Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-05
Judiciary Comm.
Considers Changes
Sought in Act
Mothers Pensions

A variety of small matters occu-
pied the attention of the committee
on judiciary from 2 to 4 T. NJ. We'd
nesday. The first matter taken up
was that of bill amending the
charter of the East Maine Confer
ence Seminary at Bucksport Albert
f Morris of Bangor, was the only
one to appear in the matter. He ex-
planned that the change was made
necessary by the merger of the East
Maine and Maine State Methodist
conferences. White the seminary
| corporation was separate and dis
! tinct from the conference under it's
charter the East Maine conference
had voice in the selection of it's
| trustees. This change would trans
fer that power to the Maine confer
enCe.
CRUDE B. Cornish, secretary of the
State Board of Charities and Correc-
tions, appeared before the committee
in support of a bill making three
changes in the statute relating to
mothers pensions. The first change
would require that all places make
, quarterly reports TO the board as to
the condition of mothers receiving
aid. This was a rule, at present
made by the beard, but about n
small places failed to observe it. 1t
was thought that if put into the law
it would be effective.
Answering questions by Represen-
tative Hamilton he said that this had
, nothing to do with the granting of
aid. That there were 1911 cases now
waiting for approval by the board.
This was withheld because there
| was no money to pay the aid.
Another change urged was that
instead of the town paying the aid
and being reimbursed for one half
by the State, as now provided, the
State pay the aid and then collect
one half from the town. The reason
was that this would give more
prompt relief. In some of the small
places, he said. there was a tendency
to hold up paying the aid and so
much hardship was caused. This
was especially true where there was
question as to the residence Of the
mother
He cited enc case where father
was sent TO States prison. The
mother and children were destitute.
yet because of 4 question of legal
residence aid was withheld several
months.
Had the law been as proposed by
the change this could not have oc-
cured said Mr.. Cornish. He explain
ed that this had absolutely no bear
ing on the question granting requests
for aid. Not one had been approved
since last July. None would be I'M
ii! there was money provided to
meet the expenditures. Answering
inquiries by the committee he said
that perhaps so places delayed in
paying aid after the claim was ap-
proved by the State board.
Senator Anthoine of Cumberland
explained the reason for the bill CIV
ing the state of Maine and the trus-
tees OF the Gorham Academy author
ity to exchange deeds of real estate.
Back in 1878, he said, the trustees
decided a parcel of land to the State
for educational purposes. 1t being
understood that the land might be
used In connection with the Gorham
Normal school. No such use had ev-
er been made. Now the town desired
to erect a school house on the land.
The State was willing. but under the
deed Of gift it could not be done.
This legislation would allow the
state to deed back the land and then
accept a new deed of gift carrying
the desired rights. John Alden of
Gorham spoke along the same lines.
Representative Brown of Bethel
told the committee that all there was
to the bill permitting a change of
Gould's Academy of Bethel was the
right to drop the possessive from the
title so that its name would be
Gould Academy" not 'Goulds Acad-
emy."
Mary w. Iibbey, superintendent Of
the wornan's reformatory at Show
fegan. was the only person to speak
for or aginSt the bill amending the
law regarding penalties for escaping
inmates of that institution. She said
that under the present law an In
mate could be punished for only one
escape. This punishment was an adj
ditional years confinement in the re-
formatory. After that they might
escape dozen times and there could
he no penalty imposed. The bill I'M
der consideration permitted punish
ment for each offenSe.
In reply to questions by Rep.
Nichols, Miss Libby aid that under
law creating the reformatory the
board of trustees had the power to
transfer an inmate to the States
prison; and to keep her there so
long as their judgement deemed It
necessary. even to the full term for
which she was committed to the in
ST utiOn. Rep. Nichols EXPRESSED the