The spectator., 1919-03-11
SAYS EXPOSITION
 BILL E0T LEGAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS THE MEASURE DID NOT SECURE
 NECESSARY MAJORITY.
OPINION RENDERED AUDITOR
Cites Section Covering Point-Le9is- lature Recently Passed Measure For Paying Indebtedness of Panama
 Pacific Exposition.
Little Rock

Little Rock
 That the recent act passed by the present legislature providing for pay ment of indebtedness incurred by the Arkansas Commission to the Pana- ma-Pacific International Exposition was not legally passed, because the required two-thirds majority of mem bers elected did not vote for the measure. is the opinion of Attorney General John D. Arbuckle, given in response to request of State Audi tor Hogan Oliver.
 In letter to the attorney general, Mir Oliver asked if he would be jus flied in paying the claims. The ques- | ion involved is whether the bill re- ceived two-thirds majority as con templated under certain sections of the constitution.
 In reply MT. Arbuckle quoted Sec ton 27 of Article 5 of the constItu- tion of Arkansas, which provides as follows: No extra compensation shall be made to any officer, empIoye or contractor after the services shall have been rendered or the contract made; nor shall any money be ap- propriated or paid on any ciaim the subject matter of which shall not have been provided for by pre-exist- ing laws, unless such compensation or claim be allowed by bill passed l by two-thirds of the members elect ed to each branch of the General As sembly."
 Since the act referred to of the present General Assembly received l only 60 votes in the House, which is not two-thirds of the 100 representa- l tives elected, the attorney general holds that the bill was not legally 1 passed.
 A bill introduced by MT. Goodwin, if passed, will tend to reduce the amount of local legislation that l comes before the General Assembly. by transferring certain matters to he county courts. It is a proposed measure to enable the county courts 1 to correct all defects in the organi- zation, or attempted organization. Of [ improvement districts. school dis tricts and road districts, and for changing the boundaries, upon the petition of ten residtnt citizens and property owners of the district af- i fected.
 The bill to appropriate S100.000 out of the fish and game fund for the maintenance of the commission was warmly debated in committee of the whole. MT. Holiday leading the 1gtt for his amendment to reduce to $1O,- 000 The committee made an adverse report on the bill, and the House promptly adopted motion by Mir. Smith of Hot Sprina to table the bill.
 Ky vote of 5S to 20. the House indefinitely postponed the Alexander bill to permit the calling of special elections in the cities of Little Rock, Hot Springs and Fort Smith, upon the petition of Is per cent of the qualified electors, for the purpose of deciding whether baseball shall be permitted on Sunday.
 That the time has come when the federal government should assume the obligation of providing pensions for the surviving Confederate veter- ans and widows, was the sentiment expressed in a joint memorial to Con- gress, offered by Speaker Newton. and unanimously adopted by the House.
 MT Newtons' bill to appropriate s17S,340 for the support and mainte- nance of the Confederate Home for the biennial period was passed with out debate or a dissenting vote. after a brief explanation by MT. Newton.
 Senator Johnston's bill to declare hotels having 30 or more rooms 70 be declared public utilities, giving au- thority 10 a commission 10 regulate their rates. met with vigorous oppo- sition.
 The Deaf-Mute appropriation bill was passed. The only amendment, by MT Porter, to reduce the salary of the superintendent from $4000 as proposed, to $3.6OO, the present sal ary, was rejected.
 When Senator Owens introduced in the Senate his bill providing for an nexation of six sections in Faulkner county to Pulaski county, Senator Hartje was on his feet and vigorous ly objected to its being made spe cial order The bill was read twice