The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-02-27

place VI CtIN cry lNS place VI SdIC.
amendments to Public School Law.
Amendments to public school law that
We're introduced IN the legislature to- y
turn out to be of great Importance.
One changes the ap~portlonment Of fund.
H retofore the amount that might be
set aside for school buildings had been
unlimited, merely left to the discretion
of the county board Of education. The
bill limits the amount to 25 per cent. in
~counties where the school fund is I'M
der SO, coo. 20 per cent when under So
0O0. Is per cent when over SIG, 90. One
fifth of the schoo fund must be set
aside for bringing veal school distrc s
to a four months term, and equaliZing
the school taxes in various townships.
Heretofore under the township d'stribu-
tons, strong and populous townships
might have five. six or seven mo7ths
school term, while the weak and sparse
ly settled ones would have less than
four months terms and then ask for
aid from the state out of the sec nd
SIC. 0O0. When under the proper distri-
button Of the county fund they would
!. not need a cent.
The election of the county board Of
education by the legislature instead Of
by the county commissioners is also
PROVIDED for.
For Building of School Houses.
A bill was introduced today providing
for use of the 5000. 900 Of bonds now
held by the state board of education in
the treasury, use proposed being the
building OF school houses in various
counties, out of this fund under control
of the state board of education, to be
lent by the latter to the county boards
and by these in turn to the school dis
tricts for building and improving school
houses. the districts to repay in ten in
stallmo~+e. loan bearing 4 per cent in
terest. This would mean that the first
year 5000, 900 would be available for this
purpose, and that $4,000 would be
available annually ever thereafter.
Tax on Cotton Seed Meal.
The committee On agriculture today
drafted and will submit tomorrow a
substitute bill taxing cotton seed meal
, at 20 cents per ton whether used as
fertilizer or as food for stock, this bill
being prepared in accordance with
agreement by the committee and cotton
oil mill owners.
There was argument this af-
ternoon before the joint commit
tee On corporations on the bill intrudIc-
ed today and which was prepare" at
, the convention of chambers of COM
merce which met here a month ago.
This is to create the office of commits
} siouer to represent the shippers and
dealers. his duties being to search for
freight discrimination, and get evidence
regarding the same, lay it before the
corporation commission and also to
publish information to shippers. sa'ary
90 mn .-1 - 49,, r1nnth - ya1ipn Nv
> penses. A. J. Field and r. j.. Harris
argued in favor of the bill and declar-
ed there were the grossest sort of dis
elimination of freight against North
arolina.
:, london on Liquor Bills.
Your correspondent this evening in
terviewed Senator London regarding
l the status of liquor regulation bills in
: the senate. Senator London said that
l if his bill had passed in the senate as
+ Watts bill has passed the house Meth
5 err would probably have become a law
1 but by amending the Watts bill in the
: senate making it conform to the Lon
2 don bill, which London says as the
:. amendments offered today do, the hous
can concur in these amendments or if
ii does not concur, then the senate con
S recede from them and then the Watts
: bill would be q law. London added
that his bill was displaced in the sem
5 alta today by his consent in order to
make the Watts bill as near it as pos
= sible, London said he regarded the vote
t which the Vann-Warren substitute was
T defeated today as a test vote, that vote
being II to %.
The senate judiciary committee today
!, decided to unfavorably report the bill
| to reduce the superior court districts
TO II. and also to unfavorably report
S the bill which passed the house d y
putting mental anguish law on statute
) book. Reason for committees u%nfavor-
able report is that the supreme court
has already covered this point.
The committee on judiciary today de-
cided to amend the bill which passed
o the senate regarding statute of limita.
ton as to judgments against deceased
persons. which the senate made sever
years. The house committee reduces il
: TO three years and will report the bill
thus amended favorably.
The joint appropriations committee
: this evening decided to favorably report
resolution authorizing the state treas,
urer to borrow Immediately one hun
dred thousand dollars 10 keep all the
public schools open four months and
directing the treasurer to repay this
sum out OF the first money coming into
the trasury to meet the deficit.
Morton's PfIotage Bill.
The following is the text Of q bill intro
9 duced by Morton in the house today: Tt
1 amend laws in reference to rates of pi,
. Iotage On the Cape Fear river and bar
Section /. That chapter 463, pub il
laws 1901 be and the same is hereby
e amended BY striking out figures '25'
IN line six Of section l and inserting il
e lieu thereof, figures "12 Ia"
: Section :. That it shall be unlawful,
. for any steamer. tug boat or tow boat
f owned in whole or part Cpartnersh.p OF
corporation) by my pilot of the Cape
; Fear bar or river whose pilotage is fix.
= ed by law TO discriminate as to towage