The Penn's Grove record., 1914-02-27

new HOUSE RULE
WILL RUSH WORK
Bill Repeating HiIIery Tax Act
Among Those Ready forPassage
BAR AGAINST HOME RULE
Governor Fielder Says Law Hampers
Governor Fielder Says Law Hampers
Municipalities SO That It Was Nee
essary to Increase Tax Rate
is Obnoxious in Principle.

Especial Trenton Correspondence
Trenton.-By adopting the new sew
en-day rule the House of Assembly
made it possible to take up for final
action a half-dozen or so important
bills reported and given a second read
ing. Had the ten-day rule not been
changed all these measures would
have had to remain on the calendar.
The rule now provides that only seven
days must elapse between the second
reading and the final consideration of
measures. One of these bills which
may be taken up for final considera-
ton in the Assembly is Senate No. 8,
by Mr.. Rathbun of Morris County, re-
pealing the Hillery maximum tax rate
act. This was reported and
given a second reading and is expect
ed to pass in the Assembly. AS Gov
sage, recommended the repeal of the
Hillery act, it may be taken for grant
ed that he will sign the Rathbun bill,
thus wiping off the statute books the
law which, since 1906, has stood a
bar against home rule in tax rate mat
tiers, and of which the Governor said:
"This law has so hampered municipali-
ties that it was found necessary first
to raise the maximum rate and later,
under certain conditions, to permit an
increase above this rate, and the
act only partially accomplishes this
design, and is obnoxious in principle"
Advance Other Bills.
Among the other bills reported and
advanced to third reading in the AS
sembly were the following:
Assembly 103, by Mr.. Carrow, per-
hitting the appointment by district
boards Of election of two persons as
challengers at any election for the
adoption of the Walsh Commission
Government act. The bill provides
that besides the two challengers APP
pointed by the election board, If any
legal board applies to the judge of the
Court of Common Pleas, such Judge
may appoint two additional challen-
gers.
Assembly $50, by Mr.. Fiske, provid-
ing for the more prompt publication
of the laws of the state. 1t provides
that the printed sheets containing the
shell be delivered within ten
days after the approval of those laws
by the Governor. During the last two
or three years it has been many months
before some of the printed laws have
been delivered.
Assembly 271, by Mr.. Brackner, re-
pealing the act of 1909 exempting
county property from taxation. The
repealed by this bill is Chapter
277 of the Laws of 1909, and provides
that any county buildings and the land
on which they are situated, rot exceed
ing SO acres in any one tax district,
shall be exempt from taxation. The
passage of this act removed from the
taxable ratables of every county seat
In the state the valuation of the coun-
ty lands and buildings up to the fifty
acres in extent. If the Brackner bill
shall become a law, therefore, each
county seat will regain these taxable
ratables and each county will be com
PEELED to pay taxes upon its real es-
the same as individual property
holders.
Assembly 274, by Mr.. Curran, pro-
that the compensation of mem
bers of election boards shall be paid
by the proper county officer not later
than the third Tuesday after election.
Six Bills Passed.
The bill by Assemblyman Leonard,
Of Union County, requiring all rail
road companies operating in this state
pay their employees in cash in
stead of cheeks, was passed by the AS
sembly yesterday. The House also
these bills:
Mr.. Bredenbek, regulating the pay
police officers and patrolmen in
.second-class cities.
Mr.. Curran, regulating the pay of
officers and employees of fully paid
and partly paid fire departments in
Mr.. Byrne, amending the fish and
game act relative to the catching of
cells, catfish and carp.
Mr.. Rowe, exempting from taxation
all ecclesiastical, educational and
charitable buildings during the erec-
ton thereof, and the lands on which
they are situated, not exceeding five
acres in extent for each.
Mr.. Bredenbek, providing that
when any county is obliged to issue
bonds in anticipation of county taxes,
the interest on the bonds so issued
must be paid by such municipality.
The Assembly defeated the bill by
Mr. WinQug nj M1nro,x+h H.-~x