The Portland daily press., 1891-10-12
MAIN Z TOW MS.
DeerInc.

DEERING's SPECIAL TOWN MEETING.
Town meetings In Deering for the consid-
GRAFTON of municipal matters are usually of
late years unique In proceedings. The one
OF Saturday afternoon was considerably so.
The meeting was called for the considera-
tion of these propositions: First. to see IL
the town would vote to instruct the select
men OF the town to be present at the meeting
OF the County Commissioners to be held at
Cumberland Mills tomorrow, and there pro-
test before that body against the laying of a
highway from MorrilPs Corner to Cumber-
land Mills. The proposition was submitted
to the meeting without discussion, and Ii
was voted three to one not to instruct, and
the article OF the arrant not dismissed.
The second proposition was not get over
so easily. 1t was to see If the town would
ratify the doings Of the selectmen in in
structing the collector to change the time of
per cent. discount on all taxes paid volun-
tarlly within stated time.
Col. Edward Moore wanted to hear from
the selectmen, and George b. Leavitt stated
that BY delaying the assessment S130.OO0 of
property bad been found that would not have
Col. Moore thought. as he said, the state
ment sufficient to exonerate the seiectmen
and expressed the hope that whatever might
seem amiss In their doings be overlooked.
Il. q. Chapman took another view of the
situation. He said the town is rapidly OBJ
tanning state wide reputation for incompe-
tence In management Of municipal affairs |;
that persons elected to Office are disregard
Ing the plain provisions Of the Revised Stat
utes, and doing as they please In spending
the peoples money. Last spring, at the an
nual town meeting, the time was fixed for
commitment of the tax list to the collector,
which was June 1st; all taxes Of So or less
TO be paid by August 1st; and on all sums
voluntarily paid on or before September 1st,
discount OF per cent: to be made. The
several times were fixed by the town after
detailed report of committee considered
section by section In town meeting, and the
vote OF that meeting Is the law of the town
as the acts OF the legislature as recorded In
the Revised Statutes are the law of the state
and ruin financially, as figures and other
facts plainly show. Mr.. Chapman
said he was not making raid upon any
individual or party, but was contending for
the welfare Of the people of the whole town
and moved that the meeting be adjourned a
week In order to give the selectmen chance
| to lay the matter before competent legal ad-
visers. that there might be an intelligent
understanding Of the situation.
Then Geo. B. Leavitt explained that the
article of the warrant had been prepared at
the suggestion of M. P. Frank, Esq, and he
felt 1T was all right.
Mark Jordan wanted the time for discount
CAtohucu W OcCcuucI i, uut OOll6Cb0r MAT
thews said the selectmen had instructed him
to fix the time of discount at November 10.
ana the bills had been printed, and If the
town voted In accordance with the arrange
ments of the selectmen, he should feel author
lied to receive tax money and allow 4 per
cent. discount till November 10. and the
meeting so voted SO to 1.
Objection was made to the passage of the
third and last article of the warrant to see
II the town would vote to instruct the select
men to change the course of the flow of GER
tain water on the ground that there was no
provision to raise money. Col. Moore said
such.a provision was not necessary as 'Whep
there Is a will there is way" He admitted
Ing at the.same time that 1t would cost al
least $500 to blast out the ledge and urged the
adoption of the proposition as personal fay-
or which was approved. The meeting then
adjourned y