The diamond drill., 1921-04-16

bill to create the department. Uf indus
try and labor and II now goes to the gov
ernor. The measure nearly went into
the discard IN the senate because OF
efforts TO make the salaries OF tho
three department commissioners o..
900 a year. The salaries are left at
1 $4,000 In the bill az adopted.
Another salary argument IL In pro-
gress among senators over bill In.
troduced by Senator Brewer to have
the auditor general. state treasurer
and secretary OF state paid t2.500 q
year extra compensation for their SER
vices ON the state administrative
board. Their salaries now are $4,000.
Auditor Genera; Fuller has stated that
he does not believe such extra pay
ment would be legal unless voted by
the people and that he would not &C
cept Il from the Legislature.
The house has reconsidered the vote
by which II failed to pass the bill In
creasing mothers pensions and tabled
the measure for future reference.
HEARING ON UTILITIES elLL.
With legislative lines tightening In
anticipation OF the rush that will pre-.
cere the closing days of the session q
few weeks hence. the fate OF the mum.
erous public utilities bills before both
houses Is beginning TO attract much
attention. This week there will be
held big public hearing on all those
measures and Immediately afterwards
will como the tug-ofwar which viii
settle the utilities legislation OF the
present session.
Held In committee since the session
was young are two bills. one In the
senate and one In the house. which
would strengthen the power OF the
state public utilities commission to a
considerable degree. The senate bill
was introduced by Senator Don Os-
born. OF Kalamazoo, and the house bill
by Rep. Rafoe. Of Alpsna. Both bills
have drawn the fire OF the League OF
Michigan Municipalities and the effect
was observable when the Osborn bill
was reported out finally to the senate.
Amendments made to Il aim to safe
guard all franchise agreements still
In existence between municipalities
and utilities corporations: to have
local representation for the state utili.
ties commission where that 10 deemed
necessary: to place bus lines under
the control of the state commission:
and to exclude Highland Park from
the jurisdiction OF the commission.
The city OF Detroit already was ex.
empted. The prospects are that the
big battle will come over the Osborn
bill and that the house will mark time
until the senate disposes OF 1t. II the
senate adopts the Osborn bin the
house may consider It in connection
with the Dafoe bill.
RAISE ROAD BOND INTEREST.
The house killed the bill to increase
bill to place Tuscola county with
I.apeer In one judicial circuit and
leave Huron and Sanilac TO form an.
other. The senate also adopted the
vandsnboom resolution calling on
Congress to speed up the lakes-to-
ocean waterway project as n means OF
relieving the congested transportation
situation in the central western states
The house has approved the plan TO
make a rate OF interest OF FIVE and one
half per cent on good roads bonds In.
stead OF Ave per cent. in order to
make the bonds more attractive to
investors. The bill providing for this
also permits the issuance OF maxi
mum OF ten millions OF dollars worth
OF road bonds annually and places the
financing In the hands OF the state
administrative board.
Election bills designed to help the
election commission In Detroit. adopt
ed by the house. permit the city cleo
ton commission TO determine TO
whom chailengers' cards shall be is-
sued: to fine election officials who fail
to show UP for duty without giving
advance notice; and TO provide for
more complete information from per-
sons registering.
The senate has passed the Wood
bill TO restore party snrollmsnts and
the Smith Joint resolution to submit
an amendment allowing cities to &C
uuire for park purposes BY condsmna-
tion an excess amount Of land. The
arst conferences OF the session be-
tween the two houses were over
minor measures. one raising fees paid
by notaries In applying for commits.
sions and the other q nsh bill
WOULD AeoLlsH BOARD.
Much interest attaches TO a Joint
resolution introduced by Rep. Liddy.
OF Detroit. proposing TO amend the
state constitution 90 40 TO remove the
clause requiring that a county retain
member Of the state house OF re-
representatives. ~ II has a moiety OF the
required population under the last
census. This would ailot house mem.
berships on straight population
basis and Wayne county would secure
40 10 81 members under the apportion.