The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-04-28
Still Unsettled.

town were called in special meeting +
consider proposition presented to then
by the township committee. One of tn
companies attended strictly to the bust
ness they were asked to transact, tn
other three took up subject entirely
foreign to what the township COMMITTEES
wanted talked over. 1t will be necessary
to go over past history little. At tht
annual meeting of the fire department il
was decided to ask the township com
mittee to divide the appropriation o.
So, 900 for the fire companies as follows
Relief, $3.50; Good Intent, $3.50; Union
500; America, 5000. Before the com.
mittee could act there was protest en-
tered and a new adjustment was asked
Not being able to reach a conclusion the
committee asked the companies to ap-
point committees to confer on the sub
ject. Relief and Good Intent adopted
resolutions to the effect that the division
i suggested having been the act of the en-
tire department it was not the privilege
or right of any company or individual
to make change.
Then the township committee took
another tack. Looking up the law they
decided to act under the statutes of 1910
which gives them the privilege of con-
tracing with fire companies to do fire
duty and to pay all expenses without
making specific divisions. This did not
set well with some of the members of the
fire companies and plans were proposed
whereby the division might be made
without letting the township committee
have the control of the funds. The lat
ter sent a communication to each COM
pany asking that special meeting be
held and that contracts be entered into.
1t was distinctly expressed that the
township committee did not propose to
interfere with the management of any
company or the department., but that
the new arrangement would allow of a
distribution of funds in accordance with
the actual needs of the companies and
instead of the latter being worried how
to raise the ways and means, the town.
ship committee would see that all actual
expenses would be paid.
This did not seem to suit and the chief
engineer formulated a plan which he
thought would solve the whole question
and produce harmony. He suggested
that the Relief be allowed the $3.50
agreed upon by the department. Good
Intent, he suggested, have 800 Topped
off it's share, and this sum be
divided between Union ard America
AT the meetings last evening Relief un-
animously agreed to accede to the re-
quest of the township committee, the
other companies adopted the plan of
the chief engineer.
BY this division Relief would get $3.50;
Good Intent, $3.50; America, $3.50, and
Union $3.50, and be on an equality with
one engine company. To recall the action
of the annual meeting it may be stated
that there was much discussion about
the needs of an engine company, this
being greater than those of hose COM
pany and it was on this basis that the
first division was proposed. Now, if the
action of last evening is ratified by the
township committee, one engine COM
pany will get $3.50 and another engine
will get $3.50, having generous
ly given up 800 of its share. The latter
gets $25 per year for having an
election held in it's house, SO its receipts
from the township will be $775. One
hose company will get $3.50, plus $85
from the township for rents, and this
will give it $735 or within $40 of what the
steamer company demands. The other
hose company, which has chemical
engine to maintain, will get $3.50, plus
$25 for rentals, $775 in all.
The peculiar part of the transaction is
that this last idea of division was worked
by the chief engineer whose COM
pany had adopted a resolution that
it was not the right of any COM
pany to change the action of the
fire department, yet here is an entire
overthrow of the work of the depart
ment, made by the official whose duty
it is to see that the rules and regulations
of the department are strictly observed
and who would be the first to complain
if his orders were not obeyed.
But the matter has not yet been
settled. The whole thing rests with the
township committee. After having tried
to get the companies to come to some
agreement and failing, the
then decided to go according
to law. 1t is generally conceded that
there has not been the adherence to the
law in this matter that there should
have been and there are many who
think the money for fire companies has
not been legally expended, but because
of the worthiness of the object there has
not been objection. The township COM
mittee adopted a resolution to act under
the law of 1910. 1t asked the fire COM
panies to enter into contract. One of
the latter complied with the request, the
other three declined. What will the
committee do now? Will the dog wag
the tail, or will the tail wag the dog?
Will the township committee, with the
law back of it, recede from the position
it has taken and ignore the statute?