The Nevada Democrat., 1862-03-15
Township Governments.

in the Assembly by Mr.. Fay, "to organize
townships and regulate their powers and
dutes;"
1t provides that townships shall be bod
les corporate, and have power to sue and
be sued, to purchase and hold lands within
their own limits for the use of the inhabit-
ants thereof and for the promotion of edu-
cation; to make contracts and to purchase
and hold such personal property as may be
necessary TO the exercise of corporate and
administrative power; and to make suclf
orders for the disposition, use or regulation
of such corporate property as may be deem
ed conducive to the interests of the people
of the townships. The corporate powers
and duties of every township are to be YES
ted in a Board of three Trustees, elected an
nually on the Grst Monday in Nav, when
shall also be elected one Clerk, one Asses.
sor, one Treasurer, two Justices of the
Peace, two Constables, and one Road Over.
seer for each road district, the first town
ship election under the Act TO be held at
the next general election, and the Trustees
and officers then chosen to hold Office till
May, 1868, or until their successors are
elected and qualified. The Trustees are re-
quired to assemble and organize within ten
days after their election, and 10 Gx the time
for regular meetings, the Chairman to call
special meeting at any time. They are to
have control over local elections as they
may deem necessary; to prevent and remove
nusances /; prohibit disorderly conduct !;
provide for licensing public shows, and Ii
quor bars; construct and keep in repair,
wharfs; lay out, alter. keep open and repair
streets, roads and highways within the
townships; levy and collect, annually,
property tax not exceeding one per cent. on
the $lOO, for support of the Township gov.
ernment; to assess and collect State and
county taxes, including poll tax and foreign
miners licenses, and provide for payment
of the same into the county treasury; and
make such other bylaws and ordinances.
for the regulation and police Of the Town
ship, as they may deem necessary and fix a
penalty for the violation of the same. In
addition TO regulating local elections, the
Trustees are to manage the machinery Of
all elections 10 the various townships. The
Township Clerks are to be Clerks OF the
Boards of Trustees. and are required to
keep records and descriptions of estrays, of
official Oaths, Of marriages, births and
deaths, TO file all official bonds and may adj.
The powers aud duties of the Township AS
SCISSORS and Collectors are made the same
within the townships limits, as are now con-
ferred upon County Assessors aud Collect
ors by the State revenue laws, which are
declared the law in the several Townships
except such part of them as regulate the
compensation for services matter that is
left to the Trustees The powers and du-
ties of the Road Overseers are also made TO
conform to laws already in force, except
that they shall report TO the Trustees in
stead Of to the County Supervisors as now.
The Township Clerk is further empowered
aud required to receive, certify and file ia
bis Office copies of chattel mortgages, bills
of sale, and records of mining claims, and
such fling is made 10 have the full force
and effect OF a record at the County Recor-
der's Office. The Trustees are to fix the
compensation Of all Township officers and
bonds of the same, which bonds are to be
approved by them, and the Treasurers and
Collectors are required TO make detailed re-
ports to the Trustees on the first Monday of
April in each year. The Compensation al
lowed by law to County Tax Collectors, for
collecting State and county taxes, Is to be
peid into the township treasury as compen-
sation to Townships for taking charge of
such collection themselves. The Boards of
Trustees are required TO make annual finan-
cal statements, which shall be posted upon
three of the most public places in each
township. They are to have no power TO
contract liabilities in any manner exceed
ing $4,000. The Justices of the Peace now
in office are required to post written motto.
es Of the first Township elections under this
Act, with statement of time and place for
holding them, at least five days before the
general election to be held on the second
Tuesday in September, 1862. The books
and records Of all Township officers are
made Township property, and required TO
be kept open for public inspection. Viola
ton or neglect of duty on the part of Trus-
tees shall be punished as a misdemeanor by
fine Of not less than SO or more than $500,
or imprisonment in the county jail not to
exceed three months. The provisions Of
the Act "shall apply and be in force in the
several townships as now boun ded and de-
fined throughout the State, and townships
which may hereafter be created by the
Board Of Supervisors Of any county; but
shall not apply TO towns and cities already
incorporated under special or general laws
of the State"