New Britain herald., 1915-01-13


 the present health regulations in the 1 charter. The amendment was re- committed to the corporation counsel.
 Reducing Size of Council.
 The proposal to reduce the size of l the common council evoked consider | able discussion. Clerk Prior read the letter printed in yesterdays Herald in which Councilman Henry G. Voght expressed his views on the subject. MT. Voight did not oppose a reduc- | tion of the council but he believed the councilmen should be paid if | such a plan were adopted
 Kehoe Wants Ten Members.
 To bring the matter to a head MT. | kehOe made a motion that the coun- cii be reduced to ten. the members to be elected according to proportional representation, or the voting strength of each party.
 MT. Humphrey opposed the plan on the ground that it would permit of the election of an entire council from 1 one street. He could not see a single advantage to the scheme. | MT. KehOe said it had one advan- 1 tage-it would give all the citizens an 1 opportunity to sit in the council and would give all parties representation.
 MT. Humphrey said that ten years 1 experience showed him that politics played no part in the acts of the council. MT. Christ said he believed an effort had been made to eliminate l politics in the council. MT. Kehoe replied that politics was l there for those who had eyes to see | He said no improvements had been made in his ward except through <~< H. .1.V IL. influence of ward representatives. Clerk Prior expressed the opinion that the abolition of ward lines had a poor chance of being passed but it was his experience that men elected , at large were just as solicitous for the welfare of all districts as would be ward representatives.
 MT. Humphrey said Mr. Prior was talking of commission forms of gov ernment and said it was never a suc- cess. MT. Prior said it never failed to be a success.
 MT. Humphrey said commission government. is joke and just like prohibition in Iowa, where there is a great deal of drunkenness.
 Humphrey Wants Eighteen Members. MT. Humphrey offered an amend ment to MT. Kenoe's motion, that an alderman and two cOuncilmen be elected from each ward. MT. Christ offered an amendment to that, that the same ward represen- tation as at present prevail.
 Mayor Quigley ruled this out of order
 MT. Prior wanted to know why it was necessary to have aldermen, and MT. Christ said certain matters are referred to the mayor and aldermen.
 MT. Christ appealed from the rul- ing of the mayor that his amendment to the amendment was out of order, but he lost out on vote of the com mittee.
 No Need Of Change-Teich.
 Councilman Teich did not see any advantage in reducing the council, and he made a motion to postpone action indefinitely. Judge Gaffney supported him on the ground that reduction would be too radical to pass at such short notice
 Mayor Quigley said he did not be- lieve the members understood MT. Kehoe's proposition and he favored sending a typewriter copy of it to each of the committee for mental di- gestion.
 
 pone action was passed.
 Mr. Humphrey reported progress for the committee handling the prop osition to eliminate the two-district taxing plan.
 Abolishing Board Of Relief. Regarding the abolition of the board of relief MT. Humphrey said he could not see the need of the board which Knocks down in nine days what the assessors build up in months
 Judge Gaffney took exception to the term Knocking down.
 Mr. Kehoe suggested that the board of relief be composed of two mem bers, that 1t hear appeals with the assessors and that a majority of the joint boards be necessary to get a re- duction in an assessment. Mr. Christ said the board of relief should investigate all petitions for re- auctions, but MT. Humphrey said an assessor told him that he had never been asked the reason for making as sessments by the board of relief MT. Johnson suggested that the mayor and aldermen, constitute the I board of relief.
 Judge Gaffney said that judges of superior court are continually passing Judgment on values of real estate | that they never see or ever will see.
 Humphrey Raps Judicial System.
 Then some of the judicial system of this country is a joke," remarked MT. Humphrey.
 Councilman Paonessa made mo- tion that the board of relief be abol- that the dItieS of that