rated towns." (Approved April 29th, 1887, in force July 1, 1887) as subsequently amended.

§ 8. The board herein provided for shall hold quarterly meetings on the second Tuesday of July, October, January and April of each year, and special meetings upon the call of the president of said board. On the second Tuesday of July of each year, it shall select one of its members who shall act as the president of such board for the period of one year, or until such time as his successor is elected and qualified. Said board shall, on the same day, also select another of its members who shall act as the treasure[r], and also secretary of said board for the period of one year, or until such time as his successor is elected and qualified. Said board shall issue certificates signed by its president and secretary to the policemen entitled thereto of the amount of money ordered paid to such policemen from such fund by said board, which certificates shall state for what purpose said payment is made. Said board shall keep a record of the proceedings of all its meetings, which record shall be a public record. Said board shall submit semi-annually to the city council of such city a list of beneficiaries entitled to payments from the fund herein provided, stating the amount of such payments and for what granted, as ordered by such board, which list shall be signed and certified by the treasurer and president of such board, and attested by such treasurer under oath: Provided, that no resolution shall be passed or order made for the payment of money unless by affirmative vote of a majority of the members of said board. The findings of said board upon all questions of fact relating to the administration of said fund shall be conclusive.

In computing the duration of service of any policeman in the police force of any such city, the time during which such policeman may be separated from the police force or absent from duty, from any cause except on account of a furlough not exceeding thirty days in any year, and on account of injuries referred to in section 4 hereof, shall not be computed.

§ 9. Said pension fund shall consist of amounts of two per cent per month retained or deducted by the comptroller of such city from the salary or wages of each policeman, and such other sums as are hereinafter referred to.

Said board shall employ one or more competent actuaries, to be selected by the board, whose duty it shall be to determine the amount of money necessary to be provided annually for the purpose of:

Act.

(A) Paying pensions granted under the Act superseded by this

(B) Paying pensions to policemen (their widows and children entitled thereto), members of the police force, prior to January 1st, 1916; and

(C) Establishing and maintaining a reserve fund for the payment of pensions to policemen (their widows and children) becoming members of the police force subsequent to January 1st, 1916.

Such actuaries shall report their findings to the board on or before the first day of November of each year, beginning November 1, 1915. The board shall certify to the city council of such city, on or before the first day of December, annually beginning December 1, 1915:

First: The assets in their custody at such time;

Second: The estimated receipts during the next succeeding year (from January 1st to December 31st) from deductions from the salary of policemen, as hereinabove provided, and from all other sources; Third: The estimated amount required during said period for

Act;

(A) Paying pensions granted under the Act superseded by this

(B) Paying pensions to policemen (their widows and children. entitled thereto) members of the police force, prior to January 1, 1916; and

(C) Establishing and maintaining a reserve fund for the payment of pensions to policemen (their widows and children) becoming members of the police force subsequent to January 1, 1916.

It shall be lawful for any such city to levy a tax of not more than seven-tenths of a mill on the dollar for a period of three years beginning with the year 1915 on all taxable property of such city in such sum as will, when added to the deductions from the salary or wages of policemen and receipts available from other sources, as herein before referred to, amount to sufficient income to meet the actual requirements above referred to and designated (A), (B) and (C). Said taxes shall be levied and collected in like manner with the general taxes of such city and the fund arising therefrom shall be known as "Police Pension Fund"; which said tax shall be in addition to all other taxes which such city is now or hereafter may be authorized to levy upon the aggregate valuation of all property within such city, and the county clerk of the county in which such city is located in reducing tax levies under the provisions of an Act entitled, "An Act concerning the levy and extension of taxes, approved May 9, 1901, in force July 1, 1901," as subsequently amended, shall not consider the tax for said Police Pension. Fund authorized by this Act as a part of the general tax levy for city purposes, and shall not include the same in the limitation of three (3) per cent of the assessed valuation upon which taxes are required to be extended.

The city council of such city shall thereafter annually include and appropriate from such fund in the appropriation bill such sum or sums of money as may be necessary to meet the annual requirements above referred to and designated (A), (B) and (C).

Should any such city levy the tax aforesaid during the year 1916, or any year thereafter, in order that there may be sufficient money to meet the requirements of this Act during any such year, such city may issue and dispose of tax anticipation warrants as provided by law.

In the event that such city shall during any year fail, neglect or refuse to provide for the levy and collection of the aforesaid tax, then there shall be set apart annually from the revenue collected or received by such city from licenses issued by such city, authorizing persons and corporations to engage in any business, profession or occupation within the corporate limits of such city, excepting public utilities, a sum which, when added to the deductions from the salary or wages of policemen above referred to and receipts available from other sources, will amount to a sufficient income to meet the annual requirements above referred to and designated (A), (B) and (C).

All moneys collected by taxation or from licenses, as the case may be, shall be transferred to the board as hereinafter provided, and any excess remaining at the end of the fiscal year in the possession of said board shall be credited to the fund for the ensuing year; any deficit shall be provided for during such ensuing year.

All moneys, bonds or assets of any nature and description in the possession of the board of trustees of the Police Pension Fund of any city having a population exceeding 200,000 inhabitants included in the Act which is superseded by this Act, or to which such board may be by law entitled, shall, upon the taking effect of this Act, become the property of the board of trustees of the Police Pension Fund hereby created; whereupon said board first above referred to shall be and hereby is dissolved and abrogated: Provided, however, that all revenue which said board so abrogated would have been by law entitled to between June 30, 1915, and January 1st, 1916, had not this Act become operative, shall be paid to and become the property of said board of trustees hereby created for the uses and purposes herein set forth: And, provided, further, that all legal proceedings instituted by, or in the name of, or against said board, shall be continued without abatement either in the name of said board or in the name by which they are instituted and conducted.

§ 10. In addition to the other powers herein granted, the following further powers and authority are hereby conferred upon said board:

First: The said board shall have exclusive control and management of the fund mentioned herein, and of all moneys donated, paid or assessed for the relief or pensioning of disabled, superannuated and retired policemen, their widows and minor children; the same to be placed by the treasurer of such board to the credit of such fund subject to the order of such board.

Second: All rewards, moneys, gifts, fees or emoluments that may be paid or given for, or on account of, extraordinary service by said police force or by any policeman, except when allowed to be retained by said policeman, or given to endow a medal or other competitive reward, shall be paid into said pension fund. The said board may take, by gift, grant, devise or bequest, any moneys, real estate, personal property, right of property or other valuable thing.

Third: All moneys paid for special detail of policemen, fines imposed upon policemen of such city, for violation of the rules and regulations of the police department, and moneys received from all sales of unclaimed or stolen property.

Fourth Said board shall have the power to draw such pension fund from the treasurer or other officials of such city, and may invest such fund, or any part thereof, in the name of the board of trustees of the Police Pension Fund, in interest bearing bonds of the United States, of the State of Illinois, or of any county of this State, or of any township or any municipal corporation of the State of Illinois, and all such securities shall be deposited with the treasurer of said board and shall be subject to the order of said board; said treasurer of said board shall furnish a good and sufficient bond to said board in an amount to be fixed by said board, all costs incidental to same to be paid out of said pension fund.

Fifth. To compel witnesses to attend and testify before it, upon all matters connected with the operation of this Act, in the same manner as is or may be provided by law for the taking of testimony before masters in chancery, and its president, or any member of said board, may administer oaths to such witnesses.

Sixth. To appoint a clerk and define his duties.

Seventh. To provide for the payment from said funds of all its necessary expenses, including clerk hire, printing and witness fees: Provided, that no compensation or emolument shall be paid to any member of said board for any duty required or performed under this Act: And, provided, further, that the interest on said fund or any portion thereof shall be credited thereto and no portion thereof shall be retained by the treasurer of said board.

Eighth. To make all necessary rules and regulations for its guidance, in conformity with the provisions of this Act.

§ 11. On the second Tuesday in May of each year, the treasurer and all other officials of such city, who have had the custody or possession of any of such pension fund herein provided, shall make a sworn statement to the board of trustees of such Police Pension Fund and to the mayor of such city, of all moneys received and paid out by such official on account of said pension fund during the year, and of the amount of said funds then on hand and owing to said pension fund. All surplus then remaining on said official's hands shall be paid by him to the treasurer of said pension board: And, provided, further, any such official shall at any and all times, upon demand by said pension board, furnish to said board, statements or information of any kind relating to said official's method of collection or handling of said pension funds: And, provided, further, that all books and records of such official shall be produced at any time by said official for examination and inspection by said board of pension trustees, for the purposes herein provided.

§ 12. All persons, who, upon the taking effect of this Act, are entitled to or receiving pensions under an Act entitled: "An Act to provide for the setting apart, formation and disbursement of a police. pension fund in cities, villages and incorporated towns" (approved April 29, 1887, in force July 1, 1887), as subsequently amended, shall receive no further payment under said Act, but shall in lieu thereof be entitled to the benefits provided for in this Act, the intention being that this Act, in cities within its terms, shall supersede the aforesaid Act, but that neither pensions granted thereunder nor the amount thereof shall in any wise be effected. No allowance or order of the board herein established shall be held to create any liability against any such city, except upon the funds so set apart, as aforesaid, for the payment thereof.

All pensions granted under this Act and every portion thereof shall be exempt from attachment or garnishment processes and shall not be seized, taken, subjected to, detained or levied upon by virtue of any execution or any processes or proceedings whatsoever issued out of or by any court in this State for the payment and satisfaction, in whole or in part, of any debt, claim, damage, demand or judgment against any pensioner hereunder, and no pensioner shall have the right to transfer

or assign his or her pension, or any part thereof, either by way of mortgage or otherwise.

§ 13. If any section, subdivision, sentence or clause of this Act is for any reason held invalid or to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this Act, or any section or part thereof.

APPROVED June 29th, 1915.

AN ACT to provide for the acquisition, equipment, conduct and maintenance of public playgrounds in and by cities having a population of less than one hundred fifty thousand (150,000).

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: Whenever a petition signed by at least two per cent (2%) of the voters resident in each city, town or village having a population of less than one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) people shall be filed in the office of the clerk of such city, village or town, it shall be the duty of the corporate officers having charge thereof to cause the question of the acquisition and equipment, or acquisition or equipments, of public playgrounds to be submitted to the voters to be voted upon at the next general city, town or village election.

Such petition shall describe the location and fix the maximum of expenditure from public funds for the acquisition and equipment or acquisition or equipment of the same; provided, however, that the question shall not be voted upon at the next general city election unless such petition be filed at least thirty (30) days prior to such election.

§ 2. The proposition to be voted upon shall be prepared and provided for in a separate and distinct ballot in substantially the following form:

For the adoption of an ordinance to acquire, equip, conduct and maintain a playground located at.... to cost not to exceed...

Yes

No

or the same may be changed from time to time to conform with the question to be submitted, if such question be either the acquisition, equipment, conduct or maintenance of a playground or playgrounds, or any one or more of such questions, as the case may be.

If a majority of the votes cast on the question in such city, town or village at such election shall vote "Yes" on such proposition, then the proposition shall be considered carried and adopted.