Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-31


Tuesday.
From the House: Majority and
minority report of the committee on
ways and bridges on An Act to amend
Section 16 and II of Chapter Of the
Revised Statutes relating to road COM
missioners.
In the House the minority report,
ought to pass was accepted.
Mr. DAVIS of Piscataquis; Mr..
President, l move that the minority re-
port of the committee be accepted in
concurrence.
Mr.. BUTLER of franklin Mr.. Pres
ident, four years ago this matter came
before the ways and bridges. of which
was a member at that time. think we
formed the correct principle at that
time in handling road commissioner
matters, but / can see that we were UNI
fortunate in the time when this came
UP, as we seemed to be approaching a
voting age.
| was in the other deliberative body
at the other end of the building. yes
terday, and most of the members pre-
fer, as I could readily see, to vote on
this proposition. And there is a great
tendency for their wives and mothers
to attend the meetings and vote with
them. One of the causes why this law
came about, which it seems that we
could change a little at this time, even
if the minority report is accepted. But
four years ago there was a contention
in the towns, in many cases, between
the road commissioners and the Sc
lectmen. AS far as the highway com
missioners could determine there was
nothing in the law which stated that
the road commissioners had entire au-
thority in the matter. or whether the
selectmen had some rights to be con-
Sdered.
think it will be necessary, II we
adopt the minority report at this time
to make plain in an amendment wheth-
err these road commissioners shall be
in any way under the control of the
selectmen, or whether the selectmer
shall be under the control Of the road
commissioners. I do not see as it makes
any difference which way it is, as lone
as they can proceed along some lines
and know what Is to be done.
The popular way would be, l sup
pose, to appoint a non-partisan and
non-paid commission on the towns.
7 move that this report lie on the ia
BILE, and let us see If we cannot form
some amendment that will care foi
this particular feature, and determine
as to what the rights are between the
selectmen and the road commissioners
The motion was agreed to and the
report tabled.
II. D. 625. Resolve appropriatinc
money to enable the town of Mexico il
the county Of oxford to free the Mex
leo bridge to public travel.
The PRESIDENTS: The Chair viii
state that the adjournment order has
come back concurred in by the House
and when we adjourn we shall adjourn
until Monday afternoon at o'clock.
The following bills, petitions, etc.
were received and on recommendation
Of the committee on reference of bills
were referred to the following commit
tees:
Appropriations and Financial Affair.
By Mr.. Butler Of Franklin: Resolve
in favor of George Martin for services
as clerk and stenographer of the com
mittee on interior waters.
Bills in First Reading
S. D. Alb. An Act to amend Chapter
% OF the Revised Statutes, relating t
State, and State aid highways. and t.
provide a mill tax fund for their con
struction.
s. d. AS. An Act authorizing th-
selectmen of the town of Brooksville tt
grant private way over tide waters
in said Brooksvile.
S. d. 416. An Act to amend Section
Is of Chapter 81 Of the Revised Stat
utes of 1916, relative to the tenure OF
Office of county attorney.
S. y. Az. Resolve in favor of the
reformatory for women for the con
structon of additional buildings and fol
other purposes for the years 1917 ant
1918.
S. d. AS. An Act to amend Sector
90 of Chapter 1876 of the Revised Stat
utes, relating to copy of proceedings
in murder cases.
Reports Of Committees
Mr.. Higgins from the committee OF
appropriations and financial affairs. or
Resolve for the pay of the chaplains
and certain employees and for typewrit-
ing and stenographical assistance fol-
the official reported of the Senate, re-
ported same ought to pass.
The same Senator from the same com.
mittee, on Resolve on the pay, roll OF
the Senate. reported that. the same
ought to pass
Mr.. Walker from the, committee or
education. on An Act to amend Section
143 of Chapter 16 of the Revised Stat
utes, relating to the admission of stu
dents to State normal schools (Senate
No. S03). reported same ought to pass
(Read first time under suspension of
the rules on motion by Mr.. Walker of
Somerset,)
Mr.. Walker from the same commit
tee. on An Act to designate truant off,
GERS as attendance officers (Senate No
330), reported same ought to pass.
(Read first time under suspension of
the rules on motion by Mr.. Ames. of
Washington
Mr.. Ames from the same committee
on An Act to establish military train
ing in the public schools tSenate No
So, which was recommitted to the com
mittee, submitted the same in a new
draft, under the same title, and that
it ought to pass.
Mr.. Wood from the committee on le-
gal affairs on An Act to Droyite for