The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-09
New Measure Seeks Creation
 Of State Docks Commission
 With Representation Of One
 Member From Every District ONE TO FIVE YEARS TO BE TERMS OF OFFICE
Every improvement At Mobile
 Must First Be Given Ap-
 provaI Of Governor Before Work Of Construction Starts
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-H HERALD MOntgOmery. Ala. Aug. 6

The state harbor commission will be abolished and the work of con- structing state seaport at Mobile will be carried on by a state docks commission, composed of one person from the large and one from each of the 10 congressional districts. under substitute bill submitted to the house committee on rivers and harbCrs Wednesday afternoon. No vote was taken but the committee was requested to hold another meet ing Thursday morning in order that favorable report may be made on the bill during the session Thursday.
 Under the substitute Governor Brandon will name the first docks commission for terms ranging from one year to five years. At the eXpi- ration of the first terms the ap- pointees will serve for terms of six years.
 Governor Controls Veto.
 Several other amendments were adopted and will be included in the substitute, chief among them being the insertion of a proviso which will require the approval of the governor of all plans and all expenditures and all purchases. Governor Brandon must attach his approval to every plan before work can be started, and
  any action of the commission regard ing purchases and plans. Only one exception was made and this eXcep- tio1 will permit the state dc cks com mission to meet weekly payrolls dur ing construction work to an amount not exceeding 5000 without the ap proval of each pay roll. However, the docks commission must receive the approval Of the governor before starting the construction work repre- sented by the weekly pay roll.
 Opposition Dwindles.
 Opposition to the port enabling act, which will provide for the develop ment of . state seaport with state funds under the constitutional amend ment adopted last year. disappeared during the meeting. It had been reported that some members of the house felt that not enough safe guards had been thrown around the expenditure of state funds and would oppose the bill.
 Representative Mike Sollie of Dale, member of the committee on rivers and harbors and leader of an Crgani zation which has held nightly ses- sions for the study of the bills in- volving the expenditure of state funds, told the committee that the chief opposition came from those who felt that better protection should be placed about the state rev enue which will be obtained through the sale of bonds.
 Harry T. Hartwell. city commis- sioner of Mobile. and Harry T. Smith, attorney of Mobile, told the commit tee that they believed every possible safeguard should be provided and that no persons interested in the de- VelGpment of seaport wanted a loose handling of the funds and were anxious to approve any amendments which would afford this protection They requested that members of the committee make a close study of the bill with the view of placing these safeguards.
 SOIlie Favors Measure.
 Representative Sollie stated that he believed all oppC sition would be withdrawn and that the port en- abling act could be carried through the house without the protest of any number of members when the sug- geston had been compiled with. lie agreed to take the substitute bill and discuss it with those who have tn- dicated opposition since the original tSin was introduced and tC report to the rivers and harbors committee Thursday.
 Under the substitute no person owning or having an interest In property on the water front of Mo- , bile would be eligible for member ship on the docks commission and no member Cf the commission would be permitted to contract with the com mission for any work under the port ,1