The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1909-02-11
The GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
A Summary Of Legislative Proceedings
During the Past Week.
SENATE.


was also filed. There was only one
speech made in support of the bill.
Two resolutions were introduced
to expedite the work of the Assem-
bly,, one requesting the Finance
| Committee to prepare it's report on
a certain date, and restricting the
time for introduction of new bills;
the other to prevent the introduc-
ton of bills after the fifteenth Of
February. The latter resolution
was given immediate consideration,
with the result that it was killed.
HOUSE.
The House vas kept busy during
it's entire session, and great many
bills of general Importance passed
their final reading. The incorpora-
ton of several railroad. electric and
water power companies was per-
fected.
Among bills Of public nature which
passed were those regulating the
sale of poultry and stock foods, con-
dition powders, etc, and the bill
authorizing the Board of Agricul-
ture to sell it's seed test farms and
purchase others if it thought proper.
A bill to repeal the laws Of 1903-O5
relating to posting lands in Halifax
county passed it's final reading.
SENATE.
. Wednesday, February 3rd.-The
Senate, by unanimous vote passed
the Latham bill to provide drainage
for the wet, swamp, or overflow
lands in North Carolina, the bill
affecting principally the eastern
counties. This bill, though passed
chiefly for the purpose Of furthering
the agricultural interests, is also
designed to promo ote the public
health.
The Senate passed or IT. final
reading the Empie bill, which pro-
vides that no quail or grouse shall
be sold for a period of two years in
the State Of North Carolina. The
bill will now go to the house.
The bill Of Mr.. Gay, of Northamp-
ton. to punish public drunkenness,
imposing a fine of not less than two
and not more than ten dollars on
every person who shall be guilty of
drunkenness on the public roads or
at public gatherings, was voted
down. Faith in the corrective eff
fects Of the prohibition law was ex-
pressed, and there was a feeling
that such law should not be enact
ed when for years there has been
no such law.
HOUSE.
A bill was introduced by Under
wood, of Cumberland, to prevent
monopolies, trusts and combinations,
which is directed at the Southeast
ern Tariff Association.
DR.. Cox, of Pitt, introduced bill
requiring registration Of deaths in
all towns of 1000 population or
more.
The question of special acts of in
corporation of public service corpor-
ations by the Legislature was briefly
discussed; also the seating Of a Re-
publican as a Representative from
Dare in the place of the Democratic
Representative; and the election of
boards of education by the people.
SENATE.
Thursday, February 4th---Senator
Manning, of Durham, has a bill to
direct and empower the Treasurer
of the State to issue bonds for
the permanent enlargement of the
charitable and educational institu-
tions of the State. 1t recites in
preamble that these institutions are
insufficient in size and equipment to
meet the demands and necessities of
the people Of the State and cannot
be so made adequate out of the
annual revenues of the State without
increasing largely the rate of taxa
ton upon the property of the State
and the people, and that the per-
manent enlargement of these lnsti-
tutions can be made and the burden
equitably distributed through a
series of years, by issuing bonds Of
the State. The bonds are to be pay
able not more than 40 years after
July 1st, 1909, and are to bear inter-
est at a rate not exceeding three per
cent. per annum, payable semiannu-
ally.
Governor Kitchin sent message
to the Legislature transmitting a
letter from Supt. J. S. Mann, of the
States Prison, urging the return Of
eco orc 70 from tho Stata'c TreaS,Irv