CHAP. 219

Initiative.

be printed on the official ballots to be used at such election, unless such candidate be nominated as hereinbefore provided, at a preliminary election for nominations.

INITIATIVE.

Section 45. If a petition, signed by a number of the voters of said city, qualified to vote at city elections, equal to at least ten per cent of the aggregate number of votes cast for candidates for mayor at the last preceding annual city election at which a mayor was elected, and requesting the municipal council to pass an ordinance therein set forth or referred to, shall be filed in the office of the city clerk, the municipal council shall, provided that said ordinance be one which the municipal council shall after this act takes effect, have a legal right to pass. The municipal council shall pass the ordinance therein set forth or referred to, without alteration, within twenty days after such attachment of certificate of sufficiency, or submit the same to the qualified voters of the city at the next annual city election.

The votes upon such ordinance at an annual city election shall be taken by ballot in answer to the question, "Shall the ordinance (stating the nature of the same) be passed?" which shall be printed on the ballots after the list of candidates. If a majority of the qualified voters voting on the proposed ordinance shall vote in favor thereof, it shall thereupon become a valid and binding ordinance of the city, and no such ordinance passed as aforesaid by the municipal council, upon petition as aforesaid, or which shall be adopted as aforesaid at any such annual city election shall be repealed or amended except by the qualified voters of the city at an annual city election.

Any number of ordinances requested by petition as aforesaid, may be voted upon at the same election, in accordance with the provisions of this section.

The municipal council may submit a proposition for the repeal of any such ordinance, or for amendments thereof, to be voted upon at any succeeding annual city election; and should such proposition so submitted receive a majority of the votes cast thereon at such election, the ordinance shall thereby be repealed or amended accordingly. The votes upon such repeal or amendment at an annual city election shall be taken by ballot in answer to the question, "Shall the ordinance (stating the nature of the same) be repealed, or amended (stating the nature of the amendment)," which shall be printed on the ballots after the list of candidates. Whenever any such ordinance or proposition is required by this act to be submitted at any election as aforesaid,

the city clerk shall cause the same to be published once in each of the daily newspapers published in said city; such publication to be not more than twenty nor less than five days before the submission of the ordinance or proposition to be voted on.

Petitions under the provisions of this section may consist of one or more distinct papers. In each of such papers the ordinance, the pasage of which is requested, shall be set forth or referred to, and all such papers filed in any one day in the office of the city clerk shall be deemed to be parts of the same petition. Such petitions shall be signed, sworn to as to signatures, examined, presented to the municipal council, shall have the city clerk's certificate of sufficiency or insufficiency attached thereto.

Any ordinance, passed under the provisions of this section by the municipal council upon petition, or by the voters, may prescribe such penalty for its violation as the municipal council, after this act takes effect, shall have a right to affix to a like ordinance for a breach thereof.

When the voters make or pass an ordinance as provided in this act, such ordinance shall take effect and be in force at the time therein specified without presentation to or approval by the

mayor.

CHAP. 219

REFERENDUM.

Section 46. If, during the ten days next following the pas- Referendum. sage of an act or ordinance by the municipal council, a petition, signed by a number of the voters of said city, qualified to vote at city elections equal to at least ten per cent. of the aggregate number of votes cast for candidates for mayor at the last preceding annual city election at which a mayor was elected, and protesting against the passage of such act or ordinance, shall be filed in the office of the city clerk, such act or ordinance shall be suspended from going into operation, and it shall be the duty of the municipal council to reconsider the same, and if it is not entirely repealed, the municipal council shall submit it, as is provided in section forty-five to the qualified voters of the city and the said ordinance shall not go into effect or become operative unless a majority of the voters, qualified as aforesaid, voting on the same shall vote in favor thereof. The votes upon such ordinance at an annual city election shall be taken by ballot in answer to the question, "Shall the act or ordinance (stating the nature of the same) take effect?" which shall be printed on the ballots after the list of candidates.

Petitions under the provisions of this section may consist of one or more distinct papers. In each of such papers the ordinance, the passage of which is protested, shall be set forth or

СНАР. 219

Address.

General meeting.

Repeal.

referred to, and all such papers filed in any one day shall be deemed to be parts of the said petition. Such petitions shall be signed, sworn to as to signatures, examined, presented to the municipal council, shall have the city clerk's certificate of insufficiency attached thereto.

Section 47. It shall not be necessary for the validity of any petition or statement provided for or required by the provisions of this act that any signer thereof add to his signature any residence other than the name of the street, and street number, if there be any, at which he resides at the time of signing.

GENERAL MEETING.

Section 48. General meeting of the citizens qualified to vote in city affairs, may from time to time be held to consult upon the public good, to instruct their representatives, and to take all lawful measures to obtain redress of any grievance according to the right secured to the people by the constitution of this state, and such meetings shall be duly warned by the municipal council, upon requisition of sixty qualified voters. The city clerk shall act as clerk of such meetings, and record the proceedings upon the city records.

REPEAL.

Section 49. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed; provided, however, that such repeal shall not affect any act done, or any right accruing or accrued or established, or any suit or proceeding had or begun in any civil case before the time when such repeal takes effect, and that no offences committed and no penalty or forfeitures incurred under the acts or parts of acts hereby repealed shall be affected by such repeal; and provided, also, that all persons who at the time said repeal takes effect shall hold any office under said acts. shall continue to hold the same according to the tenure thereof, except as is otherwise provided herein, and provided, also, that all by-laws and ordinances of the city of Waterville in force at the time when said repeal takes effect, and not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, shall continue in force until the same. are repealed or amended, and all officers elected under such bylaws and ordinances shall continue in office according to the tenure thereof, except as is otherwise provided herein.

ACCEPTANCE OF CHARTER.

CHAP. 219

of charter.

Section 50. On or before September one, nineteen hundred Acceptance and eleven the mayor shall call a special election to be held on the first Monday in October nineteen hundred and eleven, to vote upon the acceptance of this charter; provided, however, that if this act shall not be accepted by a majority of the voters present and voting at the election to be held as aforesaid, on the first Monday in October nineteen hundred and eleven, on or before September one, nineteen hundred and twelve, the mayor shall call a second special election to be held in the manner aforesaid on the first Monday in October nineteen hundred and twelve to vote upon the acceptance of this charter.

CHARTER SHALL TAKE EFFECT.

take effect.

Section 51. This act shall take effect, as hereinafter provided, Charter shall upon its acceptance by a majority of the voters present and voting thereon at either of said special elections. The vote shall be taken by ballot in answer to the question, "Shall an act passed by the legislature in the year nineteen hundred and eleven entitled 'An Act to amend an act to incorporate the city of Waterville' be accepted?" which shall be printed on the official ballots.

Except in so far as the same may be inconsistent with the provisions of this section, all general laws governing, and applicable to, a special election of a city officer, shall govern and apply to the special election at which this act shall be submitted. as aforesaid.

If this act shall so be accepted, it shall take effect upon its acceptance for the annual city election to be held on the first Monday of December, following its acceptance, for preliminary election for nominations, to be held, under the provisions of this act on the first Monday preceding the aforesaid annual city election, for the statements of candidates and petitions accompanying statements of candidates to be filed by persons whose names are to be printed on the official ballots to be used at such preliminary election for nominations and for all things which appertain and relate to said annual city election, preliminary election for nominations, statements of candidates and petitions accompanying statements of candidates; and, except as provided in section fifty-three it shall take effect for all other purposes at ten o'clock in the forenoon on the first Monday of January in the year nineteen hundred and twelve.

CHAP. 220

Amendments.

When certain part of act takes effect.

AMENDMENTS.

Section 52. If a petition signed by a number of the voters of said city, qualified to vote at a city election, equal to at least twenty-five per cent. of the aggregate number of votes cast for candidates for mayor at the last preceding annual city election at which a mayor was elected, and proposing one or more amendments to this charter, shall be filed with the city clerk not less than thirty days prior to the first Monday in December; the municipal council shall submit said amendment or amendments without alteration, at the next regular annual election, to the qualified voters of the city. The votes upon such amendment or amendments shall be taken by ballot in answer to the question: "Shall the amendment or amendments, (stating the amendment or amendments) be adopted?" which shall be printed on the ballots after the list of candidates. If a majority of the qualified voters voting on the proposed amendment shall vote in favor thereof, it shall thereupon become a part hereof.

Any number of amendments may be voted on at the same election, and amendments may be proposed by the municipal council, without petition, on its own initiative, and filed as above, whenever it deems such amendments wise or necessary.

Section 53. So much of this act as authorizes the submission of the question of its acceptance to the qualified voters of said. city shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved March 28, 1911.

Corporators.

-corporate

name.

Chapter 220.

An Act to incorporate the "People's Loan Company."

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine, as follows: Section I. William A. Wheeler, Joseph E. F. Connolly, Frederic E. Boothby, William Henry, George F. Gould, William K. Sanderson and Arthur W. Merrill, their associates and successors, are hereby created a corporation by the name of the "People's Loan Company," to be located at Portland in the county of Cumberland, for the purpose of loaning money on as reasonable terms as possible, consistent with safety and a fair return to the stockholders, upon the notes of individuals, secured by mortgage of real estate or any interest therein, or by pledge, or by mortgage of personal property of any kind, including savings bank deposit books, and life insurance policies, or by assignment of salary or wages to be earned in the future; and all the powers and privileges, necessary for the execution of these pur