Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That hereafter the ratio of representation in common councils in cities of the second class shall be fixed and determined as follows:
In the month of July preceding the next regular municipal election, after the passage of this act, and every fourth year thereafter, the members of common councils shall be apportioned in the following manner: It shall be the duty of the assessors of each ward to return, under oath, a true and exact return of resident taxables, to the president of the common council on or before the first day of July in each year when an apportionment is to be made, and at the first meeting of the councils thereafter a joint committee of five, two from the select and three from the common council, shall be appointed, who shall examine the said returns and divide the whole number of taxables by forty, and the quotient shall be the ratio of representation for members of common council: Provided, That should any ward have an excess of three-fifths more than the ratio of taxables, it shall be entitled to an additional member: And provided further, That each ward shall have at least one member of common councils.