A communication from the House of Delegates, by their Clerk, was received and read as follows:

In House of Delegates, February 5, 1918.

The House of Delegates has dismissed Senate bill entitled an act to amend and re-enact chapter 252 of Acts of the General Assembly of 1906, entitled an act to authorize the several school boards of the school districts in this State to borrow money belonging to the literary fund for certain purposes and to authorize the loan of said funds to each district, as amended by chapter 82 of the Acts of 1908 and chapter 359 of the Acts of 1914, and further amended by chapter 187 of the Acts of 1916, No. 31.

They have passed House bills entitled an act to provide for the examination and punishment of persons convicted of prostitution, or of keeping houses of ill faine or assignation, and for the commitment of such persons to city farms or hospitals, No. 35; an act providing that any county or city of this State may pay a monthly allowance to indigent, widowed mothers for the partial support of their children in their own homes, No. 64; an act to prescribe who may administer an oath or affidavit to the purchaser of fuel, provisions, or other thing, and the effect of such oath or affidavit, No. 71; an act to validate certificates of acknowledgment to deeds and other writings recorded in Virginia, taken before certain officials in foreign countries, No. 72; an act to repeal section 141 of an act entitled an act to raise revenue for the support of the government and public free schools, and to pay interest on the public debt and to provide a special tax for pensions, as authorized by section 189 of the Constitution, approved April 16, 1903, as heretofore amended, and to prohibit gypsies and other strolling companies of persons pretending to tell fortunes and practice magic arts for money, No. 82; an act to prohibit the killing of quail or pheasants in the county of Washington, for the period of two years, No. 86; an act to amend and re-enact section 32-a of the charter of the city of Portsmouth, approved March 13, 1912, as heretofore amended, in reference to the issue of bonds, No. 88; an act to prevent the setting or using of fish nets or fish traps within James river within or opposite the corporation limits of the city of Lynchburg, No. 89; an act to authorize the mayor and council of the city of Williamsburg, in the county of James City, State of Virginia, to issue bonds and borrow money for the purpose of building, repairing and maintaining streets, sidewalks and bridges, and extending water and sewer mains; provided that the question of such bond issue for the purposes named, be first submitted to the qualified voters of said city, and to authorize such council to call a special election for the submission of the same to the voters thereof, No. 93; an act to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to provide

a new charter for the city of Portsmouth, approved March 10, 1908, as amended by an act approved March 12, 1912, by adding a new chapter thereto to be known as chapter 10, relating to the initiative, referendum and recall, No. 94; an act to amend section 2844 of the Code of Virginia, as heretofore amended, in relation to public holidays, No. 142; and an act to revise, arrange, and consolidate into a code the general statutes of the Commonwealth, No. 163; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.

H. B. No. 88. A bill to amend and re-enact section 32-a of the charter of the city of Portsmouth, approved March 13, 1912, as heretofore amended, in reference to the issue of bonds, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on County, City and Town Organization.

H. B. No. 64. A bill providing that any county or city of this State may pay a monthly allowance to indigent, widowed mothers for the partial support of their children in their own homes, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on County, City and Town Organization.

H. B. No. 71. A bill to prescribe who may administer an oath or affidavit to the purchaser of fuel, provisions, or other thing, and the effect of such oath or affidavit, was taken up, read the first time. and referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice.

H. B. No. 72. A bill to validate certificates of acknowledgment to deeds and other writings recorded in Virginia, taken before certain officials in foreign countries, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice.

H. B. No. 82. A bill to repeal section 141 of an act entitled. an act to raise revenue for the support of the government and public free schools, and to pay interest on the public debt and to provide a special tax for pensions, as authorized by section 189 of the Constitution, approved April 16, 1903, as heretofore amended, and to prohibit gypsies and other strolling companies of persons pretending to tell fortunes and practice magic arts for money, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on Finance.

H. B. No. 86. A bill to prohibit the killing of quail or pheasants in the county of Washington, for the period of two years, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on County. City and Town Organization.

H. B. No. 89. A bill to prevent the setting or using of fish nets or fish traps within James river within or opposite the corporation limits of the city of Lynchburg, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on Fish and Game.

H. B. No. 93. A bill to authorize the mayor and council of the city of Williamsburg, in the county of James City, State of Virginia, to issue bonds and borrow money for the purpose of build

ing, repairing and maintaining streets, sidewalks, and bridges, and extending water and sewer mains; provided that the question of such bond issue for the purposes named, be first submitted to the qualified voters of said city, and to authorize such council to call a special election for the submission of the same to the voters thereof, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on County, City and Town Organization.

H. B. No. 94. A bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to provide a new charter for the city of Portsmouth, approved March 10, 1908, as amended by an act approved March 12, 1912, by adding a new chapter thereto to be known as chapter 10, relating to the initiative, referendum or recall, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on County, City and Town Organization.

H. B. No. 142. A bill to amend section 2844 of the Code of Virginia, as heretofore amended, in relation to public holidays, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on General Laws.

H. B. No. 35. A bill to provide for the examination and punishment of persons convicted of prostitution, or of keeping houses of ill fame or assignation, and for commitment of such persons to city farms or hospitals, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee on Moral and Social Welfare.

H. B. No. 163. A bill to revise, arrange and consolidate into a code the general statutes of the Commonwealth, was taken up, read the first time and referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice.

A message was received from the House of Delegates, by MR. WILLIS, who informed the Senate that the House of Delegates had passed the following House joint resolution, in which they requested the concurrence of the Senate:

Resolved by the House of Delegates (the Senate concurring), That at this session no bill, without unanimous consent, previously obtained, shall be introduced in either house after Saturday, February 16, 1918, but this resolution shall not be construed to apply to any bill affecting the public finance, or any bill of a purely local

nature.

On motion of MR. HOLT, the resolution was agreed to.

MR. HOLT was ordered to inform the House of Delegates thereof. MR. HOLT, from the Committee on Privileges and Elections, reported without amendments, with recommendation that it do not

pass:

S. B. No. 4. A bill to provide for submitting to the qualified voters of the State the question of calling a constitutional convention, to be held for the purpose of revising and amending the present Constitution.

He, from the same committee, reported without amendments: H. B. No. 33. A bill to amend and re-enact section 24-a of an act approved March 25, 1914, printed as chapter 305, Acts of Assembly of Virginia, Session 1914, entitled an act to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to establish and regulate the holding of primary elections, to pay expenses of same; to secure the regularity and purity of the same, and to prevent and punish any corrupt practices in connection therewith, approved March 14, 1912.

And he, from the same committee, reported without amend

ments:

S. Jt. Res. No. 5. Proposing amendment to section 32 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, and providing for publishing said amendment and certifying the same to the next General Assembly.

MR. CANNON, from the Committee on County, City and Town Organization, reported without amendments:

S. B. No. 165. A bill to amend and re-enact an act approved March 20, 1916, entitled an act to authorize the board of superivosors of Wise county to invest, use and apply any part of the sinking fund created and set apart for the purpose of redeeming the principal of the $700,000 issue of thirty-year Wise county road bonds, dated February 1, 1911, in and to the purchase and holding of any part or parts of the $130,000 issue of thirty-year Wise county road bonds issued for the Richmond magisterial district, dated March 1, 1913; and in and to the purchase and holding of any part or parts of the $130,000 issue of Wise county road bonds issued for the Gladeville magisterial district, dated March 1, 1913, and to grant to the board of supervisors of said county the additional authority to invest, use and apply any part of said sinking fund, and any part of any sinking fund now or hereafter created and set apart for the purpose of redeeming the principal of any road bonds of said county now or hereafter issued for the said county, or for any of the magisterial districts thereof, in and to the purchase and holding of any part or parts of such county or district road bonds, now or hereafter issued, and in and to the purchase and holding of any school bonds now or hereafter issued by any school district of said county.

He, from the same committee, reported without amendments: S. B. No. 171. A bill to amend and re-enact section 21 of an act, approved January 30, 1888, entitled an act to amend and reenact an act to incorporate the town of South Boston, in the county of Halifax, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows and to enact and add two sections to said act, to be known as sections 26 and 27, providing for the collection of town levies and assessments, and prescribing penalties for the violation of the license ordinances of the town.

He, from the same committee, reported without amendments: S. B. No. 184. A bill authorizing and directing the road authorities of Totaro magisterial district, in Brunswick county, Virginia, and the board of supervisors of the said county, to expend any surplus, now in the hands of said authorities, arising from the sale of road bonds of said district, in the paving, macadamizing, or otherwise permanently improving Main street, in the town of Lawrenceville, in said district, where said street is adjacent to and abuts upon the courthouse square of said county.

He, from the same committee, reported without amendments: H. B. No. 66. A bill to repeal an act entitled an act to authorize the board of supervisors of Bedford county to borrow money to build or improve the court house and clerk's office, and to issue bonds therefor, approved March 25, 1914.

He, from the same committee, reported without amendments: H. B. No. 87. A bill to repeal the charter of the town of Upperville, in the county of Fauquier.

And he, from the same committee, reported without amend

ments:

H. B. No. 91. A bill to authorize the town council of the town of Lawrenceville, Brunswick county, Virginia, to issue and sell bonds to the amount of and not exceeding $25.000.00 for the purpose of borrowing money to repair and extend the water works system of the said town.

MR. DREWRY, from the Committee on Fish and Game, reported without amendments and with the recommendation that it do not pass:

S. B. No. 189. A bill to amend and re-enact section 2106 of the Code of Virginia, as heretofore amended.

And he, from the same committee, reported without amendments: H. B. No. 44. A bill to declare Russ' Rock and Little Carter's Rock, situated in the Rappahannock river, between the shores of Richmond and Essex counties, a natural oyster rock, bed and shoal and to include the same within the Baylor Survey.

MR. GAYLE, from the Committee on Insurance and Banking, reported with amendments:

S. B. No. 66. A bill to authorize and regulate the exchange of certain classes of reciprocal or inter-insurance contracts among individuals, partnerships and corporations, empowering corporations generally to make such contracts and prescribing certain fees, and penalty for violation.

The following communication from the Auditor of Public Ac counts was received, read and referred to the Committee on Fi

nance.