Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 56 Part 1.djvu/353

 56 STAT.] 77TH CONG., 2D SESS.-CHS. 350, 351 -JUNE 5, 1942 [CHAPTER 350] AN ACT Granting the consent of Congress to an amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Mexico, providing a method for executing leases for grazing and agricultural purposes on lands granted or confirmed to the State of New Mexico by the Act of Congress approved June 20, 1910. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the consent of Congress is hereby granted to the State of New Mexico and the qualified electors thereof to amend the constitution of such State by the adoption of the following amendment proposed by the legis- lature of said State at its fifteenth regular session by Senate Joint Resolution Numbered 8, approved April 4, 1941, to be added to the end of article XXIV of the constitution of said State, to be desig- nated as: "Paragraph (A), Article XXIV" and entitled: "Contracts Relating to Grazing and Agricultural Leases Upon State Lands", said amendment being as follows, to wit: "Leases for grazing and agricultural purposes on lands granted or confirmed to the State of New Mexico by the Act of Congress of June 20, 1910, entitled 'An Act to enable the people of New Mexico to form a constitution and State government and be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the, original States; and to enable the people of Arizona to form a constitution and State gov- ernment and be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States', may be made under such provisions relating to the necessity or requirements for or the mode and manner of the appraisement, advertisement, and competitive bidding, and contain- ing such terms and provisions as may be provided by the act of the legislature; the rentals and other proceeds therefrom to be applied and conserved in accordance with the provisions of said Act of Congress for the support or in aid of the common schools or for the attainment of the respective purposes for which these several grants of land were made." SEC. 2 . The consent of Congress also is granted to such State to enact such laws and establish such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary to carry such constitutional provision into full force and effect upon its adoption. Approved, June 5, 1942. [CHAPTER 351] AN ACT To provide that the unexplained absence of any individual for seven years shall be deemed sufficient evidence of death for the purpose of laws administered by the Veterans' Administration. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no State law providing for presumption of death shall be applicable to claims for benefits under laws administered by the Veterans' Administration. If satisfactory evidence is produced establishing the fact of the con- tinued and unexplained absence of any individual from his home and family for a period of seven years, and that after diligent search no evidence of his existence after date of disappearance has been found or otherwise received, the death of such absentee as of the date of the expiration of such period may be considered as sufficiently proved: Provided, That, except in a suit brought pursuant to the provisions of section 19 of the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, as amended, or section 617 of the National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940, as amended, the finding of death made by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall be final and conclusive. Approved, June 5, 1942. 325 June &, 1942 [H. R. 6625]: [Public Law 590]. New Mexico. Amendmentof State constitution. Execution of leases for grazing and agri- cultural purposes. 36 Stat. 657 . Enactment of State laws, etc., upon adop- tion. June 5, 1942 [H. R. 66461 [Public Law 691] Veterans' Admints- tration. Presumption of death after 7 years' unexplained absence. Proviso. 43 Stat. 612; 64 Stat. 1014. 38 U. S. 0. §§445, 817. Post, p. 659.

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