District Court Bill to Fit Only 2 Cities

Camden Courier-Post – February 6, 1933

Bleakly Amending It to Apply to Camden and Trenton Alone

Amendment of his city district court bill to apply only to Camden and Trenton in order that opposition in other sections of the state will be overcome is being considered by Assemblyman F. Stanley Bleakly, of Camden.

The measure, now before the Legislature,would take from city district court judges their power of appointing court employees.

In Camden this applies to Judge Frank F. Neutze, a Democrat. Such power would be placed in the hands of municipal governing bodies. In discussing the bill Bleakly said that he introduced it at the request of the Camden City Commission as an economy measure. He contended it would save the city $5400 a year.

"It is only fair," he declared, “that the city governments, which must foot the bill for district court expenses, should have some control over how many employees are appointed for Political Purposes.

“Let me say now that this is no ripper legislation. It is not motivated for political purposes; it is purely an economy and home rule bill, like the bills to lift mandatory appropriations.

“The Camden city district has 11 employees. Courts in other sections of the state fewer

“The City Commissioners saw in this difference a chance to economize, but under the law they were powerless to do anything.

“As originally introduced, the bill applied to all district courts, county and city alike. Because there are less employees in courts elsewhere in the state and because the situation is entirely different than it is here, certain objections were raised. Therefore, I have drawn up amendments.

“These amendments, in addition changing the act so that it would so apply only to cities of the size of Camden and Trenton, protect those now employed in the district court.

Such protection was not provided in the original bills.

“Under the amendment, any changes in the personnel of the Camden district court will be made in accordance with the civil service list.

In other words, the only ones to go would be the last ones taken on, regardless of their politics. If the bill goes through there will be just as many or within one as many Democrats as there will be Republicans.

To Retire Hillman

“It is planned, I understand, to retire Edwin A. Hillman, clerk of the court and a Republican, who has been ill for some time. His salary is $3000 and his pension of $1200 would mean a net saving of $1800 to the city.His successor would be chosen strictly on civil service qualifications,not through politics.

"The dropping of one clerk and two sergeants-at-arms at $1200 a year each would mean another saving of $3600, or a total of $5400. Those that would go would be the newest ones on the civil service list."

The present district court setup shows six Republican and five Democratic employees. In addition to Hillman, they are William Sauerhoff, Clemson England, Benjamin Manning, Republican sergeants-at-arms; Edward Dennis, Edward Martin, Harry Daily, Democratic sergeants-at-arms; Charles Ferat, assistant of clerk, Republican; John Bissinger, small claims clerk, Democrat; Imlay Binkert, deputy clerk, Republican, and Frank Suttill, clerk, Democrat.