The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-03-30
RELIEF Duties
given TO Counties
UNDER new STATUTE
Sst-Up For Procuring Aid Re-
mains Similar to Old
Procedure, However

The duty Of administering poor re-
lief Is lifted from the shoulders Of the
township supervisors, and placed with
county commissioners under law en-
acted by the recent legislature. The
act carried an emergency clause and
became effective on being signed by
the governor.
Every application for poor relief
must be made to the board Of county
commissioners under the new laws
which centralize poor relief admins
tration in the county government and
repeal 80 sections Of the former code
providing the poor relief set-ups in
each township, with the county pay
ing Is per cent Of the cost.
Employment Of an experienced So
cial worker or poor commissioner in
connection with the administration Of
poor laws is permitted by the new law
which allows the county commission
ers to fix compensation and pay ne
cessary expenses from the general
funds Of the county.
Set-Up Is Similar
Except for Capitalization in the
county government, the set-up for
procuring poor relief remains similar
to the old law.
The law, House Bill 289, provides
that the county commissioners. in
stead of supervisors Of the townships,
shall be ex-officio overSeers OF the
poor within their respective districts.
Suits arising out of the admins
tration of poor relief must be brought
by or against the county in its COR
porate name, and the county commits
Sioners have exclusive Jurisdiction and
control Of the administration of poor
relief within each county. Applica-
ton for poor relief must be made to
the county board and may be filed
either with the county auditor or the
overseer Of the poor.
Unchanged are those sections in the
law governing residence, care Of the
poor, temporary aid, investigation by
the overseer, duty of overseers in ex-
aiming complaints by the poor. re-
quiring poor persons to work, proyid-
ing for assistance by relatives, aid for
the able bodied non-residents, actions,
action when residence Is uncertain:
conveying Of poor persons to place OF
residence, compensation OF two dol
lars per day to overSeers and town.
ship supervisors, while at work: keep
ing Of records and filing Of them with
the county auditors.
Under the law it is the duty Of the
father, mother, and the children of
any Door person unable to maintain
himself by work, to maintain such
persons to the extent Of their ability,
and the county may recover from
them for necNsaries furnished an
INDECENT person.
Amount Is Limited
The law limits to $25, instead OF
SIS as previously, the amount an
overseer may aid any poor person or
family until he shall have presented
1 statement of the case to the county
commissioners who may reduce or in
crease any allowance made BY the
overseer and may grant relief refused
BY him. They also may accept prop
erty or security from q person seeking
relief.
When legal residence Of poor
person Is an issue between overseers
In two or more counties. provision Is
made for temporary relief until such
residence Is determined in district
court. Burial Of poor persons Is pro-
vided for with expenses. limited te
so, to be paid by the county.
Provisions relative to the duty Of
township supervisors In connection
with the investigation and making
Of reports on applications for pool
relief apply to the mayor or the pre-
sident Of the city commission in cases
Of cities. and to the chairman Of the
board Of trustees in villages Of thu
state.