I respectfully submit the report of the Law Department for the financial year ending January 31, 1922.

APPROPRIATION AND EXPENDITURES.

The appropriation for the department was $57,762.68. The expenditures were $56,630.65, as follows:

Of the more important legislative acts of the year 1921, affecting the City of Boston there were the following:

Chapter 497, providing for the construction by the Metropolitan District Commission of certain bridges

over the Charles river. This legislation was enacted upon the petition of the Mayor of Boston and provided for the reconstruction of drawless bridges of a permanent nature, to replace the present Cottage Farm Bridge, between Boston and Cambridge, as well as the River Street-Brighton Street Bridge and the Western Avenue Bridge and the Western Avenue-Arsenal Street Bridge. The bill provides for a substantial contribution toward the ultimate expense of these bridges by the city of Cambridge, the town of Watertown, the County of Middlesex, the town of Norfolk, the Boston & Albany Railroad Company. The reconstruction of these bridges has been repeatedly recommended and this legislation provides for the construction of suitable bridges over these important thoroughfares upon terms favorable to the City of Boston.

Chapter 60, relative to the construction, alteration and maintenance of buildings in the City of Boston. This legislation was recommended by the Building Commissioner and provided for ten amendments to the existing building law of the City of Boston. These amendments were for the purpose of perfecting and clarifying the existing law.

Chapter 289, relative to the building laws of the City of Boston, was enacted on the recommendation of the Housing Commission. Its purpose was to permit the erection of apartment houses at a lower expense than was possible under the existing building laws, without increasing the fire hazard by undue lowering of the existing requirements. This legislation was favored by prominent architects and engineers and was satisfactory to the Fire Commissioner and the Fire Underwriters.

Chapter 476, relative to the installation of automatic sprinklers in the City of Boston, provided that the Building Commissioner might, in certain instances, waive certain provisions of the automatic sprinkler law except in cases where in his opinion a fire hazard exists.

Chapter 407, relative to the widening of Eliot street in the City of Boston, was supplemental to the Stuart Street Act of 1920 (chapter 312, as amended by chapter 465), and was passed for the purpose of permitting the widening of Eliot street, between Tremont and Washington streets, as a part of the same improvement provided in the Stuart Street Act. The legislation was passed in this form rather than in a separate act for the

purpose of avoiding complications in connection with. the assessment of land damages and betterments.

Chapter 345, authorizing the City of Boston to incur indebtedness for the construction of a draw in the bridge over the South channel of Mystic river between Boston and Chelsea. This legislation permits the city to incur indebtedness not exceeding $800,000, of which the sum of $200,000 should be outside the debt limit.

Chapter 283, increasing the salary of the Chairman of the Board of Assessors, was enacted upon the petition of the Mayor.

Chapter 54, provided for increasing the appropriation for the Boston Finance Commission.

Chapter 65, chapter 340, chapter 288, chapter 93, chapter 114 and chapter 200 made various amendments to the election laws, rendered necessary by the legislation relative to state elections, the constitutional amendment providing for woman suffrage, etc.

Chapter 86 provided for the disposition of unclaimed property in the City Hospital.

Chapter 191 provided for regulations of street stands in Faneuil Hall Market.

Chapter 196, relative to the powers and duties of the Fire Commissioner as regards the removal or placing underground certain wires and electric appliances.

Chapter 146 changed the name of the Overseers of the Poor to the Overseers of the Public Welfare in the City of Boston.

Chapter 169, relative to the use of schoolhouse property as war memorial buildings.

DISPOSITION OF CLAIMS REFERRED TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT BY THE CITY COUNCIL.