§ 98. Appointment of confidential stenographer and assistant deputy clerk in third and fourth judicial departments. The justices of the appellate division of the supreme court, in each of the third and fourth judicial departments, may appoint and at their pleasure remove a confidential stenographer to the court, who shall also act as an assistant deputy and stenographer to the clerk of said court, at an annual salary to be fixed by said justices at not to exceed five thousand dollars per annum. The salary of each such confidential stenographer shall be certified by the presiding justice of the department to which the stenographer is appointed to the state comptroller who shall audit the same. The state department of taxation and finance shall pay such salaries in monthly installments and shall apportion the amount of the salary of the confidential stenographer to the appellate division of the supreme court in each of the third and fourth judicial departments among the counties comprising the third and fourth judicial departments respectively. Such counties shall reimburse the state for such salaries. The time and method of such apportionment and the time and method of such reimbursement shall be as specified in section seventy-four of this chapter.