Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-02

The committee on municipal cor
porations respectfully reports that
they have carefully considered the
subject matter referrez to in the
following resolution Introduced in
lie House of Assembly by the Hon.
Walter Z. Edge. of Atlantic county.
which was on motion referred TO
your said committee. The resolu-
tion is as follows:
''Inasmuch as considerable COM
ment is heard regarding excessive
telephone charges in certain por-
tions of our State. be it
Resolved, That proper considera-
ton be given the subject and any
suitable recommendations found adj
visable be made to this body
Your committee gave several pub
lie hearings and all parties in inter-
est were heard. and as a result of
said public hearings and the facts
as shown thereby YOUR committee
respectfully reports to this House
and recommends the passage of the
following resolution:
Be il resolved. by the General As
sembly of the State of New Jersey.
That the committee on municipal
corporations of this House, which
committee consists of the following
persons. Henry r. Tatem, chair
man; Monroe Y Poole. ]. William
Huegel John H. Matthews and
Oscar B. Smith.
Be and the same is hereby EN-
powered and directed to enter upon
and conduct an investigation of
telephone and telegraph rates, tolls
and charges, charged or imposed
by any company or corporation do
ing business in the State of New
Jersey, and to investigate the gem
eral conditions under which the
said companies transact their busi-
mess in the State OF New Jersey.
and that the said committee inves-
tigate and report the various rates,
charges and tolls eXacted for tele-
phone and telegraph service in the
State of New Jersey, and also the
cost of such service and the reason
ableness of such charges, and that
they likewise report upon the char
acter and efficiency of such tele-
phone and telegraph service, the
amount of capital invested in the
same. the cost of such service and
whether or not any bona fide COM
petition exists between the re-
spective telephone and telegraph
companies doing business in the
State. as well as the conditions un-
der which so-called trunk line corn
panies are operating within the
State. and that the said committees
likewise report what. IN its judg-
ment. would be a fair and reason
able rate aT rates for telephone
and telegraphic service within the
State Of New jersey. and that the
said committee shall have the
power to summon before it such
persons as it may deem necessary
and proper to testify in the said in
vestigation. and shall likewise have
the power to compel the production
of such books. papers and records
as il may deem necessary or proper,
and shall have power to issue COM
pulsory process for the attendance
of witnesses and the production Of
papers with relation to the matter
under investigation, and any mem-
ber of the said COMMITTEES may
swear any person who shall come
to testify before the said commits
tee. Any person who shall have
been so sworn and who shall swear
falsely shall be guilty of perjury.
and the chairman. on behalf Of the
said committee. is hereby author
lied and directed to employ its
present secretary. Henry l.. Bialy.
as secretary; one solicitor and one
stenographer. and other necessary
clerical help to aid and assist in the
conduct Of such investigation, aud
that the said committee continue
its work from time TO time during
the present session of the Legisla-
fure and during this year after the
final adjournment thereof, and that