The herald., 1895-04-09

w. Latham of Graft & Latham, the
board s attorneys. then read the report of
the law department, as follows:
Los ANGELES, Cal. April l, 1896.
To the Members and Board of Directors
of the Los Angeles Board of Trade We
sub nit the following report of business
transacted by the law department of the
Board of Trade during the year ending
March 81, 1895:
Amo"nt GSms PrUsssa Pfnnoved a'acaen' saa 744.ss
Amount involved -. ....:. 13.12s.4s
Involuntary insolvency proceed
Amount of claims fled ..... 5,,ss.1s
Number of claims $50. .... SO
Voluntary insolvency proceedings 40
amount 81 claims filed........ :. ss,2oe; s5
Number Of claims .... $50
Assignment for benefit of creditors 4
AMOUNT OF ella ms He'd. ..... 2452.49
Numner of claims. .......... z
Amonat OF claims fled ~ ............. ...... 2soo5
Numb of claims ................. 3
Creditors meetings attended. .... ITO
Committee meetings at ended ..... 3
We call your attention to the fact that
the business OF the law department has
increased according to the above report
about 100 per cent, over the yer preced-
ing.
Pursuant to a recommendation in our
last annual report. the president ap-
ton and our Mr.. Latham as committee
on laws and legislation. Such steps were
taken that before the last legislature as
sem bled, a general meeting of members
of the legislature and the merchants of
this city was held to consider certain pro-
p1sed new laws and amendments sug-
gested by us, and others which had been
formulated by Mr.. Kirk of the San Fran
cisco board of trade.
These proposed laws involved the re-
construction of the insolvency act, the re-
duction of amount OF homestead eXemp-
tion, the extension of the statute of limi-
tatiOn relating to accounts and notes, en-
larging the right to keep claims alive
after judgm lent by motion in the action,
compelling early arguments on motion
for new trial and early decisions, and do
ing away with bulky, unnecessary and
expensive statements on motion for new
trial. sst fss
General Mathews conscientiously and
diligently labored in your interest In the
senate to obtain the necessary legislation,
and if the same interest in healthy legisla-
tion in behalf Of the mercantile commun-
ity had been shown by your other repre-
sentatives a more gratifying result could
legislature and gave Mr.. Kirk and General
Mathews valuable assistance by appear
ing before the judiciary committee of
both houses and consulting with the
members of said committees.
The. legislature did not pass all the laws
suggested The new insolvency bill, how
ever contains al the features re"om-
mended in our last annual report, and
the provision requested by you as to re
newal of judgments was ADOPTED.
We are npressed by another marked
result of the result of this board taking
an interest in public affairs Your presi-
dent, at the request of the Citizens lea lie,
directed the committee on laws and legi5la-
tion to confer with the Citizens league.
chamber of commerce and Merchants as
sociation, in endeavoring to secure the
adoption of charter by the city adapted
to the needs of the community and con-
structed upon the ell-recognized lines of
nun C pal reform. A great amount of
work was done and numerous cJnsuta
tions held. The charter as finally recon-
mended by the council was not the one
suggested by the several associations, and
your committee was able to lend material
aid in securing the rejection of the pro-
posed charter The mem bers of the board
of trade raiIy do not appreciate the
air ....so. work and the good accomplish
- bv the few in these matters.
During the past few months you have
seen your expressed requests ignored by
mem bers OF the legislature whose consti-
tue is YOU are, and you have marveled
at it Bu why? Wrappc up in your
busine IS, you ignore the necessity which
exists for q careful scrutiny of all politi-