New Britain herald., 1925-01-07


 power to limit the weight of vehicle oh different classes Of roads and | restrict their speed so as to ore serve the highways for the use C the largest number and to safe guard travel It is certainly impos sible for the state to build all of it highways so that each can carr maximum loads. This would be
 tremendous waste Of money. Pos sibly you can devise classified ton of our highways which woul limit our expenditures on certai roads. It is said that ninety per cen Of the traffic can be we'll served b macadam road, while ten pc cent demands higher type pave , ments, It seems reasonable that tn cost of building the higher type O pavement should be distribute, among those vehicles which requir, the additional strength. The who'll subject of motor transportation ant the building of roads to meet tn, demand Is one requiring your mos careful consideration.
 In addition to the. main trunl lines 1t is most important to de velop the so-called state-aid ant second class roads. There is nothinl which is of greater benefit to those citizens who live in small communi, ties which do not happen to be or the main arteries of traffic,
 Another serious question de. manding your attention is whether the frequent use of our roads by the commercial vehicles of neigh boring states is a proper burden for our citizens to bear. Every large city in the states north and east of us maintains daily truck service across Connecticut to New York city. It seems to me that permitting commercial vehicles to use our roads free of expense places an un- necessary burden on our taxpayers. The passage of legislation to remedy this situation is recommended.
 Department of Labor.
 Our State Department of Labor has become increasingly useful and efficient in dealing with the diverse and perplexing questions that arise between employers and employees. In this age of machinery the safety of tn public demands that adequate at tention be paid to such matters. Our inspectors are recognized both by manufacturers and operatives as be- ing of genuine service in promoting justice and happiness.
 Norkmen's Compensation Act.
 It appears that the Workmen's Compensation Act passed by the General Assembly some ten years ago has been of great benefit and has relieved much suffering and im- proved the conditions of employment very materially. During the past two years the insurance companies, and self-insurers, report having paid out to sufferers something over five mil- lion dollars. The act at present ex- cludes from its benefits many citizens who work for employers who do not come under its provisions. It ap- pears, however, that a considerable number of such employers, realizing the mutual advantages of the act, have voluntarily insured their em- ployes against misfortune. With better understanding of the advan- tages of this law, you may well con- sider the advisability of extending its provisions so that it shall cover a larger number of employees than are at present protected.
 Insurance Commission.
 The insurance interests of Connec- ticut are among its most important industries. There is no state in the Union which offers to so many thou. sands of people all over the world a greater assurance of production and assistance in times of disaster and misfortune. We are most fortu- nate in having so many great com panies located here. Not only do they furnish thousands of our citi- zens with attractive employment, they also bring into our state a large amount of capital and very material iy assist our taxpayers in sharing the burdens of State Government. Our Insurance Department recognizes these facts and desires to foster these enterprises and be of the utmost as- sLstance to thm.
 Public Utilities.
 Our Public Utilities Commission has performed its duties ably and II is in effect d court for the hearing Of special class of cases. It should be given control over the operation, within the bor- ders of this state, of interstate trans portation by public service motor ve- hicles. This will require the clarify- Ing and strengthening of the present status. Street railways should be obliged to procure a certificate of public convenience and necessity be- fore being permitted to operate in ?ew and unchartered territory. This . would be a protection not only to he public but to existing transpor- i ation faeilities, Street railway com oanies should be permitted 10 aban- lon nonpaying lines or portions hereof, subject to the approval of he Public Utilities Commission, after proper public hearings. Public scrv- ce motor vehicle transportation should in fairness to oth- # transportation agencies be re- luired to pay similar taxes.
 State Police.
 The organization of our State Po- ice Force has proceeded along sound ines. The necessity for such force s due in large part to the use of motor vehicles as aids 10 crime. Since criminal activities can now so 'asily be conducted on state-w wide ines, thus making it impossible for ocal police officers to control crime waves, it becomes increasingly m- ,ortant to have an efficient State 'orce. Furthermore, every one real zcs the need of traffic regulation on UT trunk lines, particularly at times when there is a tendency to abuse hn hOsnita1jtv nF thn Stofp Tn ,r;a.,, l