New Britain herald., 1916-12-22
TO REVOKE LICENSE IF MOVIES ARE 'BAD'
Charter Revision Committee Ap- proves Censorship Amendment

An abbreviated representation of the charter revision committee met last night an damong other things made provisions for a final settlement pr the long pending motion picture menace to children by which a char Ter amendment will be asked which Will regulate the exhibition of any moving picture in New Britain. It is proposed to have a censorship com mittee composed of five members who shall be appointed successively each year for term of three years. The proposed censorship ordinance, as drafted by Corporation Counsel J. E. Cooper, is printed below:
 s' To Regulate Movies.
 Said common council shall have power also to adopt ordinances and s orders concerning the regulation of moving picture exhibitions and the licensing of the same subject to such conditions of suspension or revocation as it shall deem proper or necessary and to provide for the appointment of 8 committee, to be appointed by the mayor, composed of members of the common council, the city police force or other city officials and private citi- zens of said city, or of any of them authorized an dempoWered to examine and become acquainted with all reels or picture films before the same are publicly exhibited and to issue by the clerk of such committee permits for their public exhibition and the com mon council shall have power to pro- vide by ordinance that any person ex- hibiting, or causing or permitting to be exhibited, to the public any moving picture without such permit shall be fined not exceeding $-- for each offense or imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding - days, or both, and that the license for the theater, opera house or other building or hall where said exhibition shall be given without such permit, shall be sus- pended or revoked, upon notice from such committee through it's clerk without hearing or other previous notice whatsoever; also to provide by ordinance, rules and regulations for the issuance, suspension and revoca- ton of licenses or permits, concerning the matters specified in this entire section or concerning any other mat ters which said common council or city is authorized by law to regulate, license permit or control, through the board of health commissioners, the chief of police, town clerk or other 1 public official, police officer or license l committee, as it may from tune to 1 time designate or appoint.
 Reorganize Water Board.
 MT. Camp put through a motion for an amendment that would place the water board under the common coun- cil as is the board of public works and other boards. The situation now is that the council has no authority over the water board until 1t has done it's work. The board reports the payment of it's bills for instance, and the council automatically puts on its rubber stamp. The corporation coun- sel will be asked to draft such pro- posed amendment after conferring with MT. Camp.
 City Clerk Cannot Marry.
 Judge F. B. Hungerford's previous request that the city clerk be given the ministerial powers of a justice of the peace ex-officio was not favorably received. On motion of MT. Hall .ac- ton on the petition was indefinitely postponed
 Authorize Civil Service Board.
 Clerk Camp read Corporation Coun- sel Cooper's proposed amendment making the civil service board a sep arate appointed body, distinct from any committee from the common council. MT. Kehoe suggested that new members of the board be ap- pointed, one each year for term of four years. AS there are to be four mem bers of the board this would mean that at all times there would be three men on the board with work ing knowledge of the system. The when it was put as a motion it was passed as a part of the new civil service ordinance. The present board will go out of existence on May when a new board will be appointed though it is expected that the present members will be reappointed.
 The amendment will also provide for giving the mayor the right to re- move civil service commissioners for cause.
 Meeting Again Next Week.
 Those present at the meeting were Judge B. F. Gaffney, Clerk H. V. Camp, Mayor G. A. Quigley, M. I. Jester, T. H. Kehoe and Representa- tive E. F. Hall. The next session of the committee will be held next Fri day night, providing there is quorum present.