Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-26
CONFERENCE ON
PENSION FUNDS
Continued from First Pass)

| tanning many old volunteers, widows
and orphans, and would take away
from the pension fund the $4,000 now
| received as their ! per cent. of the
revenue from the State banking and
insurance department.
1.-THE law of 1902 stipulates seven
sources from which revenue shall be
derived. A radical change in the law
such as is now proposed would jeop-
| ardize the chief avenue of income.
namely. the insurance tax, and would
be detrimental to the operation of the
| law of 1908. which amends the act of
| 1902 and gives to the fire department
| pension fund license fees from thea
| tres, places known as nickeldromes,
nicklettes, moving picture shows,
amusement parlors, circuses, exhibit
tons and places of public amusement.
There is being paid out as pen
sions to seventy beneficiaries $4,000
monthly, or $4,000 per annum.
Had the various municipal PEN
sion acts continued in full force
since 1902. 1t would mead an
out and out expense to the city
of $4,000 annually. taking latest
figures, in addition to the $4.025 now
being paid pensioners who are bene-
ficiaries of city appropriations. With
the death of a pensioner under a
municipal act. the pension in such
case ceases.
1.-THE f1remen's pension fund as
sets invested in securities are at date
$123 900. The fund is In a fourishing
condition, and properly managed by
an able board of trustees, increasing |
each year the amount by $4,000 over
expenses.
I'VE, as officers and members of
the various fire department organiZa-
lions. from the head to the lowest |
grade man, ask your due considera- /
ton in avoiding any legislation which |
affects the fund in any way"
Would Hit Relief Fund.
Following the reading of the COM
munication Robert Bender, of Engine
Company No. l, chairman of the fire
mems committee and trustee of the
Paid Firemen's Pension Fund, de-
clared that if the firemen's pension
fund were consolidated with the
others it would place the firemen's
relief fund in a destitute condition.
Patrolman Thiele, speaking for the
police, said that the problem of the
pension fund had always been veXa-
tious one. The police fund would be
depleted within a few years if some
thing were not done, and for that
reason thee ommittee appointed by
the police favored the amalgamation
of the three funds. he said.
DIR. j. T. Wrightson, speaking for
the Board of Health, declared he be-
lieved in Capitalization of power and
that the fund should be handled by
the city in one central body. Health
Inspector Andrew j. Brady, represent
ing the employees of the Board of
Health, spoke in favor of the CONSOLE
dation of the three funds.
1t was at this juncture that Patrol
man Thiele offered his motion to have
the mayor appoint q committee to
investigate the three funds, and Mr..
Bender at first moved to oppose it on
the ground that the widows and or
phans would suffer.
No Recommendations.
When it was explained. however,
that the committee was merely to in
vestigate the claims and opinions of
all three departments and make GER
tain recommendations to the confer
ence Deputy Chief Engineer Matthew
p. A. McDermitt declared there was
no reason why the motion should be
opposed and the mayor accordingly |
appointed the committee.
There had been some lively cross
firing before it was agreed that the
motion that Mayor Haussling should
appoint a committee of five to inves-
tigate the situation and report back
to the conference could do no harm.
Fireman Bender had supplemented |
the statements contained in the writ
ten communication to the conference,
when Wilson J. Vance, secretary to
the mayor asked:
Gould there be any objection to the
city taking over the funds into one
general fund and providing for the
widows and orphans and other PEN
sioners that you have mentioned?"
Il think there would be objection"
replied Bender.
AT this point Chief Engineer Moore Il
arose and remarked: II
I'm answer to the question of Mr..
Vance, / will ask him If he means
that the city of Newark can take care Il
of eighty-six widows. ten orphans and
thirty-three male adults who are now
on the Firemen's Relief Pension
Fund.-"
Mr.. Vance said that that was ex-
actIy what he meant.
Then let me tell you the city can
not lawfully do anything of the
kind" replied Chief Moore.
Not City Employees.
"These persons are not city en-
ployees nor are they charges upon
the city. They are charges of the
firemen, and we are morally obligated
to look after their welfare. They
constitute a heritage left to US by
law and moral obligation, and we
will live up to that moral obligation
to the very end. We will take care
of them and of the funds left to us
wherewith We can take care Of
them"
Suppose" asked DR.. Wrightson.1
that the attorneys general of the
State should say a legislative bill |
covering this question was constitu- |
tional, wouldn't that settle it?'
mo, it wouldn't" chimed in |
Deputy Chief McDermitt. 1.-THE at |
opinion doesn't settle
the constitutionality of a Legislative