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AY 
shall be available in such county, for the payment of any road taxes, or of any taxes 
levied on any lands, or on any railroad company, or of any personal tax, levied under 
the provisions of section 16 of this act. All warrants legally drawn on the State 
Russian thistle and French weed fund, if not paid for want of funds shall be regis- 
tered and bear interest at the rate of seven per cent per annum and shall be available 
in payment of any taxes due or that may become due to the State, under the pro- 
visions of this act. 
Src. 22. It shall be the duty of the State auditor to tabulate and report to the 
governor on or before the 31st day of December in each year, the several amounts 
expended by the State under the provisions of this act for the destruction of Russian 
thistles and French weeds upon lands belonging to the United States; thereafter it 
shall be the duty of the governor and of the attorney-general to take such steps as 
they may deem proper to secure the payment of the same from the United States. 
Src. 23. Justices of the peace shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the district 
court to try and determine all prosecutions for the violation of the provisions of 
thisact. Any owner or occupant of any land, or any citizen of any commissioner dis- 
trict in any county may make complaint of any violation of the provisions of this act 
occurring within such commissioner district, and thereupon it shall be the duty of 
the State’s attorney for such county, if such complaint shall be reasonable, to prose- 
cute the party complained of for such violation, and, upon conviction being had, 
one-half of the amount of any fines imposed shall be paid to the party bringing such 
complaint, except as provided in sections 13 and 14 of this act; and the remaining 
one-half of such fines shall be paid into the road fund of such county. oo 
Src. 24. Every county commissioner in discharging the duties required of him by 
this act shall, as fully as he is able, protect every person and all property against 
unnecessary expense and unjust burdens. Whenever it shall be necessary to employ 
any person for the destruction of Russian thistles and French weeds, preference 
shall be given, all things being equal and probable expense no greater, to occupants 
of lands contiguous to the lands on which such destruction is to be prosecuted. 
There shall be allowed for men and teams employed in such destruction no greater 
per diem than is now established by law for working out road taxes; persons so 
employed who fail to carry out their operations to the thorough destruction of the 
thistles and French weeds where employed, or in exercise of industry as in other 
employments shall forfeit all pay, proof of such failure being made before the county 
- commissioners sitting as an auditing board as provided in section 16 of this act. No 
pay shall be allowed or credit given any owner or occupant of land for destroying 
Russian thistles and French weeds on land owned or occupied by him unless by 
direction of the executive relief board. Any public officer who shall discriminate 
in favor of or against any person or persons, or who shall wilfully incur or permit 
others acting under him, to incur grossly unnecessary expense in the destruction of 
Russian thistles and French weeds under the provisions of this act, shall be deemed 
guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction of any such offense, shall be subject 
to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars, 
and become disqualified for his office; and such office shall be and remain vacant 
until his successor is elected or appointed thereto as provided by law; and pending 
an appeal the office shall remain vacant unless filled by appointment. 
SEc. 25. It is hereby made unlawful tu plant, cultivate, or purposely grow any 
Russian thistle and French weeds in the State, whether for any supposed or experi- 
mental utility, for ornament, as a curiosity, or for any purpose whatever; and every 
person so fostering or permitting the growth of any such thistle and French weeds 
shall be subject to a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than fifty dollars as a 
violation of the police provisions of this act: Provided, That the provisions of this 
section shall not apply to any act or operation done under the authority of the State, 
of the board of commissioners provided for in this act, or of the faculty of the agri- 
cultural college of North Dakota for purposes of scientific investigation. 
8399—No. 17 4 
