The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-02-13


They go to jail during the winter to
get lodging and food and then they
leave. If they knew they would have
to work they would give this town a
wide berth. Nothing definite was
done in the matter beyond referring it
to the road committee with power to
act as they saw fit.
A communication from Medford
township expressed willingness to fill
in with dirt the road at Haines bridge
if the county would build retaining
wall. This was not new proposition.
but engineer Logan said the prices of
materials had increased to such an ex-
tent since the first time the subject was
mentioned that there would have to be
more estimates of the cost made.
At former meeting solicitor Davis
had given an opinion that the bills of
the extra clerks employed by the
County Board of Taxation were not
warranted by law and ought not to be
paid. William F. Morgan, president
of the County Board, was given the
privilege to make statement He ex-
planned that it is absolutely necessary,
in order to get the work completed in
the time required by law, to have extra
clerical help. The first time THE. help
was engaged the Board of Freeholders
hod o1oofa5 :, roorl,,fs<1k, !, - / =
employment Of clerks at salary not
exceeding SIS per day. AS the work had
increased from year to year the ex-
penses of the clerks had also increased.
When the matter was considered by
former Board, the chairman of the
finance committee had conferred with
Mr.. Morgan. 1t was impossible at that
time to say just what would have to be
paid, so the chairman suggested
lump sum for expenses and it was SO
done. Mr.. Morgan claimed that the
act of the chairman of the finance
committee was binding on the Board
of Freeholders.
Mr.. Thackara felt that the clerks
who had been engaged in good faith
and who had worked on the same
basis, should be paid for what they had
done.
Solicitor Davis explained the position
he had taken. The law under which
the Boards Of Taxation were organized
provides that the boards might engage
extra clerical help, but that the con-
sent Of the Board Of Freeholders must
be obtained and that body should fix
the salaries to be paid. the payments
to be made in monthly instalments.
Mr.. Morgan admitted this to be the
law but he contended that it was i'm
possible TO carry out the provisions Of
the statute strictly for the reason that
the extra clerks did not work more
than possibly two months and it would
not be possible to figure out what the
monthly instalment would be. For
this reason, when the County Board of
Taxation was first organized, it asked
the Board of Freeholders for permits.
sion to employ extra clerical help and
the taxation people were told to go
ahead and get their assistants at rate
not to exceed five dollars day. That |
permission was granted once or twice
afterwards and then there had been an
item in the budget for expenses for the
Board of Taxation and the mode OF en- /
gaging clerks had gone on without
getting the sanction of the Board of |
Freeholders every time. This is ex-
actly the situation. Mr.. Morgan put
It precisely as it exists. The Board of
Freeholders has been saved expense in
many other ways but that does not
seem to count. When the writer was
! member Of the Board Of Taxation the
secretary Of the Board owned an auto |
mobile which was at the service of the
Board at any hour day or night. Byl
its use the county was saved many |
dollars in carfare which it would neces-
sarily have had to pay and the owner
Of the machine did not get cent for
The use OF his car or for the gasoline !
that he burned. The law prescribes
certain duties that must be performed |
in the collection and distribution of
duplicates and there have been several
tours Of the county taking the best
part Of day and lasting until nearly
in order that the proper re-
turns might be made to the state
within the period required by law and
for which the county did not pay |
cent extra, but where it might have
had bills for many dollars presented
which would have to have been paid. |
Not word of commentator appears
On record for this service. The opinion
Of Mr.. Davis is strictly in accordance
with the law but it looks somewhat
like 'straining at gnat' and as if the |
way explained by Mr.. Morgan is the
common sense" view Editor of THE
News
However, the decision had been
given and as it was law the Board did |
not have any alternative than to refuse
to pay the bills, so the clerks who
worked hard and faithfully will be |
obliged to 60 without their money un-
til something turns up to allow them
to get it.
Bids for the extension of the Cam |
den and Moorestown turnpike from
the latter place to the Burlington |
county line, were opened as follows:
John Gfnder, Trenton s6S. 42s. so |
Stanley M. Ralbach, Wildwood 74,S3G.79 |
Joseph angola, Trenton 1881 90 |
Eastern Paving Co.. Philadelphia 1928 % |
John Nj. Kelly Co., Ca mden S4,7f9O4 |
j. f. STANLEY Co., Philadelphia 81 $40 "a |
These bids were referred to the State |
Road Commissioner.
A resolution was adopted to issue |
bonds in the sum of $14, 900 to build /
King street bridge and $4,000 for the
tuberculosis asylum, the bonds to bear
interest at the rate of Al per cent. per
year, payable semi-annually.
This completed the business and tn
Board adjourned.
Valentines and Valentine post cards. |
l.. S. Boyce, stationer. ad
MARRIED
r.