Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-22
Police Board Opposed Method
of RetrenChment.
TWO SERGEANTS NEEDED
Chairman Holmes Expresses Hope
That Commissioners Will Have Op-
pcrtunity of Going Over Situation
With Committee.

When the councils retrenchment
committee meets again one week
from tonight to complete its laborS,
the plan adopted as to the manner
of making the cut in the police de-
partment may be reconsidered. Three
members of the committee already
have agreed TO a reconsideration and
il is probable that ether members
will come to the same agreement.
The plan as adopted by the commit
tee provides for the dropping OF TWO
patrolmen and two Sergeants from
the police force. The police commits
sioners believe that this will handi-
cap the force in that the work of both
the detective scrgeantS and the day
round sergeant will fall upon the
chief of police in addition TO his
duties as chief.
What Chairman Holmes Says.
Chairman II. Is. Holmes. OF the
board OF police commissioners. said
Yesterday that, while he had not yet
had time TO confer with all of the
members Of the board on the matter.
he personally believed that better
plan than that adopted by the com
mlttee could be arranged and he eX-
pressed the hope that the commits
siCners might have an opportunity OF
going over the matter with the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Holmes went on to say that
he realized that retrenchment is abb
solutely necessary at this time and
that the commissioners were ready
and willing to do all in their power
10 assist the council i'll this matter.
However, he thought that the board
should be given the authority to ar
range the force as it deemed best
within the appropriation as provided
for by the pruning committee.
Looks For Other Fields.
Retrenchment was again the gener-
al topic of discussion in municipal
circles yesterday and some OF the of
flee holders whose jobs are affect
ed BY the work of the committee
were busy with their friends in the
council. Others sem resigned to their
fate and are preparing for other fields
of labor after July |.
Excepting possibly the cut in the
police department. the work OF the
committee seems to have met with
general favor and present indications
are that there will be little or no op-
position TO the report on the floor OF
the council While the committee
still has some routine details TO
work out, the greater part of its
work is done and the cOuncilmen will
have from now until the first Tuesday
i'm April to study and digest the re-
port.
Want Trustees to RetrenCh.
Retrenchment by the school board
is now the slogan of some members
of the council. These members say
that the council has taken the initia-
tiCn in the matter and that is is now
up to the school beard TO follow tie
lead set by the city sOlans.
At its last meeting. the school
board instructed the committees on
finance and buildings and grounds to
hold a joint meeting and adopt re-
trcnchment policy for the remainder
of this session. but as yet the board
has taken nc steps towards re-
trenchment fer the session of 1901.
The committees of the board probab-
~ will hold their first meeting this
week so that they can complete their
work before the regular meeting OF
the trustee on the second Tuesday in
Anril