44:1-75.Ā  Qualifications No person shall be appointed as an overseer of a municipality unless he shall:

a.Ā  Be a citizen of the state and the United States;

b.Ā  Be able to read and write the English language;

c.Ā  Be capable of making and keeping such records and reports as are lawfully required of him;Ā  and

d.Ā  Have such knowledge of the laws concerning the relief and maintenance ofĀ  the poor as may be satisfactory to the governing body of the municipality inĀ  his jurisdiction, and such governing body may ascertain such qualifications ofĀ  the applicants by written and oral competitive examinations, conducted by theĀ  state civil service commission pursuant to the general authority vested in itĀ  by statute, and when the results of the examinations have been ascertained theĀ  civil service commission shall certify to the governing body the lists of thoseĀ  who are eligible for appointment as superintendent, overseer or deputy, as theĀ  case may be.

Females, as well as males, of full age shall be eligible to appointment as overseers.

In cities governed by commissions under subtitle 4 of the title Municipalities and Counties (s. 40:70-1 et seq.), if a member of the governing body, as the head of the department is overseer, he shall not be subject to such qualifications after examination as required in this section, but they shall apply to other overseers and deputies.
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