substitute. required by section fourteen of chapter fifty-eight of the Revised $5. Laws, and shall inspect, examine, ascertain and prove the accuracy of all gas meters which are used for measuring the quantity of illuminating gas and are to be furnished to or for the use of any person, and shall seal, stamp or mark every such meter, if it be found correct, with some suitable device, which shall be recorded in the office of the secretary of the commonwealth, and with the name of the inspector, the date of the inspection and the number of burners which the meter is intended to supply. They shall also perform such other duties and make such reports of their doings as the board may require.] duties of 1909, 483, § 5. Section 3. Said inspectors, subject to the rules and regulations Powers and prescribed by the board of gas and electric light commissioners, inspectors. shall make the inspections of gas required by section fourteen of chapter fifty-eight of the Revised Laws, and shall inspect, examine, ascertain and prove the accuracy of all meters which are to be used for measuring illuminating gas and are to be furnished to or for the use of any consumer or company, and shall seal, stamp or mark every such meter, if it be found correct, with some suitable device which shall be determined by the board and recorded in the office of the secretary of the commonwealth. They shall also perform such other duties and make such reports of their doings as the said board may require. [SECTION 4. If the inspectors at any time are unable fully to perform the duties required of them by this act the board shall appoint for temporary service one or more deputy inspectors of meters, and shall determine their compensation. Any person now in the service of the inspector of gas meters and of illuminating gas may be appointed or employed as such deputy without civil service examination. Such deputies shall be sworn, shall act under the direction of said board, shall not be connected with or employed by any gas company, and from their decisions the gas company or the consumer may appeal to the board.] Deputy in- service. 1909, 483, Deputy in spectors, ap Section 4. The board may from time to time, if in its opinion such action is necessary, appoint one or more deputy inspectors pointment, of meters for such term not exceeding one year and at such compensation as the board may determine. Any person now in the duties, etc. § 6. 1909, 483, Fees. § 7. 1908, 469. Fees. § 7. Compensation of inspectors, etc. Repeal and substitute. 1907, 54, § 2. 536, § 2. Substitute. service of the board as a deputy inspector of meters may be so appointed or employed without civil service examination. Such deputy inspectors of meters shall be sworn, shall act under the direction of said board, shall not be connected with or employed by any gas company, and from their decisions the gas company or the consumer may appeal to the board. [SECTION 5. For examining, comparing and testing meters, with or without stamping them, the board may collect a fee of twenty-five cents for each meter delivering not more than a cubic foot of gas in four revolutions, vibrations or complete repetitions of its action, and for each meter so delivering more than a cubic foot, a fee of thirty cents with twenty cents added for every additional cubic foot so delivered. The board shall designate one of its members to receive said fees, who shall give a bond to the treasurer and receiver general in the penal sum of five thousand dollars. All fees so received shall be paid into the treasury of the Commonwealth quarterly, on the last days of March, June, September and December in each year.] Section 5. For examining, comparing and testing meters, with or without stamping them, the board may collect a fee of twentyfive cents for each meter delivering not more than a cubic foot of gas in four revolutions, vibrations or complete repetitions of its action, and for each meter so delivering more than a cubic foot, a fee of thirty cents with twenty cents added for every additional cubic foot so delivered. For examining, comparing, testing or calibrating meter provers and test or photometer meters, with or without sealing or certifying to the same, the board may collect such fees as it may from time to time establish therefor. The board shall designate one of its members to receive all fees, who shall give a bond to the treasurer and receiver general in the penal sum of five thousand dollars. [SECTION 6. The salary of the inspector shall be twenty-five hundred dollars a year, the salary of the first assistant inspector shall be fifteen hundred dollars a year, and the salary of the secSee also 1908, ond assistant inspector, if there be one appointed, shall be twelve hundred dollars a year, and the board may expend annually a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars for the compensation of deputies and for necessary apparatus, travelling expenses, office rent and expenses, and for other necessary expenses incident to the duties of said inspectors.] 1909, 483, § 8. Compensa- Section 6. Except as provided in chapter five hundred and thirty-six of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eight, the salary of the inspector of gas and gas meters shall be twenty-five hundred dollars a year and the board may expend annually for expenses of board, etc. SECTION 7. The amount of the expenses incurred by the board Payment of under this act, and of salaries paid thereunder, less the amount deposited with the treasurer and receiver general from the fees for the inspection of meters, shall be borne by the several gas companies in proportion to their gross earnings, and shall be assessed and recovered in the manner provided by section ten of chapter one hundred and eleven of the Revised Laws for the assessment and recovery of the expenses of the railroad commissioners. If at any time however the amount collected under the provisions of section five hereof shall exceed the amount of such salaries and expenses, such excess shall be applied to reduce the annual assessment levied upon the several gas companies under the provisions of chapter one hundred and twenty-one of the Revised Laws, for the annual expenses of the board. SECTION 8. Sections one, two, three, four, five, six and seven Repeal. of chapter fifty-eight of the Revised Laws, and so much of section seven of chapter nine thereof as relates to the annual report of the inspector of gas and gas meters, are hereby repealed. take effect. SECTION 9. So much of this act as relates to the appointment When to of the inspector and assistant inspectors shall take effect upon its passage, and the remainder of this act shall take effect as soon as said officers are appointed and qualified. [Approved March 27, 1902. Acts of 1908, Chapter 469. An Act to provide for reimbursing Certain Officials for Premiums paid for procuring Sureties on their Bonds. SECTION 1. When an official who has the custody of property officials giving bonds of the commonwealth, or who is charged with the duty of receiv- to be reiming or disbursing money, is required to give bond to the common- bursed, etc. wealth for the faithful discharge of his duty, the commonwealth shall reimburse him for the amount paid by him to a surety company for becoming surety on his official bond. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 1, 1908. Certain fees to be paid into the treasury. Repeal. Unit of P. S. 61, § 8. Test gas holders and meters to be provided. 1861, 161, § 8. Substitute. 1909, 483, § 1. Acts of 1909, Chapter 318. An Act relative to the Receipts of the Board of Gas and Electric SECTION 1. All fees received by the board of gas and electric light commissioners shall be paid into the treasury of the commonwealth monthly, upon the last business day of each month. SECTION 2. So much of section five of chapter two hundred and twenty-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and two as is inconsistent herewith is hereby repealed. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved April 26, 1909. SECTION 8. The unit of measure for the sale of illuminating gas by meter shall be the cubic foot, containing sixty-two and three hundred and twenty-one one-thousandths pounds avoirdupois weight of distilled or rain water, weighed in air of the temperature of sixty-two degrees, Fahrenheit scale, the barometer being at thirty inches. [SECTION 9. Every gas light company with a capital paid in of one hundred thousand dollars or more and every maker and vendor of meters shall set up at some P. S. 61, § 10. convenient place upon their premises a gas holder containing five or more cubic feet, which shall be tested and, if correct, stamped and sealed, and by means of which meters shall be tested at the average pressure at which gas is supplied in the city or town in which they are to be used, attention being paid to the temperature of the room where the trial is made. Every gas light company shall provide a test meter, of a construction approved by the inspector and stamped by him, which shall be used in cities and towns in which no test gas holders are provided or if proving by a gas holder is impracticable or inconvenient. In the examination of a meter, the inspector shall see that it is of an approved principle, shall give particular attention to the measure of the dial plate and shall prove the meter when set level, and that it is capable of accurately passing gas at the rate of six cubic feet an hour for each burner which the manufacturer has stamped it to register. A dry meter shall not be stamped correct if it varies more than two per cent from the standard measure, and a wet meter shall not be stamped correct if it is capable of registering more than two per cent against the consumer or more light com certain gas panies to pro vide meter provers, etc. § 1. than five per cent against the company. The inspector shall keep at his office a correct record of all meters inspected by him, with their proof at the time of inspection, which shall be open at all times for examination by the officers of any gas light company in the commonwealth.] Section 9. Every gas light company with a capital paid in of one hundred thousand dollars or more, and every other gas light company if required by the board of gas and electric light commissioners, and all makers and vendors 1909, 483, of meters shall set up at some convenient place upon their premises one or more meter provers of a size and type approved by the board and tested and calibrated by the board, by means of which meters may be tested. A meter shall not be stamped correct if it varies more than two per cent from the standard measure. The board shall keep a correct record of all meters examined by its inspectors with their proof at the time of inspection, which shall be open at all times for examination by the officers of any gas light company in the commonwealth. SECTION 10. A gas company providing a meter for measuring gas supplied to a customer which has not been duly sealed and stamped shall be punished by a fine of five dollars for every such meter in use, payable to the city or town in which the meter is situated. in Meters to be stamped. § 6. § 3. meters in use. § 9. 1861, 168, SECTION 11. Meters in use shall be tested by the in- Testing of spector or by one of his assistants or a deputy on the request of the consumer or of the gas light company, the presence of the consumer if desired, and with sealed apparatus. If he finds that the meter is correct, the person requesting the inspection shall pay the fees for such inspection and the expense of removing the meter for the purpose of being tested, and the re-inspection shall be stamped on the meter. If he finds that the meter is incorrect, the gas light company shall pay such expenses and shall furnish a new meter without charge to the consumer. register § 6. SECTION 12. Meters for measuring gas supplied to con- Meters to sumers shall register the quantity of gas passing through plainly. them in cubic feet so that the number of cubic feet of 1886, 346, gas consumed can be easily ascertained by the consumer thereof. No meter shall be used which may confuse or deceive the consumer in ascertaining the price he pays per thousand cubic feet or the number of cubic feet consumed. No charge for the use of a meter during any portion of |