Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-03
STATE HOUSE
Fourth Annual Conference of
New England Tax Officials at
10 A. NJ, Today in Senate
Chamber
MAINE SCHOOLS
Important Notice on Transpor-
tation Rates Isued by Public
Utilities Commission - State
House Chat

Next meeting of the Governor and
Council, 10 A. M, Wednesday,
Dec. IS.
The fourth annual conference OF
New England Tax Officials will open
at 10 o'clock this morning in the Sen
ate Chamber and as the meetings are
open to all interested, a large attend
ance is expected. The officials of the
association have prepared a program
which is both interesting and instruct
I've and excellent speakers have been
secured to address the sessions
which will extend through Friday.
The principal part of the pro-
gram will be a discussion of the pro-
posed statute in Maine providing for
the classification of property for the
purpose of taxation in accordance
with the Seth amendment to the con-
stitution of Maine, which was adopted
in September, 1913. A study of this
question will have great interest for
every New England State since in each
of the states there is a partial practice
or movement towards classification
of property for the purpose of taxation
in one form or another.
Governor William T. Haines will de-
liver the Address of Welcome at the
session this morning. The other speak
ers in the State and their subjects for
today are: Possible Legislation Re-
garding Classification of Intangible
Personal Property" Clement F. Robin
son of Portland, formerly secretary of
the special tax commission; Taxation
OF Interest Bearing Deposits in Ma
tional Banks William ]. Thompson
of South China, formerly a member of
the board of State Assessors; Taxa
ton of Automobiles" Charles +. Sweet
of Bangor; chairman of the assessors
Of the city of Bangor: and THE Gen
eral Situation in Maine Regarding
Taxation" George Pottle of Lewiston,
formerly chairman of the board of
State assessors
The Economic Club of Portland held
a dinner in Portland Wednesday even
ing at which there was a discussion
of classification ON Intangible Prop
erty for Taxation with Special Refer
ence to the 36th Amendment to the
Constitution of Maine" number Of
guests from outside of the State were
present and 1t is expected that all the
delegates who were at the dinner will
attend the sessions of the conference.
The officers of the New England Tax
Officials are: President, Hon. Zenas
w. Bliss, chairman of the board of Tax
commissioners of Rhode Island; vice
president, Hon. Bertrand G. McIntire.
chairman of the board of State AS
SCISSORS of Maine; secretary, Hon
Charles A. Andrews, deputy tax com
missioner for Massachusetts; executive
COMMUNICATION. Zenas w. Bliss, Hon
Bertrand G. MeIntire, Hon. William III
Corbin, tax commissioner of Connec-
tieut; Hon. Charles A. Piumley, tax
commissioner of Vermont, and Hon.
Albert o. Brown, tax commissioner Of
New Hampshire.
Reduced transportation to be Con-
sidered.
The Commissioners of Public Utili-
ties Wednesday made the following
statement:
This commission has received nu-
merous inquiries from charitable in
situations and from various indiyid-
uals with reference to free or reduced
transportation of the officials of such
institutions and persons employed by
them in carrying on of their work;
and while the commission has not
taken the matter under investigation,
and in fact does not consider that it
Is authorized under the present cir
cumstances to do so, we do desire to
call attention to the matter in order
that it may be more definitely under
stood, and that the various Public
Utilities may investigate and see what
course it is proper for them to pursue.
Section 80 of Chapter 129 of the
Laws of 1913, making it unlawful to
give certain free or reduced transport
tation, further provides as follows
Provided that this act shall not pro-
hibit such free reduced rate transpor-
tation by common carriers as is de-
fined and provided for in the Acts of
Congress entitled IAN Act to regulate
commerce and acts amendatory there
Of; nor shall it be construed to prohibit
any public utility from granting SER
vice at reduced rates for charitable
and benevolent purposes, provided the
same be approved by the commission.
The act to regulate commerce pro-
vides that nothing in this Act shall
be considered to prohibit any common
carrier from giving reduced rates to
ministers of religion, or to municipal
governments for the transportation
of INDECENT persons, or to inmates of
the National or State Homes for Dis
abled Volunteer Soldiers, and of SOL
diers OF sailors of Orphan Homes, or
for charitable purposes, or the free
carriage of destitute or homeless per-
sons transported by charitable asso-
Citations and the necessary agents en-
ployed in such transportation 1t will
be seen that it is up to the railroads
to determine in the first instance what
reduced rates for benevolent purposes
1t will offer to the public; and having
so decided, present the result of that
decision to this Commission for APP
prevail. We. therefore, suggest, that
the various railroads and the various
charitable institutions work out some
plan for such reduced transportation,
and then suhmit If tn tha COumiSsiop