New-York tribune., 1875-03-06
ALBANY.
GOSSIP OF THE LEGISLATURE.


TIE INTERPOLATION IN THE FIFTH AVENUE PAVE
MERT BILL-ANoTIER ESSAY AT CHARTER MAX
TNG-A DEAD LOCK IN THE CANAL COMMITTEE.
lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBusEI
ALBANY, March 5-An examination of the original
draft OF the Fifth Avenue Pavement bill. which
became accessible this morning, puts less innocent
construction on the alleged Interpolation than
charitable disposition led many to suppose last
night II is found that the clause fixing the rate OF
compensation forrepaiIs is entirely omitted from the
original draft and that the supporters Of the bull
have committed gross violation of parliamentary
good faith IN placing upon tho files bill which was
never submitted to the Assembly, never considered
in the Committee, and never reported for the con-
sideration of the House. II may be that the clause
interpolated in the bill was unntentionally
omitted from the manuscript copy. but it is not
little singular that the bill should have been
before the Committee for several weeks,
and should have undergone exhaustive dis
cussioD, without the detection of this error
on the part of its friends The change was made
too at the last moment, for it is well understood
that the intention was to call the bill from the table
this morning, and press it to a vote. The bill has
already the worst reputation of any measure now
before the Legislature; it is now moro than likely
that the report of Mr.. Day's Investigating Com
mittee will bury it beyond resurrection.
now Charter Reformcr started up from the rural
districts this morning in the person OF
Mr.. Lawrence, Democrat from Hudson.
His bill provides for vesting legislative
authority in New-York City in Board
of Aldermen and Board Of Assistant Aldermen;
ten Aldermen to be elected on general ticket and
one Assistant Alderman from each Assembly Dis
trict and one each from the Twenty-third and
Twenty y-fOurth Wards The first election under this
Columbia County charter is to take place on the
second Tuesday Of next month, and the officers are
to be installed on the first Monday Of May, holding
Office for one year. The Aldermen and Assistant
Aldermen are to be elected each year, will act as
Supervisors, and will receive a salary of $4,000.
The Mayor is to be elected at tho same
time and for the same term. The Controller is to
hold office for the time for which he was appointed,
after which the Governor is to appoint successor.
to remain IN Office five years. The Department OF
Taxes and Assessments is to have but one Commits
sioner to be appointed by the Controller bis salary
to be $1,000 per annum. The present Commissioners
to retire also in May. The COntrolleris to super
intend the collection Of revenues from the sale OF
CrOton water, and remove and appoint all officers
in that department The bill is evidently not
Ncw-York easure. and the Tammany Hall men,
bers indulge considerable scOing at the sincerity
Of legislator whose reforms begin far away
from home. 1t is evidently Mr. Lawrence's individ-
ua enterprise; it to be hoped that it will repay
him.
There is trouble in the Assembly Canal Commit
tee. Mr.. Davis brought up the other day bis bill
abolishng the Office of Superintendent of Canal Re-
pairs. and otherwise remodcling the whole admins
traton of the canals, and on Wednesday the Com
mttee voted to report it favorahly. by to 3, Mr..
Davis leading the majority, and Mr.. Page the Chair
man, the minority. Yesterday special meeting
was called to reconsider the vote, exLieut Gov. Al
yord Who was absent the day before, being present
but I,le attempt was unsuccessful The Committee
now stand four to four, one member who favOrs the
bill. Mr.. Hogan. beng absent. Mr.. Page refuses to
report the bill, under tho preteXt that majority of
q Committee is necessary to q report, position
which some of the best parl arlamentarians in the
House dispute and which is contradicted by the
uniform practice of every legislative body. If
more than q majority of quorum Of the Com
mittee were necessary, it is easy to see bow
small minority could block the wheels of legis-
lation. Mr.. Page is fulfilling admirably the role
which Speaker Mcclure, at tho command Of the
Canal Ring, assigned him-that of mastery
oGstructionst. Perhaps it is WELL however, for Alr.
Davis's bill that there is delay IN bringing 1T
before the House, for Tamnany Hall is still angry
with him for having led Gov. Tdcns emeate, and he
would find himself between two fires.