Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-01-14
MESSAGE OF
The GOVERNOR
Urges Establishment Of Public
Utilities Commission.
MANY ACTS RECOMMENDED.

and Collateral Inheritance Tax De-
Primary and Election Statutes-Em-
ployers' Liability Act State Farm
Decentralization of Buildings For
Prevention or Cure of TubercuIosis
State Board of Health - Financial
Condition of State Satisfactory.
Trenton, Jan. 11.-In his second an
nual message to the legislature Gov
ernor John Franklin Fort said:
Financial Condition.
The general conditions in the state
are, OF every hand, satisfactory and
the people contented and prosperous.
At the last session of the legislature
the financial condition of the state
gave much concern, but the legislation
enacted and the economies practiced at
that session have proved beneficial.
The free balance on the 31st of Oc-
tober last vas 1864, 353.51. The reve-
nues coming into the treasury of our
state are largely received at fixed pc.
RODS, and In the interim between
these periods 1t is necessary that the
treasury should be in condition to meet
all demands.
The fact that there was a free bal
ance in the treasury at the end of the
last fiscal year should not be held to
Justify the legislature at this session In
INDUCING in large expenditure in any
direction.
Reasonable appropriations for the
state institutions and for a few addi-
tional buildings should be made, but
aside from these there is no demand
for any extraordinary expenditure.
The total of actual and estimated re-
sources for the year 1910 is $6,116,-
223.51.
The disbursements to be made dur
ing the fiscal year ending Oct. 81,
1910, are estimated by the comptroller
as follows:
To meet the appropriations made by
the legislature of 1909 for the fiscal
year ending Oct. 81, 1910, as shown in
chapter PIP, laws of 1909, $4,245,-
O17.32. The summary of estimated re-
ceipts and disbursements for fiscal
year ending Oct. 81, 1910, is as fol-
lows:
IT, ef eeaipts- g 1ls s2s 81
: Total estimate of disbursements 4,245, OF 81
Leaving an estimated free bal
ance Oct. 81, 1910, of..........$1 s., 81, 2O6 1e
Of course from this free balance will
have to be paid all the appropriations
which the present legislature shall
make in the supplemental a%ppropria-
ton bill. If the supplemental appro-
priations shall not exceed in the total
100000 the state will have a free bal
ance on Oct. 81, 1910, of over $1,000
600. The actual cash balance should
never be less than this to insure safe
ty against all contingencies.
State Institutions.
Generally speaking, the penal and
charitable institutions of our state are
well managed and maintained at a
high order of excellence. 1t needs to
be remembered that the managers of
all these institutions, except the in
%spectors of the state prison, are serv-
ing without compensation.
In this system of voluntary service
I do not believe. The state has no
right to the enforced service of its
citizens without at least a partial rec
ompense therefor.
The board of each institution should
be required to meet at least monthly.
The president should visit the institu-
ton at least weekly. l recommend
that each of the boards of the several
institutions of the state be reorgan-
lied and fixed at not exceeding six
members, that regular meetings of
the board be required to be held
monthly and that all laws now pro-
viding for the payment of the ex-
penses of the managers be repealed
and a definite sum, say SIS, be paid to
each member for each regular month
ly meeting and hat a like sun be paid
for special meetings called by the
president of the board in case of ne
cessity, not, however, to exceed three
for any one year; that the members of
the boards be hereafter appointed for
terms of six years, the first appoint
ment being for one, two, three, four,
five and six years respectively, and
thereafter to fill vacancies or for a
full term of six years. This would
limit the possible expenses of the man
ayers of each institution to $1,400 and
would be the wisest possible expendi-
ture of such a sum. This reduction
of the boards would insure a quorum
at every meeting, which frequently is
not now obtained, and would con-
centrate responsibility.
Penal Institution Suggestions.
l recommend the enactment of a aw
authorizing the board of inspectors, on
the recommendation of the keeper of
the state prison, with the approval of
the governor, to transfer from the
state prison to the Railway reforma-
tory such inmates of the state prison
as are first offenders and who are
under the G of twenty years, as they