The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-05-20
HIGHWAY BODY
UNDLSTURBED|
Energies From Assembly
With no Damage Despite
Bitter Assaults
BY J. c. BASKERVILLE
The TimeS-News Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

RALEIGH, May 20.-The state
highway commission not only
emerged from the protracted ses-
sion of the 1888 general assemb-
| ly unchanged, but with most of
! the new legislation advocated by
lit enacted, despite the fact that
it was subjected to one of the
most merciless commandments and
sniping campaigns ever seen dur
ing the first six weeks the gen
eral assembly was in session. But
this sharpshoOting, directed for
/ the most part at Chairman f. B.
Jeffress by the Fountain support
ers in the house because he had
supported Governor Ehringhaus,
gradually subsidized as the assem-
bly, got busy with other more i'm
| pOrtant matters and finally died
cut entirely.
about the only thing that
was not proposed concerning the
roads was to turn them back to
the counties" Chairman Jeffrcss
said. For no one wanted to
! saddle the expense Of maintain
ing the highways back on the
Taxpayers in the counties. But
they tried to do almost every
thing else to us. About the only
thing the general assembly did
| that win cause us additional ex-
Ipense without being Of any ma
terial benefit to us, was to give
! us the 30-day prisoners, as well
as the G0-day prisoners, as at
present"
Most of the legislation enacted
with regard to the state highway
commission has been of distinct
benefit to it and will strengthen
it, in the opinion Of Jcffress,
With the possible exception of the
provision in the appropriations
bill chat provides for the transfer
of 100000 from the highway
fund at the end Of the year. But
most people here doubt if this
provision will mean anything,
since surplus of $1,000,O0O II
year is not likely to be left in the
Highway fund.
The most important at affect
ing the state highway commits
sion was that which merged the
highway department and the
state prison into the new state
highway and public works COM
mission. thus coordinating both
the = highways and the prisons
under the direction Of a single
board and 4 single directional
head Under the former sct-up
the highway commission already
had charge of more than 1000
prisoners, so the general assem-
bly, thought it might as well put
all of them into It. Another rea-
son for the consolidation, of
course, was to transfer the eX-
pense> Of maintaining the state
prison system from the general
fund io the highway fund. Some
think this was the principal rea-
sen.
W Mle the general Assembly |
transferred the highway patro! |
from the immediate direction Of
the highway commission to the
motor vehicle bureau Of the de-
rartment of revenue, it will con-
tinue to carry out the same func-
tons and the cost Of its mainten-
ancc will continue 10 be paid for
from the highway fund, rs in the
past. This bill was not opposed
by the highway commission, but !
was, in fact, written in its legal
Some Of the important meas
ureS advocated By the state high
way commission and enacted in
to law, are:
The bill to tighten up on the
collection Of gasoline taxes and
to make evasion Of the gasoline
tax more difficult.
The bill to put restriction about
the testing and sale of gasoline,
designed to make gasoline boot
Logging and dilution more diff
cult.
The bill authorizing a board of
standards, to have
The power to fix the standards
for gasoline and motor fuels i'll !!