New Britain herald., 1928-01-07
HlD HEARINGS ON
 SALARY. INCREASES
Gum 0nnittae Sits on Pc
 Mek Rroa Gy Xortas

Atternay Emil !. Danberg. clerl Of the eity and police courts, re. Queats1 the common council com mittss on salarics It the meeting last evening. to take the necessary steps to place the stenosrapher in the office of the court on the regu- lar city payroll at . salary of t1.20o or thereabouta. and reduce his own salary from s2.600 to $2,000. or in- crease his salary to t3.000 and have him continue to pay the stenogra- pher. He said he had given con- Aderation to the matter of payment for clerical assistance and believed either of the suggested arrangements would be satisfactory. At present he pays the stenographer from his own income. but he seldom gives her work that does not pertain to the city and police court. In addition to his salary. he receives fees for naturalization papers and for com- piling reports on police court cases involving violations of the motor vehicle laws.
 Judge Y. B. Hungerford, speaking in support of . salary increase for Nr. Danberg, told the committee the clerks offlcs is conducted very ef- ficiently and If the clerk and stem egraDAer should leave for other work. 1t would be we'll nigh impos- sibls te replace them. He said every detail of the work of the clerkship of the court Is properly attended to. and the only reason more is not heard of MT. Danberg Is that he is too modest to assert his ability. Judee Hungerford gave figures showing . steady increase in the number of cases returned to the city court during tho past several years. h 1897. there were 1,064, exclusive entirely of the police court cases.
 Councilman Namuel sablotsky en- livened the session while Tax Col lector Loomis was being heard by declaring that the committee mem- bers should not concern themselves with the salary and wages of factory employees while considering requests Tor increases in the compensation of city officials and employees. What difference does 1t make if Lil Jones or some other factory office girl is 4etting such and such salary" he asked. eff the girls whose pay we are considering are deserving of mors money, let's give 1t to them. and K not. tell them 50. but stop this talk about tho pay factory peo- pls are getting. We hope conditions will not always be as they are at present In the factories"
 Councilman Gibney asked Council man Gablotsky whether the latter or Tax Collector Loorhis was requesting tho salary increases under discus sion. "Oh. you are going to tell me what shall say:" asked Councilman sablotsky. Councilman Larson raised . point of order and Councilman Maxon stopped The tilt by telling Councilman Sabiotsky he could air h.a views on the salary question at q later time.
 Loouis Praises Assistant
 Tax Collector Loomis urged that Mrs. Mae B. Jackson, deputy collec- tor. be given an increase from $l.- 500 to el,S00. She is very capable deputy, he said, but her salary does not compare with those of some fe- male employees in factory offices whose responsibilities are not greater than these of the position she fills. "A dishonest girl in my office could put mo out Of business in a week." he sAid. "Nrs. Jackson does her werk e we'll as 1t is possible for any human being to do 1t, and believe her salary should be increased" He 1 aloo sDoke in favor of increases from s2e to e33 per week for Misses Mar earsk Jackson and Evelyn Anderson. clerks In the ofkice.
 Mr. Loomis told the committee he was pleased when he learned that subcommittee were to make per sonal inspection of the various of- hces as he had been trying to bring this about for tho past several years, being certain that members of the common council did not know ef all the work done in the several de- partments. He was disappointed. however, at the failure of the com mittee members to visit his office. He said the only way they could Rrasp tho importance of the work of hts office and It's volume would be by making an inspection.
 Chairman R. E. Towers Of the board of public works spoke in favor of salary increases for Secre- tary George H. Johnson from B. 200 to S:.s0o, and Superintendent M P. O'Brien of the sewer depart raent from $3.foo to s3,4oo. Both arc efficient and in the opinion Of the board, should receive increases, the chairman said. He pointed out that Nr. Johnson will have more work when the new city engineer Is appointed, because the new man will take time to learn all the fea- lures of his work.
 Woods and Greenstcin
 Prosecuting Attorney J. C. Woods
  W. M, Greenstein outlined the duties of their offices and said the salaries are not commensurate with the in- creasing volume Of the work. MT. Woods salary Is s3.oo0 and MT. Greenstein's s1.5o0. Each asked an increase of $l.6Oo. Judge M. D. Saxe and Judge ". r. Mangan spoke briefly. the former saying he felt that Mir. Woods and MT. Greenstein are very capable and efficient of- ficials and should have salary in- : creases, while Judge Nangan de- clared that he would not take the { office of prosecuting attorney for 33.0N0 if he could have it, because , 1t is . difficult position 10 fill. He mentioned prosecutions for the of