, 1899-03-10

\ hearings on the more important bills
h pending. The hearing on the general
township act, drafted by commission,
developed various objections last week,
but II Is hoped that all differences may
\ be adjusted. One of the important OBJ
j~ect.ons Is to that feature of the bill
making the date of township elections
later thar the second week in March,
as now. The farmers generally want
the date to remain as 1t is, because 1t
comes In their idle time. Another hear
Ing Is announced on the township act
for this afternoon.
There was an interesting hearing be-
fore the house committee on towns and
townships yesterday afternoon on the
bill proposing to annex stockton to
4 Camden. Nearly so residents Of the
\ former place. headed by John L. Vehe
4 and several other officeholders, protest
4 ed against the measure on the ground
that the people OF Stockton did not
1 want to be annexed. Mayor Hatch and
4 former Assemblyman Lloyd appeared
In behalf of the measure n presented
4 strong arguments in favor of annexa-
4 ton. They said hat Stockton was
A properly a part of Camden, and the
\ consolidation of the two governments
was desired by a majority of the resi-
dents of both places.
The senate committee on towns and
townships heard arguments yesterday
on the bill to create the borough of
\ Lakewood, in Ocean county. m
ously signed petitions were presented
in favor of and in opposition to the bill.
r. v. Lindabury appeared in behalf of
those who favored the bill. and he
made a lengthy argument. He stated
that the borough was needed because
Lakewood had a mixed population.
Senator Smith OF Ocean announced his
opposition to the measur and said that
there was strong objection to it from
many living within and outside the pro-
posed borough.
The senate after a debate yesterday
passed Senator w. NJ. Johnson's bill to
prohibit the deposit OF sewage hereafter
in any river or stream above the point
at which a city gets it's water supply.
Existing cases are exempted. Senators
McDermott and Martin opposed because
| they thought the act ought to apply to
| all cases. but senator JOhnson explain
ed tina half a loaf is better than no
bread"
The pollution of our rivers and
streams has been engaging the atten-
tIon of the Legislature for years. 1t was
thought that the commission appointed
a year 3 would be able to present a
conclusive report this winter and settle
the matter, but this hope has proved flu
tile. The majority OF the commission
report favorably upon the Inauguration
OF an elaborate plan. especially with re-
spect to the Passaic river. while Mayor
Hencheliffe of Paterson presents a mi
nority report against the saddling upon
the municipalities interested OF a bur-
den. as he says. of fully &12. 600. 900. The
subject therefore Is apt to provoke a
debate in the Legislature which may de-
feat the movement to stop the pollution
OF our streams. Under an act proposed
in the majority report q state sewage
commission is to he created. to consist
Of three persons to be appointed by the
governor and to receive q salary of ST.
500 a year.
Building and Loan.
Senator Ketcham introduced in the
senate this week a new bill touching
the Investigation of building and loan
associations. The bill passed in the as
sembly last week provides that state
ments shall be made periodically by
such association to the banking and
insurance department. but Senator