Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-02-04
POLICE MATR0N
WAS ASKED HERE
Nothing Said About Police Wonl-
an, Declares Wilson
WELFARE WORK INCLUDED
Result of Hitch In Appointment
Leaves Doubtful Situation
Legality Also contended
WELFARE WORK INCLUDED

Whether the mayor ana aldermen
will get together on the appointment
of a police matron to serve in this
city and do work among the young
girls as well as her duties in tho
police station or whether the split
between the two, which now exists,
will continue, is q question. At Mon
day nights meeting Mayor Dorsey
had before the meeting a letter in
which he gave his reasons for not
confirming the appointment of
police matron and urged the naming
of a policewoman. He enclosed
letter from Chief Burke giving his
views on the matter of police
matron, police woman and stenogra-
pher. A letter from the Perth Am
boy Woman's Club was also received
by the board requesting the appoint
ment of a woman with police powers.
The opposition to the mayors sug-
gestion of the appointment of a
police woman is headed by Alderman
William G. Wilson, who is supported
by the other three Republican mem
bers of the board. The three Demo-
Gratis on Monday night favored the
mayors appointment of police
woman. Alderman Wilson has been
the spokesman for the appointment
of a police matron, whose duty it
would also be to do welfare work
among the young girls of the city and
act as stenographer and clerk to
Chief Burke when such services are
necessary.
Gives Several Reasons
In opposing the appointment of a
police woman Alderman Wilson gave
several reasons for his stand on the
question Monday night.
Such an appointment, he said,
would be Illegal. Although the laws
Of 1915 make such provision for such
appointments. Chapter 21 reading as
follows: "In all cases In which here
tofore or hereafter authority is given
for the appointment of policemen
and police officers, the appointing
power shall have authority and are
hereby empowered to appoint women
as police and police officers who
shall have the same rights and pow
ers as policemen and other police
officers, and perform such police duty
as the authority having charge Of
was a repeater put through the legis-
lature in 1917.
This repeater comprised Chapter
205 and read as follows: BE it en-
acted by the Senate and General AS
senbly of the State of New Jersey,
from and afNr the time when this
act shall take effect the following
acts and parts of acts be repealed:
(pg. 664) (1915, oh. 81. An act
en- as police and police officers. ap-
proved March 2, 1916"
What Woman's Club Wanted
In addition to his stand that the
appointment of q policewoman Is un-
lawful Alderman Wilson declared that
the Women's Club in their original
fn hn rH nF
has asked for matron to be appoint
ed (not a policewoman) and that
they had now reversed themselves.
Alderman Wilson stated this morn
ing that in the Woman's Club letter
to the board of December they
asked for police matron, he having
looked over the city clerks files since
Monday night and found that al
though the letter from the Woman's
Club received at this weeks meeting
said they had asked for a police
woman, a police matron was the way
the letter of, December 8 actually
read. Mr.. Wilson said this point
could easily be proved by looking up
the city clerks minutes of that par
ticular meeting.
The Red Cross during their survey
here a few months ago, Alderman
Wilson said, also asked for a matron
not a policewoman. Even the Mayor
himself the first ward Aldermen de-
clared, had originally declared him
self in favor of the matron and then
reversed himself
Alderman Wilson declared that the
party he had named and was support
ing for the position of matron had
told him that she did not want the
work unless she would be permitted
to work among the girls of the city,
doing, what she termed welfare
work"
Has Not Been interviewed
With reference to the letter of the
Woman's Club, Alderman Wilson said
that the woman who had been select
ed as the police matron had not been
approached by members of that or
ganizatton in order to determine her
ability for taking such a position and
that the matter Of age was the only
thing they had against her. Alderman
Wilson said that those opposing the
appointment of this woman for police
matron had made her four years
younger than she really was in order
to say she was not mature" woman.
There are three members of the
Board supporting Alderman Wilson
in his fight for police matron with
special duties as welfare worker
sfnd senographer while the remaining
three Aldermen at Monday nights
meeting favored the appointment of a |
policewoman. Whether the present /
Ing OF the repeater, showing it to be |
unlaWful to make such an appoint |
w ahoy -.