The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-08
HOUSE APPROVES
PENSION MEASURE
Continued From Page O1ne)

raised to the measure in its pres
ent form.
The state retirement system to
be set up under the legislation re-
quires a four per cent contribution
by employees to be matched by the
state. Maximum benefits would be
approximately so per cent of the
employees salary upon retirement
at 60. The plan would 60 into ef-
feet July l.
Both houses received bills, spon-
sored by the administration, to
provide housing authorities for
slum clearance in rural areas and
for low-paid workers on national
defense projects.
Measures to expand the scope OF
the unemployment compensa-
ton law to include firms with five
or more employees and increase
benefit payments were introduced
in both houses. The existing law
covers only firms with eight or
more employees.
The senate ordered ratified into
law a bill to permit a divorced
woman to assume either her maid
en- name or the surname of a for
mer husband who had died.
The Gobble bill to end the re-
quirement that persons taking oath
must kiss the Bible was passed by
the house and sent to the senate.
Discussion was started in tn e
senate on a Broughton-sponsored
measure to establish a statewide
farm marketing system. Action
was deferred, however, after Sena-
tors Gray of Forsyth and Clark OF
Bladen had questioned provisions
of the bill exempting from taxa
ton any bonds issued by the mar
keting authority.
Consideration was postponed I'M
til Thursday on the Leary bill to
permit judges to impose life terms
in capital cases when juries so re-
commend.
The house judiciary committee
number one resurrected a much
buffeted bill to give bus companies
rights of eminent domain in &C.
quiring sites for union stations.
The committees favorable report
sent the measure back to the floor
of the house which a week ago
tabled the bill.
A plea for immediate action on
the retirement bill, voiced by Rep
resentative Arch Allen of Wake,
touched off a protest from Repre-
sentatives Allsbrook of Halifax and
Pearsall of Nash. Pearsall said he
thought the measure ought to 60
back to committee but would not
insist. He and Allsbrook served no.
tice that they would submit a sup
Elemental bill.
Allsbrook explained that the
principal objection was to a pro-
vision that local units providing
school supplements must pay the
states share" into the retirement
program for any salaries p a
teachers above the state standard
level for eight months.
Sharp debates broke out in both
houses over two proposed court re-
forms. BY a vote of 81 to "a the
lower house rejected an amend
ment by Representative Halstead
of Camden to make optional
whether the Bible was kissed. An
effort by Hatch of Wake and I'm
derwood of Hartford to kill the Pc
rennial Bible-kissing bill lost, 52-37.
The measure was finally passed
and sent to the senate.
The senate, by a vote of 16 to
"a, failed to pass the Funderburk
bill to provide for continuance of
any court cases In which legisla-
tors were involved. Senator Gay of
Northampton told the senate that
there was no necessity" for the
bill. Senator Funderburk denied
the measure would be lob
.oxious' to judges.
A bill to raise the compulsory
attendance age limit from
IA to 16 years was introduced by
Representative Wallace of Johns
ton. 4