New Britain herald., 1916-11-16

| Gilman May moved an amendment to
include this proposition in the movie
| regulation plan. Mr.. Landers thought
the movie matter should stand alone
| although he thanked the councilman
from the First for the suggestion.
Councilman Curtis. after Mr.. Null
Ter had moved the adoption of the
| ordinance amendments. put fly in
the ointment by declaring that the
| council had no power to delegate it's
powers of licensing to another body.
He had the corporation counsel's
word for this statement and said
that it has been proposed to amend
the charter to this end. maintaining
that the council was about to do an
| illegal thing, Mr.. Curtis favored de-
! lay and proposed that the matter be
put In legal shape. He moved in
definite postponement. He said the
council is not issuing licenses now to
peddlers or for other minor affairs
and while it was undoubtedly vio-
lating the law in not doing it, he
thought it only making matters worse
to proceed to delegate it's authority in
this matter. He thought it i'll ad-
vised in putting the matter in the
hands of the board of public safety
and said that all that is necessary
to do in the matter is to SO change
the charter so that the council can
delegate it's power to some body.
Councilman Landers inquired what
body would have this power. At this
juncture, Councilman Spencer want
ed to know what powers the license
committee has. He is a member of
this committee and it has never met
since he was on it, Mr.. Muller an
is illegal and has no power. Alder
man Paonessa declared that the COM
mittee had issued licenses for boxing
bouts and thought it should have
more work to do. Mayor Quigley de-
clared that the corporation counsel
has ruled that the license committee
is illegal. The alderman from the
Sixth thought the moving pictures
were being properly regulated by the
mayor and%was in favor of letting His
Honor settle the question.
When the question was called for.
Mr.. Landers objected to indefinite
postponement. AS a courtesy to the
ordinance committee, which has
worked hard on the matter, he ia
vored tabling it. While Mr.. Curtis
thought this would only complicate
matters he finally agreed to tabling
This was done
Ghost Reappears.
Mr.. Muller Immediately called for
action on Section FL, a resolution re-
questing that the charter revision
committee embody in their proposed
charter amendments at the coming
session of the legislature an amend |
ment authorizing the council to del
egate the power to issue, suspend and
revoke licenses Of various characters.
Councilman Landers at once wanted
to know what it was proposed to do.
Mr. Muller replied $50 we can work
without our hands being tied" Read
ing the resolution Councilman Nc
Donough asked If 1t didn't strike at
the main issue and learned that it
did. The resolution was adopted.
Partisan Fight Starts.
The introduction Of resolution
signed by republican members Of the
council demanding that the number
Of memb ers Of various boards
be an odd number and that
the party in power have the
pred ominating number and the power
to decide matters and that it be re-
ferred to the charter revision COM
mittee caused a mild Juror when it
was presented. Councilman Landers
started to say something right away,
but was interrupted by Councilman
Curtis who stated that the member
who introduced it had not had an OPP
portunity to be heard. Councilman
May, one of the sponsors, moved that
the resolution be accepted and re-
ferred to the charter revision commit
tee. Mr.. May stood stoutly for the
resolution. He was against a fifty
fifty proposition where no responsible
ity for action could be placed. The
party in power should have the pow
er and the responsibility according
to his ideas. AS the thing stood it
! was impossible to tell who was re-
sponsible The mayor suggested that
Councilman May run for mayor and
: he will learn who is responsible. Mr..
! May replied that he was not looking
| for votes
Councilman Landers replied that
while the member from the First
might not be looking for votes he was
looking for further positions for his
party, which from a partisan stand
point was all right. Mr.. Landers
! then asked why partisan boards are
better than non-partisan boards or
worked out better. While both might
work out all right in some places in
New Britain where the voters are of
an independent turn non-partisan
boards proved satisfactory.
Mr.. Curtis said while he was not
: wholly in favor of partisan boards he
could see no harm in referring the
subject to the charter revision COM
mlttee. Mr.. Landers said while he
was opposed to the idea he would see
that it got a fair show in the char
ter revision committee
Others on the democratic side of
the house who opposed the resolution
were Alderman Paonessa and Coun-
! Gilman IIenehan Aldnrnaan