The Mount Holly news., 1917-01-02
Board of Freeholders

8OoL0 Va AAOSHOtQSi
Promptly at twelve o'clock, yester.
day, Clerk Hawkins raped the gayei
10 call to order the Board of Freehold
ers which is to conduct the business OF
1917.
Alfred /. Davis was elected director
Of the Board without opposition, Re-
publicans and Democrats voting for
him. On taking the chair Mr.. Davis
said:
Gentlemen: The year 1915, with its
and its failures, its
joys and it's sorrows, is gone never to
return. The year 1917, with its op-
portunities, lies before US. What, as
a Board, have we done along the line of
our duty to our constituents in the last
year and wherein have we fallen short,
and how shall we take advantage of
our opportunities of the present and
future, are questions weshould ask our
selves at this time. / can and do say,
without fear of contradiction, that the
members of this Board have been loyal
public servants, that you have devot-
ed your time, your energy and your
intelligent efforts to the interest of the
people Of Burlington county. We
have done wonderfully well with the
moneys we have had to expend. Many
miles of roads have been resurfaced
and the county has had value received
for the moneys thus intelligently and
economically expended. Our bridges
have been kept in repair at mini
mum cost and new concrete structures
have been erected, a water system in
stalled at the asylum and all of our in
stitutions have been splendidly man
aged under the guidance of the Board
and the thousand and one matters
falling upon this Board for attention
have been disposed of with judgment
and dispatch to the satisfaction of the
people of our county. want to thank
you for your repeated expressions OF
confidence in your Director For the
fourth time you have signally honoreo
me with this exalted position. To be
the presiding officer of body of mer
such as you constitute is no small honor
and involves considerable responsible
ity, but remembering your unfailine
courtesy in the past and your loyal co.
operation feel confident that we car
work together during the year 1917 ir
bringing about an efficient and bust
nesslike administration of the affairs
of the county. / want to congratu-
late the county in selecting as its rep
resentatives men, who, by their loyalty
and integrity and faithful service
have shown themselves so competent
in the duties devolving upon them.
am relying upon the same hearty CO.
operation in the future that you shave
shown in the past and together we
viii show our constituents that their
trust has not been misplaced. / agair
thank you for your expression of con.
fidence in me and I wish you all q
happy and prosperous new year."
The rules of 1916 were ordered tc
be in force until others are adopted.
The subject of electing a superin.
tendent of weights and measures was
brought up and the opinion of Solicitor
Davis on the subject was asked.
He said he did not believe that Ed.
ward T. Haines, the present occupant
of the Office, was legally elected. as
he was chosen while a member of the
Board Of Freeholders, which was il
direct violation of law which pro
hibited such an election. The law Of
1912 which it is claimed protects the
official and which prohibits the reduc.
ton OF his salary or his removal ex-
legally elected. The law which pro
vided for small Board of Freehold
ers also provided that all officials
should surrender their Offices and that
those elected by the new body could
not be chosen for more than one wear
hence when Mr.. Haines was elected
by the small Board he was to hold of.
nee Tor one year only. Mr.. Davis said
ne nad examined all the laws on the
subject and he could not see where
there was any reason or excuse fol
keeping Mr.. Haines in the position.
Y. claude Palmer appeared for Mr.
Haines and said the act of 1911. un.
der which the appointment was made
does not prescribe the length of the
term of Office, but law passed in 1917
provides that the appointee shall hold
his Office until charges have been pre.
ferred against him and he has
had chance to defend himself. The
appointment in 1913 was subject to all
prior laws, and the law of 1912 is a
further protection, specific in its dec
iaration OF what is to happen in the
case of officers such as Mr.. Haines
Mr. Palmer declared the present in
cumDent OF the position intends to
noid MS office until charges have been
preferred and the right to reduce his
saiary Will De challenged and fought.
Mr. Vansciver then introduced a
resolution that the Office of sealer of
weights and measures be declared va
cant and that the Board proceed to
eject successor to Mr.. Haines.
Mr. Hilton demanded a roll call on
tnis resolution as he wanted to go on
record on the question. The roll was
called and the result was as follows:
In favor--Aaronson, Black, Bozarth.
Burr, Couples. Delaney, Esham, Glas,
gov, Hampton, Harker, Hart, Land,
Logan, Martin, Peak, Rogers, Thack-
ara, vandegrift, Vansciver-19.
Agalnst-Bright, Clair, Ford, Pew.
Halnes, hilton, Jones, Joyce, Lowden..
iLyncn, Mathis, Rodman, Russ, Will
John 3. Burtis, of Mansfield, and
Joseph r. Sisom, of Northampton.
were nominated for the Office and Mr..
burtis was declared elected by large
The finance committee read the
budget for the ensuing year. It
amounts to 1920, 900 and a motion was
onered that the sum named be the
amount to be appropriated for 1917.
Mr. Hilton moved that the salary of
the sealer of weights and measures
be restored to what was paid the last
year. He called attention to the fact
that this matter is likely to go before
the courts and that there is a possibil-
1ty OF MIR. Haines being retained. If
such thing should happen the salary
must necessarily be the same as It
was during the years Mr.. Haines has
neen In office. The law is clear. on
tnat- In that case there has not been
enough estimated for this purpose and
there will be the usual scraping and
jumping from one appropriation to
another to get sufficient funds to help
out. Mr.. Hilton's idea was not en-
dorsed and the budget was adopted as
reported. Of the sum appropriated
$zo,OO0 Will come from miscellaneous
sources and $10,750 will be received
from the tax on bank stock.
The county collector was authorized
10 borrow money in anticipation of
taxes at rate of interest not to ex-
ceed four per cent.
A resolution was offered that the
Mirror be designated to print the
monthly report of the county collec-
tor, but Mr.. Vansciver quickly offered
q substitute naming the Mount Holly
herald, which was adopted by strict
party vote.
A resolution that the Burlington
Gazette be designated to print the re-
port OF the couny auditor was adopted
without opposition, no other paper be-
ing named.
Mr.. Hart offered a motion that all
bills not in fha darr hnforo H. -