The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-10-16


W. 4. GAAtAED. Treasurer.
The following communication from the TTeasur-
er was read
TREAsURER's OYrIon, sncosD AarpaouALarY,1
NeWOneans, October "A, 1851.
10 ths Hon Recorder aAd ysaters Of ne Council 4o.
GeNTLRMEN-In reply to 4 resolution adopted
at the last sitting Of The Council, requiring the
treasurer TO report the causes which have de-.
layed the payment Of the wages Of the laborers
and employees OF the Municipality during the past
four months" beg leave respectfully to state,
that am not aware Of any rolls Of four months
standing remaining unpaid Your honorable body
IS aware that there is no authority in the Treas
urer TO adjust audit the accounts Of any one and
that consequently, il thers has been any delay in
the preparation Of the pay rolls, the responsibility
rests not with this Office. The practice Of the Office
IS to pay the pay rolls in the order as 10 time that
they are presented to this office. At the time Of
the passage Of the resolution Of inquiry, the only
pay roll in this office unpaid was one for laborers
employed under Mr. Gleason, in the month Of
August, and this roll was not audited until the 23d
OF September; so that il the Treasury had been
oVerhowlDg, il could not have been paid sooner
than that date The rest Of the pay rolls for laborers
employed in the month Of August were not ap-
proved Of by the Council until its sitting at which
the resolution Of inquiry was adopted, and the
treasurer has no authority 70 pay any thing with
out the order Of the Council these rolls could not
have been paid before the 9th Of October. As the
Treasurer has nothing to do with the preparation
OF the rolls, he cannot furnish any information in
relation to them, until they have been filed in his
ONCE Tor payment. Three pay rolls foE laboFers
lOr the month OF August were quilted for payment
on the Sin Of October, and are now in this Office,
and the first moneys received into the office will be
applied to their payment but the pay rolls for la
borers Except one FolD for the month of Septen-
Der have not, as yet, been fled in this Office.
That the receipts into the Treasury were
aFf1 1afn 90 49, u
i, was fact that | had presumed the Council was
fully aware Of. ! have not failed to communicate
this TACT to the different members Of the Council
whenever fitting opportunity offered and should
have laid i before the Council had mol the Council
on former occasion, when felt it my duty to call
attention 70 similar state Of things said i was
presumptuous interiere1oe on my part, and an at-
tempt 70 throw discredit on portion Of the Coun-
Gil. Having thus been admonshed bv the C0na-
olS did not feel at liberty to speak until I was
authorized,
Al this time there are pay rolls for the month o
August amounting 70 $3l52 As unpaid, and ns
part OF the rolls for September has been paid
The ordinary resources Of the Treasury will not b,
sufficient 70 meet these rolls during this month
and Il is to be hoped that the Council will proyd,
the necessary means Of meeting claims SO just, ang
the non.payment Of which is accompanied with 81
much OF hardship. One Of the principal causes o
the embarrassment Of the treasury is the difficulty
collecting the taxes, The law regards the tax Bill
of the Municipality simply as accounts, and if th,
parties refuse 20 pay, the Municipality, to eniorc
its claim, has to 20 through the tsdiousness Of ,
law suit. In the last annual report Of the Finauc
COMMITTEES it was deemed necessary to rais
$63O,0O0 by taxation, to meet the current wants .
the Municipality. OF this sum, there still ne
mains unsolicited S12l, AIS 67--a sum ampl
sufficient i it could be realized 70 relieve the Mu
niclpality from its pressing endorsements Ii
addllipn 70 thus 2 much larger amount Of the note
transferred 70 the liqnidatofs has been paid tha
was anticipated when the annual bndsat as mad
out keow Of no want Of efficiency on he par
of the officers charged with the collection Of "a
taxes; bnt the difficulty lies IN the siatunly DC
visions which regulate the collection Of the taxes
An amendment 10 tho laws, By which pfompte
collection Of taxes could be effected, would reliev
the Municipality from much embarrassment.
~ conclusion permit me to say, that | she'll !