SECTION 1. Section one of Act Numbered Three hundred and fourteen, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"SECTION 1. Whenever any municipal official shall be suspended by the governor of the province in accordance with the provisions of the Provincial Government Act, it shall be the duty of the provincial governor, not later than ten days from the day of the suspension, to file written charges with the provincial board setting forth the nature of the complaints made against the suspended official. The board shall, at its first meeting, whether the same be a regular or special meeting, held thereafter, furnish a copy of said charges to the accused official, with a notification of the time and place of hearing upon said charges, and at the time and place appointed the board shall proceed to hear and investigate the truth or falsity of said charges, giving the suspended official full opportunity to be heard. The hearing shall occur as soon as may be practicable and in any event, not later than fifteen days from the date the accused is furnished a copy of the charges, unless the suspended official shall, on good and sufficient reasons, request an extension of time to prepare his defense. Upon the completion of the hearing the board shall without any unnecessary delay forward to the Governor-General in writing its findings as to the truth or falsity of the charges, together with the charges and evidence taken by the board. and its recommendation as to whether the official ought or ought not to be dismissed from the service. The trial of a suspended official and the forwarding of the board's findings and recommendation to the Governor-General shall be given preference over the current and routine business of the board. The Governor-General shall upon receipt of the charges and evidence, and of the board's findings and recommendation decide without any unnecessary delay whether the suspended official should be reinstated or dismissed as the facts shall warrant. In case the suspended official is Reinstatement, ordered reinstated payment may be ordered of his salary for the time of his suspension, but in no case shall payment of salary during the period of suspension be made to a suspended official who has been reinstated, unless such payment is expressly ordered to be made by the Governor-General. In cases where the provincial board shall recommend to the Governor-General the reinstatement in office of the suspended official the board shall have power by resolution to reinstate such suspended official pending the determination of the case by the Governor-General."
Enacted, February 11, 1913.