The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-15
THE .CITl 7 CHARTER.
The Proposed Changes Explained by Mem
bers Of the Committee.
QUESTION OF POLICE JURISDICTION.
II Es Reported That IN Effort Will BE
Made 10 Dcfcas Some of the Amend
ncnts and the Bill Extending the
Jurisdiction OF the Police TO the
County.

In the Select Council meeting last
| night Messrs. Wrenn and Cooke, of the
special committee to whom was refeTr-
ed the matter of amendments to the
city charter, which will now go to the
/ Legislat ure for action, having been
adopted as printed In last Fridays Vir-
| ginan, by both branches cf the City
Council, explained the changes proposed
| and the object TO be accomplished by
| such changes.
| 1t will be remembered that the first
| change proposed in section 10, para
| graph lG. referring to cemeteries, which
! is amended by crasing the words pro
vided that all moneys received for the
use of such grounds shall be set apart
and appropriated for the Improvement
| of the cemeteries" The idea for this
| Is to turn all monies collected in the
cemeteries into the general fund. These
| collections amount to about $1,000 n
| year, while the annual appropriation
for cemeteries Is Sc. 900. While the pres
| ent charter contains the provision
which 1t Is hoped to now eliminate, 1t
has never been operative
The second clause provides that sec
ton q be amended by adding the words
and he shall select and provide at his
own expense clerk. whose duties shall
be defined by the Councils This Gee
tion requires the Police Justice to en-
ploy out of his fees Il clerk for the Po-
| lice Court, while the change In section
! 80 ms amended relieves the MAYORS
Clerk from acting as Clerk to the Police
| Court
The fifth and sixth clauses places the
| police of Atlantic City and Bramble-
ton under the Jurisdiction of the Police
Board, but makes the Local Boards of
those two wards pay them out of their
FUNDS. This Is to prevent q repetition
oil the Atlantic City case of u year ago,
which is well remembered
| The third clause 10 tb,, ono ,,,ta,.
mas caused considerable talk in this
city. 1t provides for the election of
the City Collector every four years In
stead OF two, and creates the office OF
iiiled by the Councils. The eXplana-
ton of this amendment was some
what lengthy. The desire was to Sc
cure good man as City Collector and
IN the past 1t has been shown that dur
Ing the incumbcnt's first term of two
years he was very backward because
lie was after another term. and did not
care to make enemies by favorinE col
lections. During his term of office Inc
only received 1k per cent on collec.
tons, but when taxes became delIn.
quent he received per cent. It was
but NATURAL, therefore, that a mar
should study his own interest The in
tent now is to give the man u fou,
years term and not allow him to collec
the delinquent taxes.
The Delinquent Tax Collector would
save the city from $4,000 to $4,000 PEI
year, 1t was argued. because he would
have 10 push the d'slinquents.
Nlr. Cooke said the committee hat
1rleu 10 make changes which no on
would object to and for that rcasot
had ignored the suggestion that tn,
Police Justice and High Constable b,
elected by the people
lie had heard, however that n fiCh
would be Dadc against the prosen
amendments principally because the,
had been prepared by n reform Council
Another matter which Is being con
Siderably discussed is the bill reporte @,
ny the same committee extending polio
jurisdiction to the cemeteries, park an,
aimshouse and adjacent highways. Thi
Dill is as follows:
An act to extend the jurisdiction q
the police authorities of the CITY o
Norfolk:
Be It enacted by the Gene,o, Assorb,
: OF Virginia, That the Jurisdiction an
; authority or the Chief of Police of ,h
Guy OF Norfolk and other officers nm
members OF said city police and of IN
JusticeS and Judge of Corporation Con,
60" s.,,u o'neI JUDICIAL officers of said cit
connected with the administra ton of +,
police. be, and the same is heroh,. ~ -,
Tended TO and over the grounds IN
ihe property OF the several pubiic COW,
leries or the said city the public nn,,
an,,,, ne aimshouse and public ground
N'iNiSio' vi winch NAV Il
hereto attached to the same. sit,,o = =
!, Without the limits of the said CITY. mn
To ana Mort oyer the highways and ground
III Norloik county and Princess Ann
county adjacent thereto: and on 80
request or with the assent OF the Cour
d CHS OF the city Of Norfolk. tho said polio
4 ana otheT authorities ard courts r
4 sara CITY shall have and exercise IN
luli and like powers in nil respects
and over said extended district. ms The
90 now, or may hereafter have and g,
ercise within the corporate limits of tn
said city Of Norfolk 80
I'd. This act shall be in force from il
passage. -
Some of the county officials are es
pecially displeascd with this mcasnr
and say they will appear before tn
Legislature to fight it, 1t was state
on the streets yesterday that n meetin
would be held In Norfolk to orean iz
for the purpose of fighting these meas
ures and last night Councilman Cook
hinted that he had heard that such
meeting would be- held