Smyrna times., 1923-01-24
MAY GIVE WIVES RIGHT TO LIVE
APART FROM THEIR HUSBANDS
THAT is If REPRESENTATIVE
FRANK COLLINS BILL PASSES
Lawyers, However, Express the Belief
1t Will Complicate Matters-Bills
Passed By the Legislature


Representative Collins introduced
bill in the House Thursday, which, if
it becomes a law, would give married
women the right to select their own
residence, regardless of where their
husbands live. The bill, it is under
stood, is advocated by Mrs. William S.
Hilles. It contains but one paragraph
and reads as follows: 1.-THE domicile
of married woman shall be deter
mined as if she were a fema SOLE"
("Fema sole" means "single woman.")
Mr.. Collins also introduced a bill to
amend the Orphans Court law rela-
tive to appointment of guardians. 1t
would give a minor over IA years of
age the right to choose a guardian and
provides that the court, if there be no
just cause to the contrary, shall ap-
point the person so chosen. The bill
also contains this paragraph: "When
a minor is under IA years of age or is
a resident out of the State, or neglects
to choose proper guardian, the court
may appoint a guardian according to
its discretion" A favorable report
was submitted by the committee on
Senator Viven's bill, giving the wo-
men of Bridgeville the right to vote
at town elections there, and at the re-
quest of Senator Viven, the rules were
suspended to permit early passage of
the bill, so the women may vote at the
election to be held there on February
5. The bill was passed by the Senate
and sent to the House for concurrence.
In the Senate Thursday morning the
House substitute to Senator Ridgely's
bill, permitting the town of Wyoming
to collect additional taxes up to $4,000
for public improvements, instead of
$4,000, as at present, was passed.
Senator Simonton's bill for the exten-
sion of the time for filing incorpora-
tion papers of corporations created by
act of the Legislature was passed by
the Senate. He explained that his in
terest in the bill was at the request of
the Brandywine Trust Co., the filing
time of which concern had expired.
Senator Cam introduced a bill, to pro-
vide State aid to counties for road
construction. Under this law all coun-
ty roads connecting with state high
ways will be entitled to State aid.
Under the existing law only roads
running in a generally east or west
direction are entitled to state aid. Sen
ator Viven took occasion Thursday
morning to congratulate the Senate on
the fact that the present body is the
most harmonious one of which he has
ever been a member.
Merger of Commissions
The first of the bills providing for
the consolidation of the various well
fare commissions in this State was in
troduced in the House Thursday morn
ing by Representative Holcomb. 1t
provides for the merging of the Child
Welfare Commission, the Mothers
Pension Commission, the tuberculosis
Commission and the State Board OF
Health into the State Health and Wei
fare Commission. Should this bill be.
come a law, all of the commissions
specified above would be abolished and
the work they have been performing
would be taken over by the new com.
mission created in this new bill.
More Pay For Kent Deputy Sheriff
Representative Hansen, presented Z
bill Thursday morning providing fol-
an increase of $500 a year in the pay
of the deputy sheriff of Kent county
He is now paid 5000, but under the
bill will get $1,000 for the next tive
years. The increase is warranted, i
is said, because of the increased du
ties of the officer, brought about b!
the continued efforts of the authoritie.
to round up the increasing number O.
bootleggers plying their trade in Ken
cunty. A letter was received from
Sinepuxent Tribe, No. 16, Red Men, o
Whitesville, protesting against tn
merging of the Mothers Pension Com
mission with any other commission
James T. Birmingham is the autho
of the letter for the tribe.