k 



182 ^^^6 Philippine Journal of Science wis 



the municipal board, the keys being kept by the chief magistrate, 

 alcalde de primera eleccion.'^- The accounts were presented at 

 least every year, and, if necessary, every three months, for audit 

 by the city treasurer,''^ who received 10 pesos a month from the 

 fund and the necessary office help; namely, a clerk at 3 pesos 

 a month for his trouble, although even this meager salary was 

 often the subject of much heated discussion."* The secretary 

 of the municipal board also received 25 pesos a month from the 

 same source for preparing the minutes.*'^ 



At first the accounts were included in the regular city accounts, 

 but, after 1852, a separate account was opened, and from Jan- 

 uary 1, 1853, the board met in special session after the regular 

 meeting as the Carriedo Chapter, Cabildo de Carriedo, to consider 

 the status of the fund and of past and future loans, and to examine 

 notes and securities. From these meetings an interested member 

 of the board always absented himself.'^" _ 



The process of obtaining a loan was invariably the same. The 

 applicant presented with his request his certificate of identifica- 

 tion and, in the case of house property, a certificate of ownership 

 and title deeds. All these documents were received by one of 

 the alcaldes and passed on to the city attorney. If he approved, 

 the property was inspected by a committee, consisting of the 

 city engineer and the city architect, and the whole matter 

 referred to the "alcalde de primera eleccion," who, if everything 

 was satisfactory, instructed the city attorney to draw up the 

 necessary papers and the treasurer to make the payment." 



Whether the loans were on house property, storehouses with 

 their contents, on real estate, a premio de tierra, or even on 

 jewelry, of which two instances are recorded, the time was 

 generally one year, although, at the expiration of this period, 

 it might be extended, if the interest were paid up, for another 

 year."^ After two years suit was taken for recovery by law. 



''Ibid. (1818), 20. 



"^^ Ibid. (1867), 22. The treasurer, in connection with the Carriedo fund, 

 is called variously "Contador comisionado de los fondos de Carriedo," 

 "Contador de propios como encargado de contabilidad de Carriedo," 

 "Archivero contador de propios y de la obra pia de Carriedo." Actas de 

 Manila (1836), 59, 85; (1856), 38. 



'^Ibid. (1835), 37-38, 52. 



"Ibid. (1851), 68. 



"'Ibid. (1832), 39; (1852), 14, 72. 



" From 1838, on the advice of Jose Maria Jugo, an expert lawyer, all 

 sessions were held in public. Actas de Manila (1838), 51-52, 80-81, 88, 97; 

 Expediente. Juzgado tercero de Manila (March 11, 1865). 



"Actas de Manila (1833), 27, 50-58; (1847), 78, 80. 



