This act shall not affect actions or proceedings, civil or criminal, brought by or against any officer, the functions, powers and duties of whom have been herein assigned or transferred to the Department of State or to any officer or agency continued or constituted hereunder, and pending on the effective date of this act, and such actions or proceedings may be prosecuted or defended in the same manner and to the same effect by the department, officer or agency to which such assignment or transfer has been made hereunder, as if the foregoing provisions had not taken effect; nor shall any of the foregoing provisions affect any order or recommendation made by, or other matters or proceedings before, any officer, the functions, powers and duties of whom have been herein assigned or transferred to the Department of State or to any officer or agency continued or constituted hereunder, and all such matters or proceedings pending before such officer on the effective date of this act shall be continued by the department, officer or agency to which such assignment or transfer has been made hereunder, as if the foregoing provisions had not taken effect.

L.1948, c. 445, p. 1761, s. 20.