Norwich bulletin., 1909-08-18

SA@N
hands of the board Of equalization in
stead of with a special salaried COM
mission, and with amendments making
the board one of relief and giving ag-
grieved oyster growers the right Of ap-
peal to the superior court against ex-
cessive assessments. The debate on
the measure was not long, but it was
20 the point. The temper of the house
seemed to be as Representative Hall of
Wilmington put ii, namely against the
practice of creating expensive commits
sions. Representative Parker of Hart
ford twice called attention TO what he
claimed to be a fact that the amend
ment offered by Mr. Chandler of Rocky
Hill, creating the board of equalization
as board of relief, was not germane
TO the resolution. Most OF the speak
efe declared that II was time the state
made the oyster growers pay just taxes
to the state. The opponents of the bill
as amended by reviving the senate
amendment offered by Senator Fem
and rejected, which regeneration was
on motion OF Mr.. Bishop of New Ha-
ven, claimed that the board of equal
ization would receive no more author
ity to investigate the taxation of oyster
grounds than it now possesses and that
$1,000 for expenses would be only a
drop in the bucket. The opponents of
n special commission, especially Repre-
claimed that The special commission
would in effect simply be a commits
sion to investigate the present shellfish
commission. The reply to this was
that the shellfish commission had been
unable to fulfill it's duties and it ought
10 be abolished.
House Action Agreeable to Governor.
After the house had passed the
amended bill, Senator BrinSmade, the
chairman of the committee on shell
fisheries, said that rather than prevent
the investigation which is so urgently
needed he believed in having the SEN
ate concur with the house, though per-
Benaliy he did not believe that the
board of equalization could properly
handle the task which would be i'm
posed upon it. The prospects seem
good for a concurrence of the senate
with the amended bill passed by the
house. The latter body has rejected
the amendments to the commission bill
which went through the senate. The
house action Is in line with the recon-
nendations of former Governor Wood
run and Is agreeable to Governor
Wselcs.
Senate Passed Sunday Observance Bill
Over Governors Veto.
The sunday observance bill, which
went InTOuEn the senate over the gOV-
ernors veto, did not reach the house, as
adjournment was taken just before 5
o'clock when a vote on the passage of
an amendment to the automobile bill
which passed the senate earlier dis
closed no quorum. 1t is thought that
the house will sustain the veto because
OF a feeling among members that the
ambiguity of the words "for the gen.
eral welfare Of the community" is not
safe. An effort was made this after
noon to pave the way for action on the
bill. 1t was thought that the house
would surely pass the measure over
the veto, but an incident of recent oc-
currerce hinging on the reading into
a law" of a judicial opinion by petty
court judge, and brought to the atten-
ton of some OF the prominent mem
bers Of the house. has influenced them
10 20 slow when the wording of a gen.
eral bill Is questioned. 1t is stated
that recently Rev. Joel S. Ives of Meri-
den was fined in the Branford police
court on the charge of having his dog
unlicensed. It appeared that Mr. Ives
has his dog licensed at his home in
Meriden and that he visited his sum-
mer cottage. While there a complaint
was made about his dog. The statute
provided that when a dog owner goes
70 another town to reside he must no
tify the town clerk in order to have
the license changed. Commissioner
Averil has ruled however that the
domicile of a dog is the same as the
owner. In Mr.. Ives case it is held
at the capitol that his dog was prop
erly licensed and he was simply a sum-
mer visitor at Branford. He paid his
fine, it Is stated, without taking an ap-
peal. and now the matter has been
called to the attention of Commissioner
Averill and Governor Weeks. This in
1fdanf haU hr01 IN af
tentien OF members of the house as an
example of the ambiguity Of a statute
and its effect when interpreted at once
launched the effort to meet the situa-
tion as regards the Sunday bill.
Vote 10 to II.
The bill was passed over the gov
ernor's veto by the following vote:
Yes-Senators Chamberlin, Alsop.
Courtney, Stanley, Bowen, Chase,
Hurley, Phillips, Latimer, Allyn,
Bradford, Arnold and Searls--19.
Nays-Senators Fem, Able, Man
waring, Peck, Brinsmade, Silliman,
Reed, Burnham, Barnes, Turner and
Absent or Not Voting Senators
Luther. Goodwin, Middleton. Luding-
ton. Blakeslee, Stiles, Heineman. Hol-
ger, Brooks lin the chair), Barnum
and Day-11.
May Introduce Another Sunday Bill.
1T was suggested that the house vote
TO indefinitely postpone action on the
Sunday bill and the veto, and this be-
ing done. to have introduced another
bill identical with that vetoed by the
governor with the exception that the
words, general welfare of the COM
munity," will be omitted. 1t is be-
lieved that such a bill can pass and
be acceptable to Governor Weeks 1t
was Senator Latimer's intention to so
amend the bill and had not President
pro tenn. Brooks ruled that a bill re-
turned with a veto message could not
be amended or altered in any way.
The sentiment in both house and SEN
ate is overwhelming in favor of -qss-
ing a Sunday bill which will remove
from the statute books some of the
very ancient laws which cucumber it
and which have come down through
100 years. but the sentiment is strong
against what was termed in debate
"desecration Of the Sunday" IT is
expected that tomorrow there will be
n lively debate on this matter. 1t is
one of a very few items left to be
disposed Of Much oppistion also has
developed to the bill by those who
claimed that professional baseball nro-
noters at once showed their hands
when the hilf was put on its passage
ard before 1t reached the governor by
Announcing professional league games
on Sunday. Senator Latimer said that