Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-21

The widows pension law, which
went into effect on July last, is In
danger of being legislated out of ex-
istonce by the present Legislature, a
bill having that for purpose having
been introduced by Assemblyman
Gates, of Camden county. other bills
looking to amendment of the law as
II stands at present are also before
the Legislature. So far there seems
to be a disposition on the part of
the lawmakers to let things drift as
they are.
While no concerted action has been
taken to repeal the law, 1t is known
that the legislators of many counties
are In favor of such a movement, and
It "a for that reason that steps look
ing toward the amendment of the
present law are being taken cau-
tiously.
Unless the present law is amended
in several vital points. il might just
as we'll be legislated out of existence,
as It is practically useless as 1t
/ stands. Assembly bill No. 551, intro
duced by Assemblyman Barradale,
Republican member from Essex coun-
| ty, stands for the changes that are
necessary in the bill before the coun-
| ty Judges and other Essex county
authorities who have to do with the
administration of matters under the
law will go ahead with the granting
of pensions.
The bill as it stands at present
calls for the payment of SO a month
! "a f,f ais
teen years. If there are two such
children the payment shall be $l4 q
month, while for each additional child
81 a month is allowed. The amount
of these payments is arbitrary, and
the Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas before whom application for a
pension Is made can allow no other
amount than the one specified in the
| law in the event of the application
being granted.
The Barradale amendment gives to
the Judges in each instance discre-
tionary power to specify the amount
of pension to be allowed. subject, of
course. to the maximum provided by
law. A number of cases have been
discovered in this county where It
was not necessary for the support of
the dependent children that the full
amount of pension be allowed.
But under the law as at present
constituted not less than the full
amount can be paid, and as a result
numerous pensions have been held UP
awaiting an amendment to the law.
The Barradale amendment also pro-
vides for giving Juvenile Judges in
first class counties concurrent juris-
dictlon with the Court of Common
Pleas in the hearing of widows PEN
sion matters. In this county this
would result in Juvenile Judge Pat
rick ]. Dolan being given the right
to sit In cases where widows PEN
sions were involved, and thereby re-
lieve the Common Pleas court of some
of the work that is now piled on It,
The more sunshine there is out
doors the more umbrellas there are
opened and apparently spread out to
| dry on top of desks In the inside room
of the county clerks Office occupied
by the girl clerks. This is especially
| true In the afternoons, and even II
there has been no rain for a week
and consequent umbrellas to dry, the
rain-sticks are In evidence just the
same.
Here is the reason: The large win
dow in the room faces the southwest
and the afternoon sun pours In full
force Tho Board of Freeholders dc
not think an awning Is needed &c
protect the girls In the winter time
so Miss Alma Thompson, Miss Moiiie
KredeI, Miss Violet Hanchern and the
other girls employed there hays