The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-21

| picked from members in either de- partment who have seen 10 years service or more were next heard. Senator Culhane said that for the benefit of the morale of both de- partments the bills should be passed.
 Mayor Frank Hayes opposed the bills. "These bills were not sub mitted to me or to the boards of fire and police commissioners" he said. We have had the same boards for the past eight years and they have conducted the affairs of the fire and police departments ill satisfactory manner. If the ad- ministration had not carried out its work satisfactorily it would not have been returned to office so many times. I do not see why any department should be hampered by such legislation. Not one elective officer has been consulted on these bills and the board of aldermen has not seen them."
 Praises Departments
 Controller Leary also opposed the bills. "The men of the fire and po- lice boards are of a high caliber," he said. "These crack-pot bills should not be given any consider ation. The fire and police depart mentS of Waterbury stand out in Connecticut for their efficiency"
 Representative Daniel J. Maha- ney said that he had served on the fire board for some time and that the board was an efficient one. Cor poration Counsel Charles s. O'Con- nor said the selection of officers in either department should be left to the discretion of the boards.
 Representative William H. Hin dinger of Hamden, member of the committee, asked why the bills were no good. Because home rule is the best thing for any community" replied Mayor Hayes. "The local boards arc best fitted to pass upon the qualifications of officers in the fire and police departments than persons from out of town,' he added.
 No Opposition
 Nobody opposed the bill increas- ing the number of sergeants and lieutenants in the police depart ment. Waterbury, Superintendent of Police William J. Roach in formed the committee, has fewer officers than any other department its size in Connecticut. He pointed out that the addition of such squads as the accident prevention squad has made the necessity for more officers apparent. The putting of radios into the police cars was pointed out by him as another step towards increasing the efficiency of the department.
 "Plans to improve the police de- partment service were laid over a year ago." said Controller Leary, "and the addition of more officers completes the picture. Those who were at first antagonistic to the ad- dition of the officers have come around to see the good in the idea"
 Town Chairman Upson spoke for the bill. T have the utmost of con- fidence in the Waterbury police de- partment and am in favor of this bill" he said. Mayor Hayes re- ferred to Roach as a "superinten- dent second to none. Representa- tive Mahaney went on record as be- ing in favor of the measure.
 Agreement
 Mayor Hayes and Town Chair man Upson agreed on the bill re- quiring that minority member of the board of aldermen shall be placed on the board of finance. Al- derman c. Arthur Dubois also spoke in favor of the bill.
 Alderman DuBois pointed out that the minority members of the board of aldermen lack information as to what goes on in the finance board. He said he would favore increasing the size of the board to eight menl- bers. There are now six members on the board. exclusive of the mayor, controller and president of the board of aldermen. Mayor Hayes said he had no objection to the bill and sug. gested that Corporation Counsel Charles s. O'Connor draft e new bill providing for enlargement of the finance board.
 Taken up next was the 6. o. D. town committee bll lrequirlng the controller to post for public inspec- ton once . month Q record of the clty's disbursements. He naios ki opening his remarks. that he wua one of the few republicans present at the hearing. "You mean you are ono Of the few rnpubllcnnn in WA~