In any county of the first class having a population of over eight hundred thousand, in which there is no county welfare home, and in which is located a municipal welfare home wherein there are maintained needy persons over the age of sixty-five, it shall be lawful, in the event that the State has heretofore discontinued contributions of money to such municipality toward the maintenance of such persons in such municipal welfare home, for the board of chosen freeholders to appropriate and pay to the county welfare board annually, beginning January first, one thousand nine hundred and fifty, a sum sufficient to meet part of the cost of the maintenance of such persons in such welfare home, not to exceed the amounts which the State contributed to the cost of the maintenance of such persons at the time of the discontinuance of such State payments. It shall be lawful for the county welfare board to pay such moneys to the municipality having control of such municipal welfare home, quarter-annually. No money shall be paid under the authority of this act toward the care of any person in such municipal welfare home, unless he is otherwise eligible to receive old age assistance under the act to which this is a supplement.
N.J.S. § 44:7-36