Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-06-08

which frees school districts from liza
bility for injuries sustained in the use
of playground apparatus.
The teachers retirement fund law,
long sought by educators, will allow
retirement funds to be started by
cities Of first class, on the petition Of
majority of the teachers of the city.
Banks are permitted to become
members of a bank guarantee fund
organization under the new law ere
ating the fund by depositing securi-
ties to the extent of $4,000 for every
100000 of deposits held, and con-
forming to other requirements, The
fund is intended to insure depositors
against loss and practically all the
state banks are expected to join the
system.
Farm Market Director.
The authorization of farm mar
keting director fits in admirably with
the war food preparedness campaign
/
of the state and national govern
ments. The director will be appoint
ed by the director of the agricultural
experiment station of the State Col
lege, and will receive a salary Of
$4,000 and expenses.
| 1t is his duty to investigate and
promote economy and efficiency In
the distribution of farm products,
publish a market news service, give
aid to systems bringing producer and
consumer into closer touch. as
through cooperative organizations,
or the use Of the parcel post, and re-
ceive applications for farm labor and
laborers.
Delinquent taxes draw IL per cent
interest after June instead of Is
per cent as heretofore, except for
those tax certificates which are now
in private hands. The county COM
missioners will hereafter pass upon
whether certificates, of delinquency
shall be issued against property. and
as the law provides that they shall
do this at their first meeting follow
ing March 81, there can be no delin-
quent tax certificates issued this year.
| Aside from the appropriations
made for highway construction i'm
portant road legislation also became
effective. Hereafter counties will be
made responsible for road mainte-
nance and the county authorities also
must post road signs at crossings and
forks. The state highway commits
sioner is directed to prepare plans fol
uniform road signs and these mus,
be used by the county authorities.
| State to Sell Land.
Another law of importance to the
agricultural development of the state
is the one which authorizes the sale
of SO-acre tracts for development Al
agricultural. horticultural or dairy
lands on 20 years time. The state
land commission is directed to specify
in advance the improvements that
shall be made on the lands during
the first 10 years and If purchaser
agrees to these terms, the lands will
be sold with a payment down of one
twentieth of the cost price, no pay
ments during the next 10 years, then
one-tenth during each of the next
nine years and a final one-twentieth
on the twentieth anniversary Of the
sale.
Three towns of the state dropped
their old names Wednesday night and
woke up the next morning as some
thing entirely different, Tolt, in
King county, blossomed forth as Car
nation. The old station OF Yakima
City. which received a territorial leg
islative charter in 1888, became
Union Gap, though some facetious
Legislators tried to make it Red
Gap" Spiketown. coal town OF
Pierce county. drops its name for that
of Morristown. January LIST next
North Yakima changes it's name to
Yakima.