Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-22

the assessments made by local assess
ors, our State Board of Health has
supervision over the doings of tile
local boards of health, and there is no
new principle involved here; but L
goes further than it's application to
rates. What about the matter of It's
finances? What about the matter Of
the refunding of lis debts, or the is
sue of stocks and bonds? If water
district is free to do whatsoever Il
pleases without supervision they may
by their improper acts or their Had
vised acts in that behalf, they might
make it absolutely necessary to i'm
pose upon their constituents, so that
when We come to consider the entire
scope of the bill and when ii comes
to matter of accidents or injuries
there is the same reason for making
them subject to the control of the
commission as other corporations
Mr.. PLUMBER: Mr.. Chairman, in
reply TO the gentleman from South Port
land, Mr. Sanborn, ] will say that oy
striking out the words 'or water dis
trict," it eliminates Chat part of the OBJ
lection that he has made, if | correctly
understood him
The question being on the adoption of
the amendment by striking out in the
fifth line the words "or water district
and inserting in place thereof the words
supplying water within it's own limits. E"
Mr.. Bass of Wilton seconded the mo-
ton.
Mr.. PLUMMER: Now. Mr.. Chairman.
as l stated before. by striking out the
words or water distrist," leaving only
the municipality or village corporation,
and substituting the words as have,
supplying water within it's own limits, =
that leaves the rates or the general aa-
mlnlstration of the property within the
control of the Inhabitants. that is, of
the people who are interested therein
That is to say, If my town-and no doubt
any other town where they elect wa
ter commissioner each year-in the cleo
ton of those water commissioners we
have the same control as the State at
large would have in the election of a
public utilities commission. | am con-
WINGED that the people OF my town are
Just as competent TO elect men to run
their water business and to establish
rates as the people of the State are COM
petent to elect men TO run tie business
and the water business of the town of
Lisbon, and to establish rates.
As to the comparison made by the
gentleman from South Portland, Mr..
Sanborn, that the State assessors had
jurisdiction over towns in the assess
ment of property, as | understand it,
that relates only to the assessments
so far as the State taxes are concerned.
Well. they might possibly have some
jurisdiction in the matter of the rail-
road valuation, at the same time they
do not, / think, have jurisdiction as
to the valuation of the property as
whole, SO far as it relates to the as
sessment of municipal taxes. 1t seems
to me it is perfectly reasonable to
leave to each town and to each village
corporation which supplies water only
within its own limits. the power to run
its business to suit itself
The CHAIRMAN: 1t is moved and
seconded that Amendment .eE" be
amended by striking out the words "or
water district" in the fifth line, and
inserting in place thereof the words
supplying water within its own linn
It's. The question is on the accent
ance or the rejection of this proposed
to House Amendment "E."
A viva voce vote being taken,
The motion was lost, and the amend
ment to amendment "E'' was rejected.
Mr.. SANBORN: Now. Mr. Chairman,
If it is in order | will move that we
reject Amendment e
viva voce vote being taken,
The motion prevailed, and Amend
ment e. was rejected
The CHAIRMAN: The next matter
which the Chair will lay before the
committee is the consideration of
Amendment "F. being House Docu-
ment No. 565.
Mr.. SANBORN of South Portland:
Mr.. Chairman, this amendment os of
the same nature. applying to the 99th
line of Section 8. which defines cleo
trical companies; and the purpose of
this amendment is to exclude from
electrical companies as public utilities
any electrical company owned or oper-
ated by any municipality. village cor
or lighting district. The COM
mittee considered this amendment in
the same light as the former one, and
it is our belief that it would be neces-
cary TO make an exception and for
the same reason absolutely and on the
"a me ground as outlined in the matter
of the other amendment: and fortha
reason | move the rejection of House
IF"
viva yoce vote being taken,
The motion was agreed to, and
f. was rejected.
The CHAIRMAN: The Chair will
next lay before the committee Amend
ment j." being House Document
No. 500.
Mr. SANBORN of South Portland
Mr.. Chairman. this Is still another
of the same sort, and to
make the act uniform this also should
be rejected. This is applied in the
paragraph defining water companies,
in line 1877. The amendment would eX-
clude municipalities and water dis
tricts. The committee recommends and
l move that we reject Amendment j."
Mr.. EATON of oxford: Mr.. Chair
man, | would like to say that the OBJ
ject of this amendment is to except
municipalities. | understand that
there are a great many municipalities
in the State of Maine, today, which