The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-19
PUBLIC SERVICE
BOARD INQUIRY
BEGINS FRIDAY
Joint Legislative Committee
Must Report Before
February ID.
REMOVAL OF THREE
MEMBERS EXPECTED

Ar,%v Ian lS-An INVESTIGATION or
.,,t, publtc service Commissions will be
,.,r,sd on Friday and concluded 80 that
, report can be made to the Legislature
before February 10.
90, whitman was responsible for the
,,.r,duction In the state Senate tonight
r, senator Elou II. Brown, majority
leader. of q resolution providing Tor
io.rt legislative investigating committee
~ four senators and five Assemblymen'
Senator GEORGE +. Thompson of Niagara
county will be chairman. lie is the
chairman Of the new public Service Com
p,ttee created this year in the Senate.
While the committee is authorized TO
.npIoy counsel and an appropriation OF
but IS 900 is made for its expenses, II
vas said tonight that counsel would
hs unnecessary as number OF good
LAWYERS will he members of the com
m'ttee.
II il predicted that the committee will
report in favor of retaining the two COM
missions and the general plan Of the
public service commissions law as
MANNED by ex-Gov Hughes when he was
Governor, but that sufficient evidence Will
b, reported by the committee to warrant
the Governor in removing three or four
OF the present Democratic members OF
each commission.
Under the law Gov. Whitman may
serve charges upon a Public Service Com
missioner. give him ten days to answer,
followed by a public hearing and then
file with the Secretary of state the rea-
cons why he is removed from office.
Incompetency and neglect OF duty are
two reasons mentioned in the law Is suf-
freut excuse for Diminishing a Public Ser
vice Commissioner. The Governor Is the
tole Judge OF the question NJ whether or
not A Commissioner has done his duty
The Senate has no hand In the removal
Of a Commissioner, although 1t has to APP
prove Of appointments to the commission
as made by the Governor.
This resolution was offered at the re-
Quest of the Governor for the purpose OF
inquiring into what changes, II any. are
needed in the organization OF the Public
Service Commissions of the State and to
see II any legislation Is needed regardinH
the administration of the public service
commissions law" said Senator Brown
after introducing the resolution.
We expect to get the inquiry golnR
Immediately. The Finance Committee vii
report he resolution as soon as possible
when the investigating committee viii
set 10 work and have a report ready be
fore February Is"
Senator Brown was asked II the com
nittee had any information on which &c
start work and he replied that he thought
recent events i'm the subway in New YORK
city would be one OF the matters looked
into.
The committee also will consider
whether IL would do to reorganize the two
commit sslons into a single board and
whether any changes should be made N
the present commissions. My mind Is
not made up on the subject, 81 | feel We
should have more information"
Senator Browns resolution will take
the place OF that offered last week by
Senator William NJ. Bennett of Manhat
tan an Independent, This also IL In th'
hands OF the Finance Committee
The resolution authorizes the commit
te to sit anywhere in the State, to sub
pmna and compel the attendance OF wit
nosses, Including public officers and EN-
poyses and to require the production Of
books and papers. including any public
record or document pertaining to thu
subject OF the investigation, to take ant
hear proofs and testimony and have al
the powers OF a legislative committee a,
provided by the legislative law. includ
ing the adoption of rules for the conduc
Of its proceedings.