New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-10-18
THE COMMON COUNCIL

IuG &ostuosN NOttS'b
Most of the business transacted b,
the common council last night calls
for obvious comment only. while one
matter discussed Is of considerable
importance as affecting future action
In the former category is the result
of the police investigation" turmoil
Some time ago the council, acting
against the recommendation of the
police commission, made ruling to
govern ages of appointees to the de-
partment. This ordinance did not
agree with the civil service rules UNI
der which the commission believed 1t
might act. Appointments were made
in accordance with the civil service
list of eigibles, the commission be-
lieving that action take nunder civil
service would be legal at that time.
The corporation counsel has
categorically and ruled naturally that
appointments made contrary to the
ordinance were illegal. The police
investigation" committees work Is
over without the committee having
done any work. The opinion of the
corporation counsel was referred to
the New Britain police commission for
!, thing hnS hopn done
without any police investigation
The result of the action of the council
in changing the age limit recommend
ed by the police board is. apparently,
to deprive the city Of the services of
one or more men who would be good
officers and who had intended to be-
come policemen and had made their
plans before the age limit was
changed. The trouble might have
been avoided by allowing year or
two to elapse before the ordinance
would become effective.
Some day the common council will
ing matter thoroughly before it
adopts ordinances seriously affecting
the conditions of affairs of board
the recommendation of which it
seeks to alter.
The important matter above re-
ferred to is in regard to the treat
ment to be accorded people who suf-
fer damages, especially to their auto
mobiles, because of defective streets.
The attitude of some members is that
no such claim should be paid no mat
ter how negligent the city may have
been. The attitude of others is to pay
some of the claims. In one case dis I
cussed last night the council rejected
a claim for damages caused by a |
trench across the road of which the
city had long notice; in another case
it allowed a claim for damages caused
by a raised manhole beyond which
was a hole some s inches deep. The
last action was a direct reversal of the
stand taken but a moment before.
The idea of declaring that the city
will pay no such claims is absurd.
Each claim must be considered by it.
self, the evidence sifted and the coDdi-
ton of the road taken into considera-
lion as well as the question of whether
or not the city had sufficient notice of
the alleged defect to make the city
liable. We have claims committee
which does the burdensome work of
hearing this evidence. 1t has the
benefit of the legal knowledge of some
Of its members and beneft of legal adj
vice of the corporation counsel. 1t is
absurd for the members of the COM
non council few Of whom have legal
knowledge and few of whom have
heard the evidence in the case, to set
themselves up as court of final re-
sort and make blanket ruling that
would reject all such claims. or TO
leclare that the carefully worked out
fndings of the claims committee are
wrong.
II is true that there may be many
.laims against the city to come before .