The Penn's Grove record., 1910-01-14
salem Colnty's Poor Well Provided For
Two Boa DIS of Almshouse Trustees
In Charge

Two Boa DIS OF AlmSnOuSe liuoeS
In Charge
The Re publican Board OF Almshous'
Trustees. lected at the meeting OF tilt
County Board OF Chosen Freeholdeis OF
January Isl, met at the Almshouse OF
Monday and organized by electlng the
following officials:
President John ii. Han, oaielh.
Vice-President. Jas. d. Torton, Penn's
Grove.
Secretary, Garrett K. DUBOIS Upper
P%ittsgrove.
Treasurer, w. Winfield Pedrlck' l.. a.
Creek.
James d. Torton was appointed funera
director.
DR.. Eugen ne E. DeGrofft' OF WOODS
town. and d.. VIM. L. Hilliard. OF Salem,
were appointed physicians.
Edmund ?. Newkirk and Samuel II
Patrick were appointed a committee to
make a settlement with the former treas
urer. c.. Hildreth Reeves and Garrett
X. Dubois were selected to get the book
and other vouchers from }. Morris
Reeves, the former secretary.
There is a question as to the legality OF
| the Republican Board which has as
| sun,ed charge. The almshouses in most
| counties are managed directly by Board
- Er.oloIlorc Solonn nnnnfV'S moor is
| under the supervision Of the Trustees OF
| the Poor" created by a special act OF
Legislature, approved April 10, 1916,
| and amendments passed April 10, 1S47,
March "a, 1855, and January rs, 1887.
The law says:
'sSEc. 8. The Board of Chosen Free
holders of said county, at their annual
meeting OH the second Wednesday i'll
May, shall appoint one reputable Free
holder in each township of said county
as a trustee of the poor OF said county
and no more.
SEC. 5. The said Trustees shall meet
at the poor house four times III the year,
that is to say, on the first Monday IN
February, May, August and November,
and oftener if necessary, and shall have
power to make and ordain, by the major
lty of the votes of those present, provided
there be a quorum, such suitable bylaws,
rules and ordinances as they shat think
necessary for the good order, direction
and government OF the poor house, etc.
SEC. 6. The said trustees shall meet
annually OIL the third Monday i'll May
and shall proceed to the appointment oil
some suitable person, being a trustee, as
president OF h said corporation, a treas
urer, and such other officers and assist
ants as they may think necessary"
1t will be seen that the law under
which the Spring elections were held
from the foundation Of our government
to the time it was repealed Ill 1910, has
other laws hinging upon it Tor the proper
procedure of public business, and the
change in the election OF local officials to
the general elections i'll the Fall, and the
beginning OF the official terms OF office to
January LIST make a clash and misunder-
standing.
The above quotation is not a bylaw
created 10y '"rhe Trustees of the Poor"
but a special enactment OF the Legislature
made previous to 1872, when the State
constitution was changed prohibiting the
enactment of special laws. AS it has not
been repealed, it is still law for the OBJ
servance and rules of procedure for public
business by "The Trustees OF the Poor OF
the County Of Salem"
The fact that there is no law nor by
law for the meeting Of the Trustees OF the
Poor the second Monday in January makes
the organization OF the Board OH Monday
of no legal standing, because the law
not by-law-says, 1.-The Trustees shall
meet annually GU the third Monday i'll
May and proceed to appoint a president,
treasurer and other officers" The time
has not A arrived for the new Re-
publican Board to do so and the changing
OF the fiscal year in 1905 in no way men-
tions "TLe Trustees of the Pool OF Salem
County," who are under an old special
law unto themselves.
1t is the sane as the Justices of the
Peace. While they are now elected i'll
November instead of in March, no pro-
vision has been made for them to enter
into their Office until the next May.
1t will be clearly the duty of the DEM
| ocratic Board to meet Oh the first Mon
! day in February and May, because they
were elected last May, after it was found
| there was no law for their election in
January and no legal organization can be
effected before the third Monday in May,
by the new Republican Board because
there is no law under which they can
legally do so.
Every Subscriber Should be a Re-
porter
Every subscriber of a newspaper should
be one of its reporters, and send in to tho
editor tie many little happenings an6