New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-19

In fact no can dep08o f0r Cause Inc Execu-
tive Departments are eight in number The
Boards of Public Works, Public Parks, and
Public Charities and Correction, consist each
of five Commissioners, one being appointed by
the Mayor and removable by him ut pleasure,
the Others elected by the Board Of Aldermen
on cumulative ballot, and removable by tho
Mayor for cause, which must he notified to tho
Board. The Department of Public Works
swallows up the present Department OF Docks,
and also succeeds TO some of the powers and
duties now belonging to tho Depart
ment of Public Parks. Tho Police,
Fire, Health, and Building Departments arc
NIL embraced in the new Department OF Public
Snfety. which consists OF tho Mayor and six
commissioners. Fortunately the Legislature
has not yielded to tho proposal urged by
committee from this city to give tho appoint
,ncnt of these important Commissioners to tho
Judges of the Superior Court, and they nrc to
be chosen by the Aldermen on cumulative
ballot Their term of Office is six years, half
of them retiring every three years. The five
Bureaus of this Department are under Super
intendcnt of Police, Chief Engineer OF the Fire
Bureau Sanitary superintendent superintendent
OF Buildings, and Register of Records, the last
of whom is to cause {: record to be kept In
each pOlicc precinct Of the name and residence
of every inhab;tant of the precincts work
which would he immensely valuable. il it could
DO executed.
Tho Finance Department consists OF Con-
trollcr, appointed 10y the Mayor, and four
Commissioners of the Treasury, elected by the
Aldermen on cumulative ballot. The Con-
trollcr appoints q Deputy Controller. The
Bureaus of the Finance Department are under
the Auditor of Accounts, Chamberlain, Col
lcctor of City Revenue, Receiver of Taxes and
Assessments (whO succeeds to some Of the
duties now imposed upon the Department Of
Public Works., Collector of Watcr-rcnts, Col
lcctOr OF Arrears and COllcctOv'of Licenses
and Market rents. The Chamberlain il to be
appointed by tho Mayor for one yen, and
confirmed by the Board Of Aldermen, and his
compensation is to be 100000 in lieu of all
fees, commissions, &c. The other heads of
Bureaus arc to be appointed by tho Control
Ter. Bonds, certificates of stock, &C., must be
signed by the Mayor and Controller ard conn-
tcrsigncd by two Commissioners. The Com
missiOners of the Treasury are to perform the
duties now exercised by tho Tax Commission
crs, and with the Controller to make an
annual estimate of tho sums required for
dcrraying the expense of the City Government.
The Aldermen, to whom tbs estimate must
be submitted for approval, may modify but
not increase it and the Supervisors are then
to raise tho money by taxation. The Sinking
Fund Commission consists of the Mayor, Con-
trOllcr, Chairman of the Finance Committee
of the Board of Aldermen, Chamberlain, first
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and
Chief Justice of the Superior Court. The
most important change in this branch OF the
Government is the taking away of all power
to authorize expenditure in other departments,
or to authorize or incur Indebtedness.
The chief officer of the Law Department is
tho Corporation Counsel, appointed for ono
year by the Mayor Controller, and first Judge
of the Common Pleas, or q majority Of them;
and his Bureau officers are the Corporation At.
torney, Public Administrator, and Attorney OF
Street Openings and Assessments. The Depart
mcnt Of Public Instruction consists of thirty
Commissioners elected by cumulative ballot,
six for each Senate District, aud holding Office
five years, one sixth retiring every year.
School Trustees aro to be elected in
the same manner, six for each ward; and
three Inspectors of Schools for each Senate
district arc to be appointed by the Mayor, to
hold Office during his pleasure. No money can
he given to any sectarian school that is not
under the control of the Department of Public
Instruction and subject to the Common School
law of the State; bat it is evident that any
scctarian school can submit to these conditions
without losing its denominatiOnal character
so tho prohibition amounts to nothing. There
il much moro stringent injunction with re-
gard to charitable institutions under the man
agement OF religious denominations, all which
seem to BIO ctfectually cut off from municipal
aid.
The principal points to be considered in this
Charter arc the provisions to fix responsibility,
and to prevent fraud and extravaganza. The
unwieldy Commissions seem to US objection.
able because they facilitate jobbery and rem
der it difficult to detect the guilty, and this is
especially the case when the terms of Office
are short, as nearly all of them are under the
new instrument. The Mayor, however, is sup
posed to be the guardian of our interests, and
his power is ample. Except in the De-
partmcnt of Finance Commissioners or
chief officers may remove subOrdinates,
and the Mayor may remove Commissioners,
either arbitrarily Gas in the case of Ills
own appOintees) or for cause. The Governor
may also remove any Commissioner for cause,
except Commissioners of Public Safety, who
are removable for cause by vote Of two
thirds of the Aldermen in office. The Con-
trOller and Commissioners of the Treasury can
be removed for cause by the Mayor. Practi-
cally therefore the Mayor can turn out the
whole City Government except the Board of
Aldermen. The only difficulty is that where
the Commissioners are so numerous it may
sometimes be mpOssble to show cause.