The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-06
COUNTY TREAsURERs.

The Sentinel, some days since, briefly re-
ferred to bill, now pending in the Legisla-
ture, providing that all County Treasures
now in office, shall hold their offices until
the LIST day of January next, after they
would have expired, as the law now. is. There
are several ogentreasOns why the bill should
pass. As the law now stands, fully one-half
of the County Treasurers go out of office at
most inconvenient time, it being when
about one-half of the second, or November,
installment Of taxes have been paid. This
creates confusion, and often seriously
deranges business in the Treasurer's Office.
Besides, if the bill now pending becomes
the law, new duplicates would be charged
to the incoming Treasurer. As the case
now stands, the incoming Treasurer takes
the duplicate when about half the taxes
have been paid. Under the present law, the
official term of County Treasures expires
anywhere from the 1st of August to the Goth
of November Ii the pending bill be-
comes a law, the time for going out of office
would not only be uniform, but at time
much better for the public good. The fol-
lowing is the bill to which reference has
been made;
A bill to require semi-annual settlements by
County Treasures with Boards of Commissioners,
and fixing the times when County Treasures
shall take their offices; repeating all laws In con-
flict Herewith. and declaring an emergency.
Section l. BE it enacted by the General Assem-
bly, OF the State OF Indiana that the County Treas
urers of the several Counties OF this State shall
mae semi-annual settlements with the Boards of
an Commissioners of tnpir rpSDpptlyp COII.f-
ties at their December term in each year, which
settlements shall be on account Of all funds with
which they have been chargeable, and shall be
made in all respects as the annual settlements
made at June term of said Boards of Commission
ers; but such December settlements shall not
supersede the annual June settlement.
Sec. 2. All County Treasures now in Office
shall hold their offices until the LIST day of
January next after they would have expired as
to their successors in Office all the books, papers
and property belonging to said office and shall
also turn over 10 their said successors all moneys
shown by their settlement with the Board of
Commissioners TO be in their hands, taking
proper receipts therefor, which receipt shall be
filed with the County Auditor who shall give
1uietus therefor. which proceedings when so
completed shall operate as final discharge OF
said outgoing Treasurer and his sureries on his
official bond, account of all matters included
in such settlement, and shall charge said in
coming Treasurer with the amount so received.
Sec. 3. The terms of County Treasures who
have been elected 70 office, shall begin on the first
DAY of January next after they would have COM
menced by the provisions of the laws as hereto
fore existing, and the election of persons whose
terms by this act begin more than two years after
their election is hereby legalized.
Sec 4. All laws and parts of laws in conflict
with the provisions of this act are hereby re
Tealed
Sec. ). An emergency exists for the immediate
taking effect of this act, wherefore the same shall
take effect and be in force from and after its
passage.
1t will be seen that the bill is designed to
simplify business and that it works no
wrong to any one. This being the case, we
see no good reason why it should not pass
by unanimous consent. 1t ought to meet
with general approval