New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-03-07

Should the fourth state iegisla
ture adjourn today instead of on mid
night a week from today, the net
effect upon laws of New Mexico
would be very little. A dozen bills
have been passed by both houses and
signed by the governor Up to this tine
the most interesting Of which to the
general public is probably House B n
No. Is. introduced by Judge r. P.
Barnes of Bcrnalillo county which
creates the new county OF Hidalgo,
embracing what was formerly the
southern half of Grant county.
Drainage District Powers -.
OF general application also, Is
house bill Nc. II, BY Llewellyn and
Armijo. which has become law It
enables farmers to organize into drain
age districts as contemplated by an
act Of the national congress and thus
take advantage OF United States as
sistance' in reciaiming water. locred
and arid regions. The bill which
constitutes In part an amendment Of
existing statutes, provides that the
directors chosen by the farmers Of
a. district may make an estimate OF
IuEuS IC4tilCu IOI CaSu year
and to cover deposits. and apply the
funds to the following purposes; to
pay bonded debt; to pay off con-
tracts with the government: to pay
the portion OF the operating cxpen-
ses to be raised by levy in the
district (imited to from one~fourth
to two-thirds of the total expenditu-
res): and to meet current and mis-
csllaneous charges.
Lands unsuitable for irrigation or
beyond the reach OF contemplated
ditch systems, are EXEMPTED from
payment OF share of the expense
in any given district. County asses
sors are required by the new law 70
obtain the names Of landholdere and
the acreage they represent. such in
formation to be used by the county
commissioners. County treasurers
gre made exofficio treasurers of the
districts in their counties, and are
allowed $40 per each 25000 acres to
pay expense of district 'nistra-
ton in collecting individual levies
for deveiopment PURPOSES.
First Law Passed
The bill introduced by DR.. Skeen.
Democrat of Eddy county. making
abortion q felony in New Mexico
was the first law to be signed by tho
governor after the legislative pay
and expense bills were approved.
The senate bill providing for the
cleanliness of town and villages, No
Ia, is now law. On petition Of half
the voters of any town of 800 or
more population, the justice of the
peace may order all able bodied men
over l8 years old to work day or
pay a dollar to remove trash, and
another day on similar petition may
be used for mending streets and al
leys. The law includes fine for
leaving rubbish or dead animals in
the town limits, and fine for JUS
tices who do not enforce the street
cleaning.
For Better Government
Senate bill No. "a. which has been
passed and signed confers on boards
81 trustees Of incorporated villages
Of 500 souls the Same powers as arc
DOW conferred on incorporated
towns for their good government,
order and welfare.
The governor has also signed the
senate bill which raises the salary
Of the state game warden to SOOO
from 5000. A committee had mean
time sought to place the salary at
5000 which amendment was lost.
House Bills Approved
The governor has signed a house
bill. No. IS, raising the examination
fee TO practice law in the state from
els to $50 for each applicant; house
Bill No. "a amending paragraph 3zSZ
az the 1915 codification relative to
the jurisdiction of justices of the
nesee In revievin suits: No. 20 fixing
the time for the holding. OF court IN
the seventh judicial district in Sierra
county; and No. 81. relative to the
giving of bond by county. clerks and
amending section l4Al Of the eod'-
A house bill authorizing the con-
solidation of rural schools into DIS
tricts though the schools are in two
ar more counties was also passed
and approved.
Four resolutions, which DO NOT
make laws but which call attention
to the attitude or sentiment of the
state as expressed by its represen-
tat;ves have been passed and signed
Senate Joint resolution No. l on the
death OF John A. Gorden a member
of the senate elected for this term
was the first to be signed.
Senate memorial No. l, calling on
Regional Director Hale Holden OF
the railway administration to con-
tinue half rates on livestock feed,
and No. 6, memorializing congress
TO reclaim swamp. arid. and waste
lands for the benefit of discharged
soldiers, sailors and marines. were
passed and received executive ap'
proval. 80
House Joint resolution No. 9 to
the United States house Of represen,,
tatives urging that the secretary OF
the department of the interior be
asked TO investigate, the irrigation
possibilities of the San Juan basin
and include development in that Sec
tion In the federal reclamation pro.
Rram was also approved.
Mech Work Aheed
A. +. usual the remaining seven
days Of the session will in all likeli-
hood overtop the pfeious s. days OF the
session In work accomplished, -
committees hsve made progress in
the analysis e vome go bills intro
AsesA soA aeR&0n nav now be exc