The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-03-07
The STATE s
LEGISLA AZURE.
JOINT. Session Completes tie
Election Of Commissioners
Of Deeds.
FOR REGULATION OF COURTS.


day, presided over by Senate President
Gross. and additional commissioners Of
deeds were elected. This completes
the list Of commissioners of deeds.
The longest evening session OF the
winter was held last Monday night,
and large number Of bills were in
PRODUCED. If a fair number of the
bills already presented to the legis-
aature are considered, it is believed the
present legislative session will last
swell into April.
One Of the important measures that
have been presented in the senate this
week is a bill by Senator Barton B.
Hutchinson Of Mercer providing that
the governor be empowered to appoint
d commission OF not more than five
persons to Investigate and report to
the governor and legislature how the
courts can be regulated by law so as
10 handle more expeditiously and sat
lsfactofily the cases coming before
them The chief points in the bill are
as follows How the courts can by CON
stitntional amendment ana by legisla
don be better adjusted to the demands
Of judicial business; what changes
can be made with advantage in the
present laws relating to the judiciary;
how the procedure under the present
Judiciary practice can be made more
simple, whether like defects have been
corrected ia other states, and how.
1his commission is to report early at
the next session Of the legislature. The
expenses Of its Investigations are to
be met by the state.
New Road Bill.
Senator Hutchinson also presented
new road bill which Is of interest to
every county in the state. 1t embraces
the Ideas Of former Senator and now
State Road Commissioner e. G. Hutch
lnson The bill changes the present law
by putting state road supervisors I'M
der salary, Withholding state aid from
eauntiss which fail to keep their stone
TUads in repair and requiring that state
approval must be acted upon within
three months from the date 1t 10 given,
The state viii continue to pay ene-thllsi.
81 the cost Of the stone or other inn,
lSeOyed roads built according to the
Specifications approved by the state
rad commissioner.
1t Is further provided that the board
pe 9reeholders Of any county may by
resolution direct the Improvement OF
any highway with macadam, teIf0rd or
sther stone construction, ground oyster
aheils or similar materials provided
the road Is not less than thirty three
feet In width and at least one mile in
length. No road Of less than one mile
In length will be constructed unless 1t
shall be an extension Of an existing Inn
proved road or connection between
two or more such improved roads. No
Improvement is to be made to a road
watch, with the cost Of the repairs. ex-
rHeds In any one year one-half of per
cent Of the ratables Of the county, ex-
elusive OF the state appropriations. 1t
Il further provided that as soon as any
contract Is awarded supervisor is to
DE appointed by the state road commits
eaOner to take charge OF the work at a
salary Of So day, to be paid by the
state. Failure to repair an improved
road within sixty days after notice
shall have been given by the state road
commissioner will result Ia the with
holding of state aid until such repairs
shall have been made. County boards
Of freeholders are empowered to APP
point supervisor of roads to serve for
three years. The sections relating to
road repairs are aimed at those coun-
ties which fail to keep their improved
highways In good condition. The bill
requires boards OF freeholders to have
work on new roads commenced within
three months after approval by the
state road commissioner or the APP
proval becomes void.
Democratic Equal Taxation Bill.
The Democrats came out with an
equal taxation measure, the feature
ct which 10 the taxing Of local main
stems Of railroads at the average local
rates prevailing each year, SO as to
squat 1 per cent Of the assessed value
u the property In each district, which
shall be retained by the state, and the
balance to 80 to the several taxing dis
sxicts In proportion to the mileage Of
such main stem In each taxing district
Terminal and other stations are to be
assessed in each district and taxed at
LEGAL rates. App2aIs may be taken to
ne state board or taxation, whose de
eialon shall be fnHis
The house passed Assemblyman Lehl-
abach's bill to enable Essex county to
aantie bonds to erect insane asylums
1aie house also passed the measure pro
ssidihR for storage reservoir for New,
Mrk. The house concurred in the sen
ate joint resolution for a New Jersey
commission to confer with a Pennsyl-
vanIa commission for the propagation
Of fish In the Delaware river and to
adopt concurrent laws on the subject.
An important measure and one said
10 be backed by automobiles was pre-
scented BY Senator Brown Of Mon
mouth, requiring ali vehicles using the
public roads to display lights, front
and rear, visible at least 200 feet away,
after darkness has set In, Heretofore
automobiles have been required to dis.
play such lights. but other vehicles
have been exempt and auto drivers
have met with accidents by running
lnts buggies and wagons carrying no
lights at night, 1t is to avoid such &C.