New Britain herald., 1915-04-17

1 proposed park land had been pur- chased and the bond money eXpend- ed. As a matter of fact all the money
 that has been expended for parks is
 what has been paid for the kilbouru tract approximately $22,000, the bal
 ance of the $50,0OO bond issue being
 on deposit in the bank. The bonds l sold for d little above par so that
 the city has now about $29,0OO. MT. Parker in speaking about the matter
 since said that in his opinion the amount paid for the north end park i was too large and further explained that what he meant when he replied to Corporation Counsel Cooper in the council meeting was that the $5O,OO0 would be all spent when the city pur chased all the park land it had in mlnd. MT. Parker is strongly in IaFor o1 parks, but his ideas are not
 Tn accord with those favoring a cer- tam tract of land in the southern part Of the city. He would prefer to have smaller parcels chosen in other parts of the city. There has
 been some discussion over the pur-
 chase of the proposed parcel of land
 in the south part of New Britain and
 for some reason nothing definite is
 being done about the matter The
 deal will possibly be closed in ac-
 cordance with the terms at first talked
 of, but just when no one seems to
 know. The whole matter has been
 the subject of more or less discus
 sion, especially at the city meeting
 when the purchase was being author 1zed. That gathering was strongly in
 favor of the extension of the park system then outlined and the I ri lnt, llnra T
 City Treasurer Chamberlain re- ceived a check yesterday for $1O,600 from the state for the tax on bank and insurance stock. There was a time when these stocks were taxed locally, but the law, under which it was done, was unsatisfactory and a change was made and the tax was paid to the state and the latter re- turns the money to the towns in
 which the stocks are held. It is estimated that Hartford receives some $600,000 a year from this source. The amount received by this city yester- day does not in any way relieve the situation by which the police and fire men were unable to obtain their sal aries this week. The same thing
 occurs every year at this time for the reason that the fiscal year ends on March 31 and the appropria tions are not made until the third Tues
 day in April. This time is fixed by ordinance and it was never satisfac-
 tory explained why the meeting is not held earlier so that the salaries
 can be paid without delay. The change can be made by the common council and at one time it was pro- posed to make a change in the date but somehow it was never done. The meeting will be held next Tuesday evening after which the appropria- tions will be available. There is considerable talk going on about this meeting and the sentiment seems to be quite general that an effort will be made to have the amount of the appropriation made by the board of finance and taxation for the New Britain Institute restored to the budget. The common council cut off $3,000 of the sum and this has so crippled the Institute that there is a feeling that the sum should be allowed the institution. It can be done at the city meeting if the ma jority is in favor of it. There is some reason to believe that the de- bate will be a good one, that is if there is any disposition to discuss the matter from the standpoint of oppo- stion to the Institute. A motion 1 to restore the full amount of the ap- propration to the budget will be sup ported by a sound and sensible ar gument. It is just as well that this ! matter should be thoroughly aired at city meeting for the reason that the relationship of the Institute to the city should be fully understood l and perhaps in future years there 1 will he no doubt as to what it's needs 1 are and what the city should do for l it.