New-York tribune., 1909-11-16
CHARTER HEARINGS
Committee Opposes Borough
Government CHANGES.

The borough presidents are to retain their
administrative powers. The joint legls-
latve committee on the charter is prac-
tically unanimous in holding that .radi-
cal changes are necessary in borough ad-
ministration. in view of the fact that at tie
November election the fusion candidates
were successful. Tine committee assumes
that there has been a "change cf senti-
ment" with reference 10 depriving the bor-
ough presidents Of administrative power
The committee will begin hearings In the
old Council Chamber IN the City Hall to-
morrow morning at 10 O'Clock. with the
Board Of Education as the first number on
the calendar Nobody will be entitled 10
speak who has not already filed a written
memorandum with the committee. The
members hope to complete the public hear
ings by the end of next week. After that
they will have private hearings and will do
lot OF investigating themselves.
Assemblyman Hammond, OF OnOndasa
County. is chairman of the committee, the
other members being as follows: Senators
Brough. Of New York; Gledhill. Of Brook
lyn. and Grady. of New York. aud Assem-
blymen Murphy. Of Kings; Robinson. of
New York; smith. of New York. and Geo
ghegan. Of Kings.
Ex-Attorney General Julius NJ. Mayer is
counsel to the committee. which will hold
sessions as follows:
"Wednesday. Nov. II. 10 a. m.-Department Of
THURSDAY. Nov. IS 10 a m.-PolIce and Fire
departments.
Friday. Nov. 10. p. m.-Dock Department
Monday. Nov. - 10 a n-Woman suffrseists.
TUESDAY. Nov. -, 10 a. m--Charitles ana Oor-
rectiOns.
Mr.. Wins and his colleagues framed the
proposed new charter while tho inefficiency
of the administration OF the borough presi-
dents was fresh i'm mind. The Governor
had removed Borough President AheariL
and Messrs. Haffen and COler were under
investigation by the Commissioners Of Ac-
counts. There did not seem To- he imme-
diate relief from the deporahle conditions
then existing. The facts that Governor
Hughes ras been sustained ly the Court
Of Appeals ana that the fusionists have
elected anti-Tammany borough presidents
have made all tile difference in the world.
Now the old charter. giving the borough
presidents administrative power. looks good
to the upstate men. and they viii 50 re-
port TO the Legislature. The hearings to
he given beginning ON Wednesday are 10
obtain light on some OF the debatable
clauses of the proposed new charter.
TIE friends of tho school system as at
present organized will be on hand tc-lnor-
row TO attack the features Of the WINS
charter which would wipe out the board as
a corporate entity and give nearly all its
money spending prerogatives to the Board
Of Estimate and AppOrtionment. A. Emer-
son Palmer secretary of the board, has
written a brief in opposition to the pro-
posed changes. and the school teachers
associations also have sent in briefs.
The women who assert that they arc de-
prived Of proper representation in the
Board of Education will be on hand on
Monday next to demand that at least one
third Of the members of the board be
women and that at least three members
Of the Board of Trustees OF Bellevue and
Allied Hospitals be women.
One of the subjects that will come up for
discussion will be the size of the Board OF
Aldermen. At present there are seventy
three. but i'm the proposed charter provision
is made for thiTty-nine cOuncilmen. The
committee is understood to be in favor of
increasing this number, and will very likely
recommend that there be as many alder
men as there are Assemblymen i'm the
greater city. The power of the board may
be increased so as to include the right of
confirming appointments made by the
Mayor. 1t may also be given more author
ity in passing on the city budget and de-
Gliding some of the financial matters which
are now left entirely 10 the Board OF
Estimate.
Another matter OF great interest is the
provision for a central purchasing bureau.
II is not certain that the WINS sections
will be passed. but it il probable that
some system of checks will be devised to
keep In touch with the buying OF supplies
for the city fiscal supervising agent
may be provided for.