Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-18
| CAN'T DRAW NEW CHARTER,
SAYS GILBERT POLLOCK
Time Too Short to Take Care OF
Preliminaries Before Legis-
lature Meets.
CHARTER REFoRMERs MEET
Committee Fails to Muster Quorum
Large Enough for Serious Activity,
and Votes to Postpone Active Work
Until August 27.

IN advocating the motion Of Coun-
climan L. Gray Haddon that the next
meeting Of the Council Committee ON
charter changes be postponed until SEN
TEN per Is, or to some date when cooler
weather may DO expected and the yacn
tion season is finished, Councilman GIL
pert X. Pollock said last night that IL
would be practically Impossible for an
ehtlrely now charter to be prepared and
sent TO the General Assembly by Janu-
airy IT, when II convenes for tho 1916
session.
we may proceed on amendment,
mat may be suggested" said Mr.. Pol
lock. but If we consider all tho chan
heis through which proposed new
charter must travel before II arrives M
IT'S consunmation we must realize tho
fact that we havo not the time neccs
SarE In which to forward such n move
ment"
NEXT MEETING FINED
FOR AUGUST ~
Following argument as to the advis-
aplilty OF lengthy postponement Mr.
fiaddon withdrew his motion that tho
next meeting be held in the middle OF
september. and n previous motion by
MIR. Pollock that the subsequent meet
ing shall be held at the call of tho
chairman prevailed. Chairman Carter
{. Jones. patron Of the ordinance ere
ating the committee set Friday. August
-, as the date when the body shall
meet again.
Assistant City Attorney George
wayne Anderson agreed that it would
ne lengthy labor to establish. recon-
mend and have adopted by the City
council principles on which a new char
ter could be founded. and urged for i'm
mediate action. His argument helped
In pcrsuading the committee to vote for
date earlier than that previously ad-
vocated.
Z. V. Meredith. member of tho citi-
Zens advisory committee. moved and
had adopted without dissenting vote
resolution asking the City Attorney to
render an opinion as to the powers con-
ferred by the constitutional amendment
allowing cities to adopt new charters
and ms to how they may be construed
In regard to charter amendments As
sistant City Attorney Anderson said
that no would be able to report on tho
resolution by the next meeting.
POLICE BOARD ABOLITION
LAID on THE TABLE
Chairman Jones presented paper
from the Council Police Investigating
Committee recommending tho abolition
Of the Board of Police Comm ssioncrs
and the appointment OF a single com
missioner and the establishment Of
night courts for the hearing Of charges
OF minor offense. 1t was laid on the
table after a motion By Mr.. Meredith
that II be copied and distributed among
the members of the committee had been
adopted.
Frank w. Duke, vice president of
the Civic Association of Richmond,
made short talk in regard to the pur-
poses OF the organization. He said that
the association was founded and built
upon the theory that tho people are
Indifferent to the form of governmen
and that II was the idea of the associa
tion to give the people tho stimulus of
understanding and a proper desire for
improved municipal government so far
as improvement may be desired and be
gained. The Civic Association has a
committee of five appointed to study
other forms of municipal government,
and suggestions made by this commit
tee are to be aired before and be ap-
proved by the association as n whole.
He said that the association now has
800 members.
VACATION SEASON
CUTS DOWN ATTENDANCE
Because of the lack of working
quorum definite action was not entered
upon, 1t being the sense OF those pres
cnt including the chairman, that IT is
desirable that larger majority be had
before the committee enters seriously
upon it's work. Several members were
absent because they are out OF town or
engaged in the activities Of Better Ac-
qunintance Week"
Those present were Chairman Jones.
G. X. Pollock. r. Lee Peters. Clyde H.
Ratcliffe, OF the City Council. and C. ".
Meredith and Leon Wallerstein, OF the
citizens advisory committee.
Negro Stabbed in Back.
Hatcher Ford. colOred of 1i2 North