New Britain herald., 1921-10-06
Mayor Vetoes and City Faith
ers Fail to Override His
Action, Thus Effectually
Smothering Measure.

of Mayor O.. f. Curtis veto to the two
platoon system for the fire depart
ment, Alderman John F. Gill of the
First ward moved for adjournment and
his motion was carried. The council
having failed to override the veto,
no vote having been taken, the veto
is legally sustained, and unless new
elements enter into the case or the
council passes it again, there will
be no double platoon for the de-
partment this year. This was the
opinion expressed last night by Cor
poration Counsel John H. Kirkham
when the matter was put. before him
by members of the council who
thought their action had allowed the
matter to stand neither approved nor
disapproved.
Paonessa After Mayor.
Alderman A. M. Paonessa had
called upon the mayor to tell whether
or not he had respected the 10 day
clause in vetoing the measure. At
the suggestion of the mayor, Alder
man F. R. Gilpatric in the chair,
ruled the alderman out of order. The
chairs decision was downed on an
appeal to the council. Corporation
Counsel Kirkham at the request of
the council interpreted the ordinance
to give the mayor 10 days and no
more in which to act on the measure.
Alderman Paonessa then asked the
mayor when he received the resolu-
ton and was referred to the city
clerk who impaired the information
that it was September 22 The al
derman then charged that the mayor
stated in the afternoon that he had
,ot he ~1o but ocf
night. He called upon Councilman
Rice to prove his statement. During
the disagreement the motion to ad-
journ, which is not debatable, was
put and carried.
Disagreement Drawn Out.
At the close of the meeting AL
derman Paonessa took Alderman Gill
patric to task for his ruling from the
chair. He charged that the third
ward alderman's rulings were all
wrong. In another group, Councilman
B. G. Morey questioned whether the
mayor had respected the ordinance or
not and in several other groups Of
two or three members the question
of what effect adjournment had on
the measure was freely discussed for
more than half an hour.
The veto as presented by the mayor,
follows:
Mayor Reads Veto.
I'm regard to the change of ordi
nances to be put into operation for
the installing of two platoon sys
tenn for which / shall present q veto.
I will state that I am a friend of the
two platoon system and think that it
would operate for the benefit of the
department. 1t would create better
morale and make better living condi-
lions for the firemen, especially for
the married ones, and it should be
put into effect as soon as the financial
condition of the city will permit.
AS a member of the common coun-
Gil 1 voted several times for the in
crease of the salaries of the firemen.
Up to the time of the opening of
the war permanent man was get
ting $3.50 a day as against $3.50 a
day at the present time. The better
ment of the buildings and improved
apparatus for the department always
received my support, but as mayor of
the city 1 have to take into consider
alton the wishes and welfare of the
whole community, and it is my duty
to consider and use my judgment as
to what is best for the city as whole,
not for any certain class or any GER
tain department., and 1 cannot con-
ceive why a reasonable person should
not look at it the same way when
thousands of people are without en-
ployment, other thousands only on
part time and people with large fam
lilies are not able to earn enough to
secure food for their families, let
alone clothing and rent. Under these
conditions to place burden of $75,-
900 to $4,000 more a year on the
public, in my opinion, is unfair and
something that I cannot be a party
to.
Has Changed Mind.
It has been thought from some re-
marks and what has appeared in the
papers that the proposed ordinance
would be allowed to become law
and such at first was my intention. 1
| thought it could only be temporary as
| the necessary steps to annul it are
even now partially completed. The
reason was that there were some
doubts in my mind as to whether it
| would be proper for me to veto it, but
| in looking over the charter carefully
| it is now very clear to my mind, from
a moral and legal standpoint, that it
is right to do SO. The city meeting
is only certain function that is pro-
vided for in the charter and its pur
pose is to pass or reject or amend pro-
positions, such as appropriations, real
estate purchases or sales, and approval
or rejection of ordinances which your
honorable body passes and it is petit
toned to pass upon.
Enun1erates Reasons.
The actual veto contained the fol-
lowing reasons for his action:
First-That on account of the severe
business depression at the present
time the taxpayers, and that means in
effect everybody that is a consumer,
cannot afford to be taxed $4,000 to
s85, 900 per year in addition to other
heavy burdens that they have to care
for at this time. This increase would
mean practically a matter of $3.50 to
IS per year for every family in the
city of New Britain.
Second-That no definite plan for
the change in the department and the
regulations therefor has yet been pre-
sented and the department will GER
tain1y require new system for its
peratiOO If fhis pJap he mt int eff