The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-04-23
Bright Commission Takes Up
Proposal to Consolidate Sew
eraI Departments
DILL ENTERS A PROTEST
Motor Commissioners Says Nothing to
Be Gained by Suggested Merger
State Highway Commission Elm
mates More Grade Crossings.

a means of reducing expenses of AID.
ministration and effecting a higher de.
gree of efficiency was suggested when
the Bright Legislative Investigating
Committee resumed its inquiry. AS
a 'feeler" to determine the sentiment
OF State officials concerning this pos
sible solution of many existing govern
mental problems, members Of the com
mittee discussed the feasibility OF con
solidating the Motor Vehicle Highway
and State Police Departments. Fol-
lowing a brief executive session. the
committee went to the Office of Com
missioner of Motor Vehicles Dill and
Senator Bright informed Mr.. Dill that
the committee had come to discuss
with him in a friendly way the prob
able effectiveness of a consolidation
of his department with several others.
In response to a question by Assem-
Commissioners Dill stated promptly
and emphatically that his department
should be maintained separately and
kept free of any afiliation with other
departments. He also insisted, reply
ing to further questioning. that there
Is no duplication Of effort and work
by these three departments and that
the work of his department is far too
important to be allied with any other.
Mr.. Loutrel asked Commissioners Dill
If the State police could not be effec-
lively employed in motor vehicle work
when not occupied with police duties.
Such a plan, Mr.. Dill replied, might
be successfully worked out, and Mr..
Loutrel referred to the fact that the
heads of the State police are now ask
ing for additional men to make posi-
BILE a more thorough patrol Of the
State. He expressed the belief that
If these men are provided all Of the
time might not be consumed in purely
police work.
1.-THE same plan" suggested Senator
Bright, might be applied also to the
fire v;ardens, because by placing them
under control of the State Fish and
| Game Commission they might be made
to fulfill the functions of game war
den, and thus possibly eliminate a
horde of people who are now on the
State payroll"
Senator Simpson inquired into the
manner in which the State Motor We
hicle department handles the millions
Of dollars which annually pass
through its hands. 1t was developed
that the departmental receipts for the
past three years were about $27.000.-
900 and that the audit Of these ac-
counts was carried out solely by the
State Auditors Department.
"Don't you think 1t would be wise
to have an outside audit nader SEN
ator Simpson asked.
"Pd be delighted to have it" re-
sponded Mr.. Dill.
The continued absence from the
| State OF Edward j. Kelleher. of Cam
den, clerk of the Supreme Court, was
one of the subjects of inquiry at this
session. The general administration
or the clerks Office, together with
two other subdivisions of the State
government, the Motor Vehicle De-
partment and the State Purchasing
Agent, underwent close scrutiny.
Testimony was offered to the effect
| that Mr.. Kellehers who receives a sal
airy of $4,000 a year, has not been in
his Office since last January, when
| he left to engage in real estate opera
lions IN Florida. It was explained.
however, that Mr.. Kelleher keeps In
touch with the office by mail and thai
his absence has in no way affected the
| efficient administration Of the depart
ment. In his testimony Rue Brear-
ley, chief clerk in the Office, told OF
being paid $500 as clerk to the State
Board Of Bar Examiners in addition
to his regular position. He said that
the clerks and other employees per
formed the work and that Mr.. Keile-
hers check is forwarded to him regu-
larly. He said it made no differences
at all whether the head OF the depart
ment was on hand and that no hard
ship existed because OF this situa-
ton" Brearley said the fees of the
ONCE amount to about 100000 q
year.
An unexpected twist was given the
proceedings when Senator Brfgnl
asked Commissioner Dill how many
re~ceiyerships he had had. MI. Dill
said that in all he had been appointed
in six instances, two of which did not
net him one penny, he added. Sena'
tor Woodruff inquired whether time
devoted to receivership work nigh.
not proftably have been devoted to
the department. Mr.. Dill said he had
no apologies to offer on that score,
adding that he works Saturdays and
holidays the year around, devoting
more time to his office than n other
departmental head in the State serv-
ice.
Joseph M. Coyle. Assistant Stats
Purchasing Agent. baked at cues
tions as to how much time Edward
Z. Grosscup, the purchasing agent,
spent in his once. Mr.. Coyle ex.
pressed the belief that the question
was unfair. since he was q subordi-
~