The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-08-31
70. TO 'ehosc order. When issued.
Total amt unlawful warrants, :. sI,7O7 49

Total amt unlawful warrants, :. $i,707 49
The above numbered warrants were issued
under the following circumstances: Nos |,
Is, As, l07, l23, 125, BID, 342 and 343 were is
| sued to certain persons called Road Mas
tiers, an office which appears to have been
created by the members of the late Police
| jury solely with a view to their own private
emoIllment Two out of the three were cleo
ted from among themselves, and we are in
formed that no duties were ever performed,
as such, by them Nos. and IS9 were is
sued to the parish Tax Collector by virtue of
! resolutions of the Police Jury appropriating
those amounts to him . for making q parish
assessment roll" We arc of opinion that the
Tax Collector is not entitled to compensa-
ton for performing that duty, and that those
resolutions are mere nullities. Nos. 81 1870
and l3l represent fraudulent claims of the
Chief Constable for services never performed
No. 5, to L. w. Mason for travelling expenses
TO Baton Rouge. We are of opinion that the
Police Jury are not justified i'll assuming to
defray the expenses of Mr.. Mason on Il self
imposed excursion to that city. No. 124, to
h. w. Mason, Parish Judge, for his fees in
criminal proceedings The law, we are in
formed, provides a salary for that officer and
fees i'll specified tcici eases only. We there
fore conclude that the appropriation of three
hundred dollars in favor of Judge Mason was
was without consideration aud unlawful.
Your committee would respectfully recon-
mend that a resolution be adopted by your
honorable body prohibiting the Tax Collec-
tor and the Parish Treasurer from receiving
any OF the above numbered warrants III pay
ment Of any parish tax, license or other dues,
and that the public be notified and warned
against trading for the same.
Second-We recommend the repeal of the
following resolutions of the Police jury, viz
EjpSf--'lfba raSoI1i4io1, ,,Io, fnl
allowing annually to the Sheriff one hundred
dollars for cleaning the Courthouse.
Second-The resolution 0dopted -, 1872,
allowing twenty-five dollars per month to
Rodolph Braud rs additional compensation
for performing the duties of Auditor.
Third-Tlle resolution adopted March 18th,
1873 appropriating five hundred dollars to
Z. f. Smith for the parish assessment roll.
The two first resolutions involve unneces-
sary expenditures, inconsistent with an eco
nonncal administration, and the third was an
purely gratuitous, unwarrant-
ed by amy existing law.
1nird-With reference to the "Consolida-
ted deb" of the parish represented by the
bonds above set forth, remaining unpaid, we
call the attention of your honor
able body to a resolution adopted by the late
Police Jury, prohibiting the Parish Tax Col
lector and the Parish Treasurer from receiv-
ing said bonds III payment of parish taxes.
We would also remark that since said bonds
were issued repeated decisions have been
rendered by the Supreme Court of tie State
declaring obligations of that character, is
sued without legitimate sanction, to be lille
gal and not binding. There exists now no
law, and none existed at that time, author
izing the Police Jury of Ascension to issue
bonds for any purpose whatever. In view of
these circumstances, we deem it our duty to
state that, in our opinion, the bonds in ques-
ton do not constitute part of the existing
valid indebtedness of this parish.
Fourh-At page Of this report il will be
seen that the total debt OF the parish, inelud-
ing the bonds and unregistered claims, ex-