20 



Failure of private owners to destroy moths. — If the owner does not, 

 as re(]iiired 1)}" the terms of tbe aforesaid notice, destroy the eggs, 

 pupie, and nests of the moths, then the city or town, subject to the 

 approval of the State superintendent, shall destroy them, and shall 

 assess upon such aforesaid lands the actual cost of so doing, to an 

 amount, however, not exceeding one-half of 1 per cent of the assessed 

 valuation of the land. 



This amount, so assessed, shall be collected in the form of taxes, and 

 constitutes a lien upon such lands. 



Redress by abatement and appeal. — The assessors ma}^ abate the moth 

 assessment in the case of an}^ private landowner decided by them to 

 be unable to pay it because of age, infirmity, or poverty. 



Appeal to the county superior court, with special provision for 

 prompt hearing, is provided by the statute for any person aggrieved by 

 assessment on account of this work; provided a complaint is entered 

 within 30 days of notice of such assessment. 



Appropriation by the Commonwealth. — To meet the expenses incurred 

 under its moth -suppression law the Commonwealth has appropriated 

 $300,000. Of this sum $75,000 may be expended during 1905, 

 $150,000 (and any unexpended balance) during 1906, and $75,000 (and 

 any unexpended balance) during 1907, up to May 1, 1907, inclusive. 



For the purpose of experimenting with natni'al enemies for destroy- 

 ing the moths, $10,000 is additionally appropriated for each of the 

 years 1905, 1906, and 1907. 



Reimbursements to cities and towns. — (1) Cities and towns with valu- 

 ation of real and personal estate of $12,500,000 or more, having spent 

 $5,000 in any one calendar 3'ear, shall be reimbursed annually 50 per 

 cent (one-half) of all further expenditure in combating this pest. 



(2) Cities and towns with valuation less than $12,500,000 and more 

 than $6,000,000, having spent an amount equal to one twentj'^-fifth of 

 1 per cent of such valuation in one 3"ear, shall l)e reimbursed annually 

 80 per cent (four-fifths) of all further expenditure. 



(3) Towns with valuation less than $6,000,000, having spent an 

 amount equal to one twenty-fifth of 1 per cent of such valuation 

 in one year, shall be reimbursed once in 60 days for all further 

 expenditure. 



Limits to required expenditure by cities and towns. — No city or town 

 with an assessed real and personal valuation of more than $6,000,000 

 shall be required to expend in the suppression of the moths during 

 any one full year more than one-fifteenth of 1 per cent of such valua- 

 tion. No town with an assessed real and pei'sonal valuation of less 

 than $6,000,000 shall be required to thus expend during an}^ one full 

 year more than one twenty-fifth of 1 per cent of such valuation. 



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