The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-04
STODDARD SAYS PRESENT LAWS
 ARE EFFICIENT
Local Attorney Represents Local Auto Club at Leg
 islature Hearings.
Speed Limit Feature Con- sidered-Roads Are Ruin ed-Commissioner of Ve- hicles Proposed.

Hartford March 4.-Some definite changes in the present automobile law were involved in the four bills consid- cred at the hearing before the com mittee on public health and safety yesterday. As result it would appear that the contending factions are get ting a little nearer together on several of the questions at issue
 Perhaps the most important of the four bills considered was that intro duced by Senator Heineman of Meri- den, which provides for the appoint ment of commissioner of motor ve- hicles for a term of two years at an annual salary of s2ooo. This bill pro, vides that public examinations shall be held in the various cities and towns once a year. At such times applicants for license shall appear in person and be examined as to their moral charac- ter, etc., and if they are 21 years of age, have a good practical knowledge of motor vehicles and possess sufh- efent skill and ability to properly op- be issued to them for a period of one year. The commissioner, under the bill, will have the authority to revoke licenses for gross negligence or repeat ed violations of the law. Such revo- cations may be nullif1ed at the expira- tion of thirty days. The original fee for such examination is placed at s5 and 8 for a renewal To the co4n- missioner 1S d1sO gwen lHe SL1oTCe- Inent of the speed law, and other par ticulars.
 A second bill, fathered by Senator Peck of Stamford would prohibit any person under IS years of age driving a car, even though accompanied by licensed chauffeur. It also provides for the revocation of licenses upon con- vfction of violation of the law. It reduces the speed at which automobiles may be driven within city or bor- ough limits to twelve miles an hour, and expunges the present one-eighth of a mile'' provision. It provides that an operator upon approaching a trolley car discharging or taking on passen- gers shall reduce the speed of his ma chine. but does not provide that such automobile shall be brought to a stop.
 A third bill amends Section 14 of the present law by authorizing local off, cials to set apart certain sections of highway for a specified time for speed contests. The fourth bill deals wholly with resistration fees, and provides for these increases: Less than twenty horsepower, from 8 to se6; from twen- ty to thirty horsepower, from s5 to s1o: over thirty horsepower, from $10 to 320.
 Sanford Stoddard of Bridgeport, rep reeenting the Bridgeport Automobile Club, held that the present law in its operation has had a most successful career for the short time 1t has been tried. He sait it's operation had been greatly helped in Bridgeport by the automobile association there, the mem bers of which had assisted in it's en- forcement and had aided in bringing vioIators to justice He related now tbe members had done much personal work in warning automobilists to ob- serve the law and how they had ma1n- tained g. certain system Of espionage over the main thoroughfare through the city. He said he was in favor Of