relating to the Bureau of Lands. 

A local land officer, mining recorder, and any person designated by the Director of Lands as friar-land agent, chief of a survey party, or inspector of the Bureau of Lands may administer oaths and take acknowledgments as aforesaid and, when thereunto deput ed by the Director of Lands, may exercise the same authority to take testimony as other officers hereinabove named. 

[1118-1.] 

## ARTICLE II 

Land Districts 

SECTION 979 . Land Districts . — With the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, the Director of Lands may establish land districts, which shall be, so far as practicable, coextensive with the territory of the respective provinces; but when the local con ditions so require, two or more provinces or parts of provinces may be included in the same land district. 

[1404-1.] 

SECTION 980 . Local Land Officer . — In each land district there shall be a local land officer who, under the supervision of the Director of Lands, shall perform such duties relative to public agricultural lands as may be prescribed by law or regulation. 

When no other official is designated as local land officer, the provincial treasurer shall perform the duties of such office for the land district which comprises his province; and when two or more provinces or parts of provinces are included in the same l and district, the Director of Lands shall designate the provincial treasurer who shall perform such duties. 

[1404-1.] 

SECTION 981 . Mining Recorder . — In land districts where there are sufficient mining interests to warrant the appointment, there shall be a mining recorder, who shall keep such records and perform such duties relative to public mineral lands as may be presc ribed by law or regulation. 

Where no other officer is designated, the duties of mining recorder shall be performed by the secretary of the provincial board; and until otherwise provided, the duties of mining recorder for the subprovince of Masbate shall be discharged by the local dep uty of the treasurer of the province of Sorsogon. 

