The Penn's Grove record., 1921-04-15
Control Too 0ne-Sided to Make
Legislatures Closing Hours
the Usual Wrangle.
HAD TO WORK OVERTIME
One Mill Tax, Reassessment n
Building Probe Pass-Highway
Bond and Open Paving
Bills Fail.

QltV or the senate tlc yin
forthwith legislature adjourned sine
die Friday night five hours after the
hour originally set for the final rap OF
the gaveI. The threatened jam OF bills
at the last minute failed TO materiailze,
the senate having notified the house
shortly after 8 o'clock that no more
bills would be given consideration.
The house In turn shut down on senate
measures.
shortly before s o'clock a senate
messenger arrived in the house with a
resolution calling for immediate ad-
iournment sine die. A committee OF
members from both houses called
uDon the governor and informed him
that the legislature was awaiting ms
pleasure. He told the senatorial com
mittee that he might find 1t necessary
within a month to call that body into
session to act upon an appointment OF
a state superintendent of police TO car
nv out the provisions of the state con-
stabulary law.
The committees then returned 10
their respective houses, and a moment
later Speaker Hobart marched the
members of the house through h cor
ridors. singing AUD Lang Syne,' to
the senate chamber. There he inform
ed President Allen that the house was
prepared to adjourn sine die. Mr.. Al
len tapped the gayel for the last time
and announced the one hundred ana
forty-fifth legislature at an end.
With Senator Runyon leading, the
members of the two houses then join
ed in singing My Country, 'Tis of
Thee" There's a Long, Long Trail
and AUD Lang Syne.' Mr.. Runyon
then sang The End of a Perfect Day"
Adjournment was preceded in the
house by much horse play. Speaker
Hobart, ordinarily stern in keeping or
der, allowed a free rein, and the mem
bers of the lower house acted like
schoolboys. The strain of the final
week was over, and in cleaning out
desks the members seemed to want to
see just how far they could throw the
waste paper and books. Resolutions
were passed in both houses thanking
every one, from the printer to state
officials, for courteous and helpful
consideration.
Action on important Measures
Except for the disposition of a few
major measures, save for the last day,
there was little of importance done in
the closing hours. open specifications,
soldiers preference, extension of the
powers of the State Tax Board, con-
tinuance of the l mill tax for road con-
struction and investigation of Morris
canal properties and building cOndi-
tiOns led the calendar. All but the
first named issue had the support of
both houses. The assembly unani-
mOusly favored open specifications for
road work, but the senate for the sec
Ond time this year voted it down.
The last day, too, saw the s50,0OO,-
900 road bond bill die with the senate.
Strenuous efforts put forth by propo-
mi of the plan to have the bill re-
leased from committee failed. On top
of its failure to put owe the road bond
bill, the 500 mile road program which
calls for work in 10 counties at an es-
timated cost Of s50,OOO,OOO, was pass
ed by both houses and sent to the gov
ernor.
Daylight saving also died with the
senate. All efforts to get Senator
Sturgess of Gloucester to report the
bill out of committee failed. He an
nounced that he a prepared to take
tho nSnnnSihilit for itc 6nofh M
S~turgess IN from a rural county,
where the population is opposed to the
measure. The house had passed the
bill early in the session. Only munich
palities that pass local ordinances will
have an hour extra daylight this sum
mer.
Passage of Road Tax Bill
Refusal of the senate to concur in
the $50,000,000 bond bill left the state
for the moment without any method of
raising future funds to proceed with
road work. The house held the whip
2S3. This bill, in committee since
February Is, provided that the / mill
tax on real and personal property for
the construction of public roads be
continued. The act previously provid-
ing for this tax expires this year. The
state gets $3,500,000 annually from
this source.
When hope was abandoned in the
senate in the afternoon of putting over
the big bond bill a hurry call was sent
to the house leaders for action on
house 2S3. The lower branch had been
a bit worried for fear the senate
would force adjournment before the
house was ready. To guard against
this Majority Leader Rowland and
Speaker Hobart placed house 2S3 at
the bottom of the calendar. When all
else was done they moved its passage
and sent it TO the senate. There was
no delay in that body in adopting the
bill.
Record on Open Specifications
Attempts to amend a bill at the last
,-oan j. a.l4u % rnaIya ;t nrartSaa1Ip