The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-15

be undertaken, but will be- reserved for
next year
BY chapter 418 of the laws Of 1895 it is
enacted that the sum thereafter annually
appropriated to and for the dairy com-
mission shall be expended BY the commits
sioner in the enforcement of the several
laws regulating the sale of milk, butter
inc, oleomargarine, food and drugs. The
amount appropriated by the appropriation
bill subsequently passed was $4,000, which
sum the commissioner Is Constrained to
say is inadequate to conduct the business
of the department in such a manner as
the rapidly increasing demands Of the pub
lie and the growing Importance of the
work urgently require"
: Tit duties imposed upon the dairy COM
missioner are important and vitality affect
the health and comfort Of the entire state.
The department. should not be crippled by
the withholding of the necessary appro
priation.
State Board of Assessors.
This board is the great revenue produc-
ing department. of the state. Through this
agency the tax on railroad and canal com
panies and miscellaneous corporations IL
determined and levied. BY sfay the larger
proportion Of the income Of th5 state is de-
rived from those two sources.
According to the report of the state
board Of assessors, the total assessed valu-
alton of the properties of the railroad and
canal corporations Of the state Is $221,-
SIC, 221. The valuation of each railroad
system and Of railroads not classified is de-
tailed in the report.
This department. also complains of the
i~mpossibility Of presenting a full and COM
plete report as of Oct. 81, 1895.
State Board of Taxation.
1t is among the duties of the state board
Of taxation ito investigate the methods
adopted by local assessors in the assess
ment of real and personal property in this
state, to carefully examine all cases where
evasion of proper taxation is alleged and
to ascertain where existing tax laws are
defective or are improperly or ~negligently
administered, particularly specifying any
means, practices or devices for the evasion
of proper taxation, and annually to sub
nit such recommendations as 1t may find
necessary to prevent the evasion of just
and equal taxation" flaws of 1891, chap
ter ia, section H.
The report for the year 1896 is volumi
nous n a very interesting and instruct
i've document. The subject Of taxation
Is treated in an intelligent and comprehen.
sive manner. Much valuable information
has been collected, and many ~salutary and
sensible suggestions are embodied in the
report.
The board recommends legislation to
remedy the Indebtedness now existing az
to interest upon unpaid taxes and the
complications therefrom resulting.
Factories and Workshops.
The chief inspector reports the affairs OF
his department in a satisfactory condition.
The laws governing the employment OF
children and all other laws relating to
matters within his department. are gener-
ally observed and complied with.
The inspector calls attention to the very
great improvement in sanitary appliances.
guarding machinery, ventilation, etc., in
the factories of the state at the present
time compared with their condition when
his department was created. He asserts
that we now have in.New Jersey factories
that for the convenience, health and COM
fort of the operatives surpass the very best
factories in any part of the world,
By chapter so, laws of 1894, the office OF
commissioner of mines was abolished. and
by chapter 81, laws of 1894, the duties
heretofore exercised by that official were
devolved upon the inspector Of factories
and workshops. A statement of mines
inspected and duties performed under the
act last mentioned is appended to the re-
port Of the chief inspector.
State Board of Arbitration.
This board, as now existing, was consti-
tuted by chapter 341, laws Of 1896. 1t
onnciSfc ~ Rive x,A.<k--- 49, r - -.
designated as secretary. The annual sal
airy OF the members Of the board is 81, 200
in lieu of all fees, per diem compensation
and mileage, with an additional allowance
Of 5000 to the secretary.
The board reports that 1t finds itself Sc
riously halnpcred by the restrictions sur.
rounding it. The annual salary or 81. 800
Is IN lieu Of all mileage, etc. The report
recites that the salary was fixed at that
sum because in "the opinion Of those in
strumental in framing and passing the
new law the commissioners would be en-
titled to free transportation over the rail-
roads of the state. This, they say, sshas
been discovered to be an erroneous impress
sion.' The result is "the commissioners
have to pay all their travelling and other
expenses, so that every days service in the
" oAo ctduO llCduS 81 lluCLl tAD6QS6
individually" They call attention to the
fact THAT by remaining inactive the COM
missioners may draw their salaries and
suffer no loss, but the moment that they
move here and there they have tomake dis
bursements for which the state does not
recoup them" This, they say, "seems like
putting a premium on negligence and In
attention.
The board complains Of lack of power to
enforce its authority, by compelling the
attendance and testimony Of witnesses or
to engage experts to inquire u report
in relation to particular trades or indus
tries"
As q result the conclusion is reached
that as the law stands now the board is
rather ornamental than useful It re-
mains for your honorable bodies to deter
mine whether 1t shall be made useful rath-
er than ornamental.
Riparian Comm ission.
The commissioner during the past yea
have devoted much time to the persona
examination of proposed grants and
leases. This policy (they state) has re-
suited in establishing more equitable rates
In each case and also In d considerable in
crease in the sales and leases Of riparian
lands
In my message to the legislature Of 1895
attention was directed to the proposed
closing by the United States Of the New