Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-01

aa spectators, the &pprcprdattoM or 9eGo for the 1se of the United Charl- whelning viva Toce vote, after the opponents of the measure he'd held up the matter for an hour and a half on a motion to take no action.
 The motion passed was that the town vote an appropriation of sss0 to nation for the purpose of tnvestigat- ing the needs of the outside poor, and furnishing them with necessary aid and that the amount be paid in month treasurer on orders Issued by the se- lectmen, payable to the treasurer of the organization. Hon. Guilford Smith was the father of the resolution which was adopted.
 Town Clerk Frank P. Fenton called the meeting to order at s.05, and called for nominations for moderator. On motion of C. F. Risedorf, Henry T. Burr was chosen. MT. Fenton then read the warning for the meeting and John c. Barstow immediately moved that no action be taken on the first clause, which was the one in regard to the appropriation.
 M. Eugene Lincoln. president of the United Charities association, requested the mover and seconder to withdraw large number there, the question should be discussed on it's merits. but MT. Barstow and his seconder refused and the matter was debated on the motion to take no action.
 MT. Lincoln, in opposition to the mo- tion, went into the history of the or ganization, stating that it started a year ago with the purpose of acting as a clearing house for the charitable work of the town. He told of the visit paid by the committee to New Haven. and their discovery that paid worker d and after some search for the proper person, Miss Austin was found.
 There was no question of the legal ity of the vote, said MT. Lincoln. other organizations, such as St. Joseph's hos pital, which were private institutions, received town aid in the same manner and it was perfectly proper, so long as a consideration was given for the money. He then went through the &C., tivities of the association, speaking of the milk station, to which 16s babies were brought. and 173 visited by the nurse, with the result that the infant mortality last summer was reduced owed one-half from the year previous.
 A year ago, he said, 2S families were supported by the town, and now but s. He then compared the figures for the past few years, showing that un- der the present system the town was saving money and told in detail o1 other of the association's activities and enumerated some of the specific instances where good had resulted. He said we must have one of three sys- tems, either the old way of letting the | selectmen do the work, or a charity commissioner, or the present way, the l last of which, he thought, cost tho town less and did more good. Under present conditions, the selectmen have enough to do, and cannot properly in l vestigate the conditions of the needy | families, or whom there were PA wis | ited last year.
 | Attorney P. J. Danahey arose to op, | pose the motion, saying he wished tt | speak from the legal viewpoint, anC claimed that the appropriation was ab solutely illegal. He quoted several de 1 cisions of the supreme court of Con necticut which he said sustained hin in this view. The town had no lega | If the work was taken from the select men, they had little left to do. H | claimed MT. Lincoln's figures were no | of value, as last year was very differ ent from the year preceding, when tn mills were on short time, and one o
 them was not running at ali for
 long period. He also went througl
 the expenses of the organization, stat
 ing that but little went to the poor | out of all that was spent. If we ar
 going to have organized charity. b
 said, let's do it legally and have
 charity commissioner.
 M. B. Lincoln rose to correct som
 of the last speakers statements in re
 gard to figures and facts.
 Town Counsel William A. King re
 piled to MT. Danahey's statement tha the vote would not be legal. by stat
 ing that lawyers might differ, and i
 this case he disagreed with MT. Dan
 ahey, and any vote passed under thi
 call, if properly worded, would be le
 gal
 c. L. Anderson rose to ask MT Lin
 coin if he could support a family c
 seven on i've dollars week, referrin
 to one case the latter had mentioned
 and MT. Lincoln replied that the famil
 in question owned their home. an
 rented part of it in addition to tn
 aid they received from the town an
 the United Charities.
 The question was called for and o viva voce vote the motion to talk no action was lost. The vote scene approximately three to one or there abouts. Hon. Guilford Smith the moved the passage of the resolution (which he presented, and this was dor I by another viva voce vote, which wa
 not doubted. The meeting then a6 journed, about 9.30 o'clock.