Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-29

RN.N1EH4RWSeNE lne Legislature TO-
SHIbA1JyM 4 night James n.
IN H666SE& Moore, chief of the
Ill G&hShZkEhESSH Pennsylvania State
Al<4uHWHJHVMH Legislative Refer
{f4DUeo ss9S ence Bureau, calls
attention to what
satisfactory condition of our charity
laws, especially those relating to the
insane" Mr.. Moore announces that
codes containing the acts relative to
first and second class townships, juve-
nile courts and delinquent and de-
pendent children and relative to the
state Board of Public Charities have
been prepared in his bureau as well
as sixty bills to repeal nearly a thou
sand obsolete laws. The latter were
included in the omnibus repeater" of
last session. but this year all such
laws have been grouped.
Concerning the charity laws Mr..
Moore says that under the chapter
dealing with commitment of insane
and inebriateS to institutions are
found nineteen different methods of
commitment ITO the laymen" says
he, This is at once confusing and to
tie lawyers ofttimes a stumbling
block. A similar condition will be
found upon consulting the chapter re-
lating to the cost of commitment,
care and maintenance of insane and
inebriates. So far as possible this
confusion has been clarified by the use
of headings showing specifically the
subject to which each section ap-
plies"
In discussing the proposed code
relative to townships, which goes
back to tie days of the beginning of
the Commonwealth the director says
Considerable trouble was experienced
with the numerous acts relating to
municipalities While the supreme
court has lately ruled that first class
township is not municipal corpora
tion,' there are several late cases de-
cided by the lower courts which rule
that township is municipality
Attention is called to this indefinite
use of the term municipalities in the
hope that future legislation may be
drafted with specific mention of the
agencies of the State to which the
Legislature intends the legislation to
apply"
Mr.. Moore acknowledges the assist
ance given in the complication of the
codes submitted in 1915 and the re-
cent work on the federal and State
constitutions as we'll as tie new codes
by John II. Fertig, now assistant di-
rector; Frank NJ. Hunter and S. Ed
ward Hannestead, of his staff in
clearing the ways to wipe statute
books of "a vast mass of legislation
that has no place there"
Inspector Named. - The State In
surance Fund board has appointed
Malcolm MacDougall as inspector of
mining operations for the State Fund,
which insures mining risks among its
business. He will enter upon his
duties at once and have headquar-
ters at Johnstown. Mr.. MacDougall
is mining engineer and had charge
of mines in central and northern coun-
ties.
Board of Pardons. - The February
II,
has been scheduled for the twenty
first when the hearing in the Nelson
case from Wyoming will be held and
several other cases granted rehear-
ings will be presented. Among them
will be Bruno Pizzimenti, convicted of
murder in the second degree in Dau-
phin county and arrested for a lesser
offense during a brawl while on
parole. The case will be the first of
the kind to be heard in the case of
man paroled after serving a part of
sentence for homicide.
McCalls Ferry Again. - The State
Water Supply Commission will give q
hearing next month on an application
to raise the flashboards on the Nc
Calls Ferry dam in the Susquehanna
which will probably bring up a num-
Der of matters relative to the policy
of the commission in regard to future
construction of dams in streams of
the State.
Bank Call Made.-The State Bank
ing Department on Saturday departed
from the custom of years and issued a
call for statements as of January 26
of trust companies, state banks and
savings institutions from Philadelphia
instead of from Harrisburg. Captain
John W. Morrison, the deputy COM
missioner, issued the call aud no rea-
son was assigned for the change of
place of issue. The annual report of
the department was made public in
Philadelphia on Saturday instead of
from the department offices. 1t is un-
derstood that W. II. Smith, the ex-com-
missioner gave it out without consult
ing anyone here.
Made superintendent Ryan,
formerly State policeman. has been
made chief of detectives of the Lehigh
Valley Coal Company.
Named as Delegates. Governor
Brumbaugh to-day appointed the fol-
lowing to represent the State at the
tenth annual convention of the Ma
tional Society for Promotion of In
dustrial Education at Indianapolis
next month: DR.. J. George Becht,
secretary State Board of Education;
Millard B. King, director of industrial
education and L. II. Dennis, director
of agricultural education.
Water Complaints. Complaints
were filed to-day against the York
County Consolidated Water Company
and the South Waverly Water Com
pany, rates being objected to in the
former case while refusal to extend
mains unless a guarantee was given
is alleged in the other.
Public Service Meets. - The Pub
lie Service Commission began two days
of executive sessions here to-day after
hearing q brief calendar,
Big Deposit Made. The State
Treasurer to-day deposited S13S.S75l
from automobile licenses, the largest
single deposit of the kind ever made,
Hearing on Saturday. - A hearing
will be held by Commissioner Ryan in
Philadelphia on Saturday in the COM
plant of Pugh against the Bridgeton
and Newton Turnpike in Bucks coun-
ty.