CHAP. 835.--An ACT to submit question of hog law to the voters of Pungoteague district, in the county of Accomac.
Approved March 3, 1898.
1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That on petition of thirty or more qualified voters of Pungoteague district, in Accomac county, to the judge of the county court of said county the said judge, during term time or in vacation, may order an election in said district to determine the sense of its qualified voters as to a "hog law" in that district. The ballots shall be, respectively, "For hog law," "Against how law": provided, that notice shall be given by the sheriff or constable of the district, by posting the time of said election at all the voting precincts where elections are held in such districts, at least thirty days before the day of election.
2. The manner of receiving and canvassing the ballots in such election on said question and making abstracts and returns thereof shall conform in all respects to the general election law of the state, except that the certificates of the judge shall be as follows:
"We hereby certify that at the election held on the---- day of----, eighteen hundred and ninety ----, votes were cast 'For hog
law' and ---- votes were cast 'Against hog law.'
| ---- ----, ---- ----, |
} | Judges. | ||
| ---- ----, ---- ----, |
} | Clerks." |
3. If it shall appear from abstracts and returns of said election that a majority of the qualified voters of said magisterial district are in favor of the hog law, then it shall be the law of said district, but if a majority of the votes so cast in said election be cast against the hog law the existing laws shall be deemed to remain in force and effect in regard to hogs in said district.
4. If any swine should trespass upon the lands in the limits of Pungoteague, in event said hog law be adopted by the district, the owner or manager of said animals shall be liable for all damages or injury done by said animals to the owner of crops or lands upon which they may trespass, whether the said animals wander from the premises of the owner in the county or district in which the trespass was committed or from another county or district, and whether any such lands be enclosed by a lawful fence or not.
5. The damages and awards in all cases arising under this act shall be ascertained in the manner and under the laws now in force for trespass and damage.
6. The result of the election herein provided for shall be certified by the proper officers of election to the judge of the county court of said county, and shall be entered by said judge in the order-book of said court within ten days after the receipt of such certificate of the result of the canvass of such voting, and a copy of said order shall be posted upon the front door of the courthouse of said county.
7. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.