All sales shall be conducted through the Office of the Commissioner of School and Public Lands. The commissioner shall at the time appointed direct the sale of the lands designated. In case the commissioner is unable to act, the duties prescribed in this section and §§ 5-9-9 to 5-9-11, inclusive, may be performed by an agent duly appointed and commissioned by him for that purpose.

Source: SL 1911, ch 224, § 35; RC 1919, § 5659; SDC 1939, § 15.0306; SL 1957, ch 42.