The summons shall be directed to the defendants and require them to appear and answer the application within twenty days after the service of the summons, exclusive of the day of service; and the summons shall be served as is now provided for the service of summons in civil actions in the superior court in this state, except as herein otherwise provided. The summons shall be served upon nonresident defendants and upon "all such unknown persons or parties," defendant, by publishing the summons in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the application is filed, once in each week for three consecutive weeks, and the service by publication shall be deemed complete at the end of the twenty-first day from and including the first publication, provided that if any named defendant assents in writing to the registration as prayed for, which assent shall be endorsed upon the application or filed therewith and be duly witnessed and acknowledged, then in all such cases no service of summons upon the defendant shall be necessary.
[ 1985 c 469 § 60; 1907 c 250 § 20; RRS § 10642.]