Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-13

game and inland fisheries and the COM
mission of fisheries.
The department Of highways sees
only two changes. The commission
would be appointed by the governor
and the chairman would be known as
the State highway commissioner, for
uniformity with other commissioners.
The bureau of insurance and the
division of banking of the State cor
poration commission would be consoli-
dated into the department of corpora
| tons. The commissioner of insurance
and the chief examiner of banks would
then be abolished. The indus rial COM
| mission and the bureau Q labor
would be put in one Office.
The committee recommended that
the legislative reference bureau be
merged with the department of law, to
be known as the division of IegiSla-
tive drafting.
There is constitutional amendment
already proposed, the report said, to
abolish the Office of commissioner of
state hospitals for the insane. The
governor would appoint the commits
sioner of public welfare instead of hav.
ing him appointed by the board of
public welfare. The committee recon-
mended that the boards of directors of
the four State reformatories be merged
into one board Of five.
Local Government Plans.
In the field of local government the
committee recommended that the con-
stitution be amended so as to permit
the General Assembly by general law
to authorize an optional form Of
county government to be submitted to
popular vote.
Tho
virginia, the report said, was estt-
mated at approximately $28, 900, 900.
Lack of State supervision over such
Indebtedness, said the report, causes
the counties to pay high rates of in
terest for funds. Adequate State
supervision, without impairing the
principle of disagreement and with
out in any way obligating the State,
should be established, it was recon-
mended. If established, the report
said, the annual savings to the tax
payers of the counties through q
credit improvement would be larger,
perhaps as much as / per cent, or
$4,000
1t was also recommended that no
city have more than one collector of
taxes. The city treasurer, under the
recommendation, would collect all local
as well as all State taxes which are
collectable locally.
The committee recommended enact
ment Of a statute requiring proper
audit of all school funds and accounts
in cities by the city auditor or city
controller. All school funds and &C.
counts should clear through the city
auditors office or the city controllers
Office. the committee recommended. 1t
proposed that all school properties in
cities be made to stand in the name of
the city owning them and not in the
name Of the school board. It recon-
mended that the constitution be
amended so as to authorize the Cen
eral Assembly by general law to per-
NIT any city to exempt from local
taxation, in whole or in part, for
period not exceeding Ave years, the
land, buildings and machinery Of any
new manufacturing plant which may
locate therein.
Constitution Report Near.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
RICHMOND, Va, February H.
Gov. Byrd's committee of five appoint.
ed to suggest amendments to the State
constitution is preparing to submit its
report. At least so changes will be
recommended, it is said. Judge r. r.
Prentis of the State Supreme Court is
chairman of the committee.