Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-11-19
LICENSES FOR
THE PLUMBERS
Matter Discussed at Public
Hearing Last Night.

That the plumbing code of the
Board of Health of this city is being
violated openly and too many times
to mention was the statement of
Jesse Davis, a labor leader, during
the public hearing held last night by
the Board of Health to act on an or
dinance presented by a delegation
under the leadership of Jesse Davis,
for the purpose of establishing an
examining board to determine the
qualifications of all those who apply
for plumbing licenses hereafter. Be-
cause of the inability to determine
the correct Interpretation of a state
law in regard to examining boards
for plumbers, the board decided to
suspend action in this matter until
the next regular session, which will
be held November 26.
Mr.. Davis. who was the speaker of
the delegation Of about fifteen
plumbers present, was instructed to
have a written legal opinion in re-
gard to the Interpretation Of the law
In question at the next meeting and
also to try to have the attorney who
drew up the original ordinance pres
emit to give his views. The Judiciary
committee of the board was informed
to procure a written legal interpreta-
ton from their counsel, Lawyer
Jacob Joselson. The matter will be
up for its second reading at the next
session.
The proposed ordinance requires
that every one applying for a plumb
ing license be compelled to appear
for a test before an examining board
who shall determine whether or not
the applicants are qualified to be
plumbers; who will be able to do
to the health of the public and at the
same time cause the legitimate
plumber a loss by not being given
the work.
But as the master plumbers are
the only ones compelled to get IL
censes, and as the journeymen in
reality do the work, the examining
board will only determine the quail
iications Of men who are in charge
of those who do the work and whose
work is being inspected by an official
of the Board of Health, according to
the present laws. With this consid-
Grafton in mind, several of the
health commissioners believe that as
far as ~remedying any unsatisfactory
conditions the proposed examining
board will be of no use unless 1t can
be so worded as to include the jour
'neymen plumbers into those who
must appear for examinations before
they are allowed to work as plumb
ers. But 1t is. believed that the
Board Of Health cannot force any
journeyman to take examinations ac-
cording to state laws, which are as
follows:
"All local boards of health shall,
in addition to the powers now vest
ed in them, have the power to pass,
alter or amend ordinances, and to
make rules or regulations within
their respective jurisdictions for the
purpose of regulating therein the
practice of plumbing, to issue licen-
ses, and to create an examining
board for the proper determining OF
the qualifications of any applicant
for a license. Said board shall con-
sist of three persons, of whom one
shall be a plumbing inspector in the
employ of the said local board OF
health, one a master plumber and
one a J~ourneyman plumber The
board has suspended action in the
matter.
Mr.. Davis stated that he could get
the thirty-eight j~ourneymen plumb
I ers of this city to sign an agreement
signifying their willingness to pass
an examination, which he believed
should clear the situation. He will
present this document at the next
session.