New Britain herald., 1927-02-12

alter cases" appears to have been we'll proven this week by Corpora | ton Counsel J. H. Kirkham, who, in a written opinion to the board | of fire commissioners relative to | eligibility of flremen as regards their ages, set forth that person is thirty-five years of age until the date of the thirty-sixth anniversary of birth rolls around. this opinion being in direct refutation of that which he gave about two years ago, when Joseph Ryan was prevented | from advancing from the substitute ranks to the permanent force be- cause he had passed his thirty-fifth | birthday. Ryan was a victim of circum- stances if ever there was one. He had reason to expect he would be appointed when the companies were being filled out at the time of the inauguration of the double platoon system in the department but the commissioners failed to name him and when their next opportunity arrived, he was said to have passed the age limit He was highly rec commended and had given excellent service in all the companies in which he had done substitute duty, yet he missed out by a few months.
 Is it any wonder, then, that the decision of the corporation counsel this week, came like a bombshell? Here are two applicants, both of whom have passed their thirty-ffth birthday anniversary, and they are appointed to the permanent force because the corporation counsel states they are eligible until they have reached the thirty-siXth anni- versary of their advent into the world. Persons who had no parti- cular interest in the Ryan case are aroused over the turn of events and according to reports about city hall, the last has not been heard of it.
 If this most recent opinion by the corporation counsel is to prevail, Ryan, who was barred from appoint ment because of the first opinion, Is entitled to an appointment without further delay. But for that opin- ion he would have had his place, a; as both opinions cannot be cor rect he should be compensated in the nature of an appointment. This is nothing more than fair play. It is not a concession to Ryan. It is unfair to keep him out of the de- partment while others, who were in the same position as he was as re- 'gards age eligibility, are being ad- mitted.
 It was with a great deal of sat isfaction that the Observer read of the decision of the board of police commissioners this week to pay more attention hereafter than has been paid in the past, to determin- ing the qualifications of applicants for appointment to the supernumer- ary branch of the police department before passing on them. If the prin- Ciple is adhered to, the calibre of the department is certain to i'm prove, and nobody in possession of authentic information bearing on the development of greater efticien- cy in this important department can gainsay the need of betterment. It is a fact that deficiency" as com- monly used is a more or less vague term, and it is also true that what one or more commissioners or pri- vate citizens consider efficiency, means just the opposite of another group. Nevertheless, if the commits sioners would concern themselves with learning to just what degree the applicants for policemen's jobs have familiarized themselves with the streets, public buildings, fac tories, etc., and to determining the