Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1920-09-17

excess water bill Of $23. 70, due to a
mysterious leak, which cost the COM
plainant about 81 to repair, as soon as
the water department notified him Of
the excess and the cause found out.
Mayor Hendee voted 40 against max
ing any concession.
A whopper resolution vas next in
PRODUCED "Whereas, certain leaks have
occurred in the main line of the sewer
system, leading to the sewer disposal
plant; and certain parts of the "
disposal plant have worn out and re-
quire replacement largely in excess of
any anticipated repairs; and wbereas,
it is necessary for the preservation of
the public health and for the restoring
to a condition of usefulness the said
public property; Be it resolved, that in
accordance with the provisions of Sec
ton % of Chapter 242, Laws of 1918,
that the city of Wildwood, by its
proper officers, borrow the sum of
$4,000 to cover the costs above men
liO1lCha " uh lsOdQIlLS " on az ~
repair note to secure the sum borrowed,
said note to he dated September 18th,
to hear interest at the rate Of 6 per cent
per sunum, and made payable on De-
cember 81, 1922, or at any date prior at
the option of the city"
The resolution further stated that
this sep was taken because the sewer
appropriation for 1920 was inadequate
to meet these increased demands, and
that the city was without funds for the
purposes before cited.
If the preceding resolution was a
"whopper," the one that followed must
be classed as a s'hummer":
"Be it resolved, by the board of com
missioners Of the city Of Wildwood
that all moneys belonging to the city
of Wildwood be deposited in the name
of the city of Wild wood, in the county
of Cape May, and Withdrawn from the
repositories thereof only on order of
the board of commissioners, signed by
the director of revenue and finance and
the city clerk, and be accepted by the
city treasurer; and be it further re-
solved, that the city clerk be instructed
to forward to each depository of money
belonging to the city of Wild wood, in
the county of Cape May, a copy OF this
resolution; and be it further resolved,
that the Marine National Bank, Union
Bank, and Wildwood Title and Trust
Company be and hereby are designated
as repositories; and be it further re-
solved, that all previous resolutions in
consistent with the provisions of this
resolution be and the same are hereby
repealed"
A very high sounding and a very
radical resolution this, surely! "Thou2h
it may make the unskillful laugh, it
cannot but make the judicious grieve."
To the calm conservative minis of our
best citizenship the half dozen or more
recent attempts Of Commissioners
Smith and Blight to subvert the order
of things prescribed by the State Legis-
lature seem puerile and futile, mao
efforts as it were to usurp the rights
and powers of the state law making
body. 1t has been said that ''law is
based on common sense" Common
sense should tell us that it is not within
the province of a local law making
board to change or alter laws, prin-
ciples or regulations prescribed by the
superior body of legislators for the gov
eminent and management Of all NUM-
cipalities within the state. 81 don't
believe your resolution will hold
water" said a certain citizen to Oliver
Bright, as the latter stepped into the
lobby after the meeting was over.
"Here's a man who says it WILL" re-
sponded Bright" pointing to Attorney
John Harris, of Camden, who was
present during the whole of Tuesdays
meeting.
By the way, it was learned that same
day, that upon affidavit made by John
T. Byrne, Judge Black, of the New
Jersey Supreme Court, sitting at Cape
May Court House on the l4th instant,
had granted a writ of certiorari, direct
ing the Wildwood City Commissioners
to show cause for the appointment OF
John Harris to defend the city in the
two cases previously mentioned. where
writs of c~ertiorari were granted by the
Supreme Court on application Of Mayor
Hendee. The contention is made that
if Com missioners Bright and Smith In
sist on employing outside counsel In
stead of our own solicitor to defend
their actions, 1t is up to them to pay
the fees for such extra service and not
put this added burden on the tax payers
of Wildwood. A hearing in all these
certiorari suits Will likely be had at the
November term of the Supreme Court.