The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-07
DRASTIC CHANGE
IN Government
URGED FOR CITY
Former Judge of Appellate
Court Says ConSoIida-
ton Is Necessary.

Sweeping change in city. township
and county government through
elimination and consolidation of Of
fees to gain increased efficiency and
economy was advocated today by
Elmer Q. Lockyear, until recently
Indiana Appellate court judge and
now associated in practice of law
with Seth s. Ward with Offices at
704 Fletcher Trust building.
Curtailment of the Jurisdiction OF
justices Of peace to prohibit civil &C
tons being taken is their courts is
included in the recommendation
made by Lockyear.
Duplication of governmental
functions by city and county officers
in Marion county was cited by Lock
year as offering an opportunity for
consolidation similar to the plan fol-
lowed in. st. Louis where county Of
flcers also direct municipal affairs.
OutgrOwn for Years
Constitutional offices provided
years ago have been outgrown I'M
der the increase in our highway
system and methods of transporta-
ton Lockyear declared.
An example of this is to be
fond in the office of justice of
peace. Years ago travel to county
seats required hours for the trans
action Of even minor legal matters.
The location of the justice of peace
in the township was a necessity.
Nowadays, when an entire
county can be covered in less than
an hours time, and with the facili-
ties provided in municipal courts,
the justice Of peace only dupl-
Gates. in a much less efficient man
ner the junction of municipal
Courts.
Rests on Legislature
In city courts, parties in any
action have the benefit of judges
with full knowledge of law. The
justice OF peace is not expected or
required to have the legal training
necessary for occupancy of the
bench.
In my opinion, the solution of
this problem rests with the legis-
lature, where the jurisdiction of the
justice should be curtailed to APP
proximate that of a notary public.
Because 1t is constitutional Office,
the justice can not be eliminated
entirely.
ITO put them on a fee basis en-
tirely, and restrict their activities
to administering oaths, handling
deeds and mortgages and perhaps
retaining for them the right to per-
form marriage ceremonies, would
remove the conflict with municipal \
courts"
Willing to Lend Aid
Lockyear declared that he would
be willing to assist in drafting a bill
covering his suggested changes for
introduction to the general as
sembly.
In city the size of Indian
apolis, where the city limits reach
nearly to county limits, there can be
numerous offices consolidated with
tremendous saving to taxpayers"
Lockyear continued.
Police functions can be vested in
either the sheriff or chief of DO
lice, which would eliminate the con-
flict in authority that now exists
with each refusing the act within
the others jurisdiction.
Likewise the county commission
ers and the city board of works
could be consolidated. So could ths
county auditor and the city con-
troller, the county and city school
superintendent, county highway SUI
perintendent and city street COM
missioner.
AssaiIs Outward Ideas"
Elimination of the city treasurer
by including his function in that
OF the county treasurer has proved
satisfactory, so there appears no
reason why the same plan might not
be extended throughout our govern
mental system.
Personnel, records and equip
ment are duplicated at present, at
terrific cost to taxpayers, who,
however, fail to receive any addi-
tional benefit from their extra Of
f1cers and employees.
In the interest of economy and
efficiency, we should place our gov
eminent on the basis of modern needs
rather than continue with a top
heavy, outmoded machine of 1900
vintage" Lockyear asserted.
GRAND IIIpX Tn DDnDE