Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-06-29
INCREASE TERM
FOR 0VERSEERs
Council TO Appoint Commis-
sioner for 8 Years.

Attention of the Board OF Alder
men of this city to the contents of
the new law passed April 81, which
makes radical changes in the ap-
pointment of and duties of the city
overseer of the poor, will be called
by Joseph P Byers, the general sec
retary of the State Charities Aid and
Prison Reform Association of New
Jersey.
Under this law, which was passed
April 81, the Board of Aldermen is
to appoint at It's next annual meeting
an overseer of the poor for term OF
five years, instead of three years, as
in the past. There are numerous
other matters to which the associa-
ton calls the attention of the city
| fathers to. Under the law, the over
seer of the poor may commit the
poor to an aims house or may grant
relief to them in their homes. Com
mitments may be made directly by
his order. Authority Is also given
the council to employ woman for
| this office, if the aldermen shall
deem 1t best to do SO. Assistants
may also be chosen and the council
shall fix the salaries of the oyerseer
and his assistants. Fees outside of
such regular salaries are prohibited.
Mr.. Byers' letter to the council Is
as follows:
City Council,
Gentlemen:
Under a law passed April 21st,
1911, 1t becomes the duty of your
board at its next annual meeting to
appoint for term of five years an
Overseer of the Poor. There are GER
| tain matters concerning this office
| that this association desires to call
| to your notice and We ask that they
| be given the careful attention their
Importance demands.
Under the new law the Overseer
| of the Poor may commit the poor to
an aims house or may grant relief to
them In their homes. Commitments
may be made directly on his order
The new Settlement Law is based
upon residence in the community
of one year without public or private
relief. It is the duty of the Over
seer to investigate the matter of set
tlement. In the case OF non-resi-
den he must, II possible, ascertain
where the legal settlement is and
transfer the person or the cost OF
maintenance to the community In
which he or she has a legal settle
ment.
The Oyerseer Is required to keep
a careful record Of his work includ-
ing important data concerning each
person who comes within his juris-
diction.
He is required to investigate the
financial resources of applicants for
wi %
may transfer the cost of relief from
the community to parents, grand
parents or children where upon In
vestigation he finds such relatives
able to give the necessary relief. In
this as in most of the duties imposed
upon him by law, his Judgment, tact
and honesty become very important
factors.
1t is his duty to enforce RESPONSE
bilfty of husbands and wives being
directly charged with the duty of
looking up deserting parents, of
having them placed under a court
order for the support Of their depen-
dents. In such cases the Overseer
collects and pays out the amounts
received under the order of the
court
He is directly charged with the
duty of finding employment for all
applicants for relief who may be able
to help themselves. Where work Is
provided and the applicant, being
able, refuse to perform it, the Over
seer becomes the agent by which
such person or persons may be de-
clared vagrants and committed to
the Jail or workhouse
In all his work he is repeatedly
charged by the law to give proper
protection to widows and children,
particularly in the selling of estates,
collection and distribution of insur-
ance money, etc.
In order that the Overseer may
more 1ntelligently and carefully dis
charge his duties he is required to
cooperate with any Incorporated and
private charitable society operating
within his jurisdiction.
He must attend to the burial of
those who die without sufficient
means to defray their funeral ex-
penses.
In the cases of all dependent chill
fContinued on page ID
NnTTCE