The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-04
A COMMITTEE TO
INVESTIGATE NEED
OF INVESTIGATION
Council is Willing That Affairs Of Char
ity Board Shall be Probed, but
Would Limit Expense.
Hence Committee Of Five to be Appoint.
ed by Mayor Must Find Need of
Thorough Inquiry Before They Can
Have Funds.

The council voted last night to see if
the Charities department needs inves-
LEGATION. If it does, the same commit
tee which makes the preliminary in
CURRY is to proceed with the investi-
cation, after applying to the Aldermen
for funds to carry on the work.
Upon the recommendation of the
Miscellaneous committee the following
resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That his honor, the May
or. be authorized and instructed to ap-
point q. committee Of five to inquire
the business methods Of the Board of
Charities and if in the opinion of the
committee an investigation be neces-
sary, then that said committee be au-
thorized to proceed with an inveSti-
cation in accordance with the resolu-
ton now before the Common Council,
and be it further
Resolved, That said committee shall
incur no expense until authorized by
the Common Council"
Alderman McMurray said that he
could not see that the resolution was
any good as the committee did not
have much power. He thought if the
investigation was going to be genuine
that the first committee should have
full power in order to do justice to all
concerned.
Alderman Primrose said that some
of the qualifications of the city had led
people, who are not familiar with the
city government, to get the impression
that the Board of Charities was a. band
of highway robbers" He thought the
committee Of investigation should have
full power in order that the board
might be cleared Of the stigma that
had been placed upon them without
any apparent good ground for the
impressions that had gone forth"
He thought that the appointing of a
committee to enquire into the need
was a long road to travel, that the
committee could reach it's destination
at once and without going over the
work twice.
Alderman Griffin stated that the
committee in drawing the report had
not shown any need for the investiga-
ton and it was thought best not to
place the city under any expense. He
said that he had seen these investiga-
ton committees appointed before and
they had cost money and brought no
results. He added: I'VE have one of
these committees at work now the
Building Code committee) and there Is
no end to the expense in sight. The
committee is undoubtedly doing good
work. 1t has been meeting for over
q year once a week and the members
are paid by the meeting. But the
time gees on and on and there Is no
telling what the cost is going to be
before they have finished"
The report of the committee was
unanimously adopted.
The resolution that the investigation
will proceed, in case the investigators
find reason to go on, is the one intro
duced by Alderman Wilson and is as
follows:
Resolved, That a committee Of five
members be appointed by the Mayor
to inquire into, investigate thoroughly
and report back to this Common Coun-
Gil relating to the Board of Charities,
its methods OF conducting its business,
and any other matters appertaining to
said board; the said committee to have
full authority to command the ap-
pearance before it of any person or
persons by writ Of subpoena or other
wise, as well as to demand and obtain
the production of any books. papers,
files. records of any and every de-
scription which they in their judgment
may DESIRE"