Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-26

semblyman Singer OF HudSon TO oD-
tain a liberal Sunday law. He has in
PRODUCED in the house a home rule bill
permitting the governing body OF a
municipality to permit Sunday theat-
rical performances and the selling of
liquor Sundays under certain r~estric-
tions.
The first bill passed by the senate
was that by Assemblyman McCran for
an appropriation of $4,000 to repay
the Lehigh Valley Railroad company
for the riparian grant to the Morris
canal basin in Jersey City. This grant
was allowed by the state for $4,000.
and in litigation which followed the
chancery court ruled that title to the
land was still vested in the state.
Under that ruling the original price.
with interest, must be paid for the
tract. A measure favorably acted upon
by both houses and signed by the gov
ernor was that calling for an investi-
cation of the high cost of living.
Prison Probe Approved.
Approval was also given to the reso-
luton authorizing the governor to ap-
point a board of five members to probe
into the operation of the penal institu-
tons of the state. The executive was
partly actuated in this move by a crit
icism which was aimed at conditions
existing at the state prison. His plan
is to have a representative board of
five to go into the subject thoroughly
and determine the best method for the
employment of convicts, whether it be
on roads, farms or in other pursuits.
The proposed removal of the state
prison from Trenton will also be taken
up. The governor says he wants the
commission to devote its time continu-
ously to the question and give a final
solution of the problem. The report is
to be made as early as possible in the
present session of the legislature.
Another Tax Reform Bill.
Another tax reform bill was present
ed in the upper house bX Senator Pierce
of Union. 1t provides for the appoint
ment of assessors in all districts where
they are now elected and would permit
their removal only for cause. Assem-
blyman Roy NJ. Robinson Of Berger
his a tax reform bill to exempt ma
chinery, merchandise, household furni
ture, farm Implements, live stock, tools
etc, from taxation.
Representing the ideas of the Pier
son municipal finance commission sev
en- bills were introduced in the hous
by Assemblyman Arthur n. Pierson o
Union county. They are the result o
an investigation which has been cal
ried on during the last year.
Two features of the measures ar
provisions for uniform budget system
and fiscal years for all counties an
municipalities.
Under the measure providing for
Uniform budget system a policy is e!
tablished for financing in anticipatio
of the receipt of taxes. 1t fixes a stat
plan and controls the raising of an al
preparation of $4,000, 900 annual.
Bill No. 5 directs the bonding of a
floating Indebtedness of every mun
cipality and places temporary tax obi
cations under the act. All laws ths
will permit bonding and floating del
are repealed.
A commissioner of municipal az
counts would be named by the stat
treasurer under the provisions of on
of the acts. He would serve at a sa
airy of $4,000 ard would he named fo
three years. His duties would colsis
of supervising annual sinking fund re
quirements. all sinking fund accounts
receive, compile and paH ISL anAua
statements of municipalities and con
ties; keep safe the records os tie tt.
of bond issues.
Highway System Tax.
Assemblyman \. Dag ten G...3tant Q
Mercer, house leader. presented IN tina
branch the bill calling for u tax t
finance a highway system. It provide
for an assessment of l mill. or 81 O.
$1,000, annually for five years. 1t i.
estimated this will return a revenue o
approximately $15,O00,000 and follows
the idea of Governor Edge for a sub
stitute to the Egan 100000 bond is
sue act.
Mr.. McCran introduced the other
road bills in the senate. One estab.
fishes the state highway system to be
built with the 5000, 600, and the 9TH
Ell -reorganizes the state road depart
mani nOpca1o ,ioA hOor1 0f o;oI4