New Britain herald., 1930-11-29

Continued From First Page) there was q case against the city CT not If there was case t was dis posed Of, and if not, il was sum- marily rejected.
 For some time past, however. Judge Gahney charged, the claims committee has received claims and at hearings the claimants have come in on crutches or canes. Attorneys have presented the distressing fea- lures of the cases and the sympa- thIes of the committee members have been appealed 10. Settlements for $500 or $500 have followed.
 A municipality should not con- duct is legal buslness in that man. Ter. Judge Gafney said The Con- nectlcut company, the \. Y, x. II.
 X II. F. R. Co. and similar cor porations who engage lawyers in different sections Of the state are willing to settle claims for nominal sums because they realize that the expenses of trials will run into money. They have no paid corpora ton counsel and consequently they invoke the nuisance value" theory as described
 kirkham ContradiCts Gaffney
 Corporation Counsel kirkham re- piled that the claims committee operates altogether differently than Judge Gafney had stated. Every element in the individual cases $ considered and the corporation counsel advises as to the legal phases, he said. Then decision made as to the advisa bilty of mak- ing settlement with the claimants out of court or running the risk of heavy damages being awarded by a court or jury Judge Gafney replied that the corporation counsel woul view the matter in q different light were he not the citys attorney
 The proposed amendment would not only exempt the city from lia- Dility in snow and ice cases but would provide exemption also in de- fective highway claims provided actual notice Of the defects had not been given 10 specified city officials at least 4 hours before the occur renee Of the accidents on which claims were based. In Massachusetts Corporation Counsel kirkham sad the municipalities are exempted and the records of the city Of Boston show that accidents on slippery side walks nave decreased noticeably since the exemption was provided He added that the fairest way Of exemptins municipalities was by state law rather than by charter provisions in individual cases.
 Action on the proposal was defer red until the next meeting because Mayor Quigley. who expressed him. self as strongly in favor Of ex- emption for the city at the last meeting, was unable to remain until adjournment.
 Annexation Progress
 Mayor Quigley reported progress on the matter Of annexing Maple Hill and Elm Hill 10 New Britain. He had q map showing the lines ot the territory which it is proposed 10 annex and informed the committee that residents of the section voted in favor Of the plan at recent meeting. President W. H. Judd of the board of finance and taxation said Harry II. Howard Of Maple Hill told him there were approxi- mately 1,200 inhabitant. in the af- fected district and Mayor Quigley said there was a school and q fire house included. Corporation Counsel kirkham said the grand list Of the town of Newington is s6.60000O and Mayor Quigley said about one-third of that amount of real estate is in the district.
 Mayor Quigley reported that the officials of Berlin have not yet been heard from with regard to the pro- posed annexation of part Of Ken sington but Senator Rogers Of Southington promised to confer with him today on the matter of an- nexing part Of Southington.