The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-05-23
The County Treasurer Explains.

Mr.. EDITOR: notice in your issue Of
the 9th, a communication signed Tom, IN
which he says he is serving tax executions
which necessitates much unnecessary nd
! ing" And he goes on to say, when
the Sheriff gave me the batch OF papers J.
was eager for the fray ashamed to tell
the public how badly I was chawed
soon found dereliction of duty some where,
or some body had done some mlserably bad
book-keesipe found nine out OF ten
receipts"
AS every body knows the tax executions
ere issued bv the Treasurer, l deem it eX-
| pedient to say, that the finding so many
| of these receipts is not chargeable to this
Office, which think can show to every
fair and unbiased mind.
In the first place have nothing to dc
with the making up Of the tax books on
which the tax charges are made. The book
is prepared by the County Auditor, turned
over to me, receipt for same, and then
proceed to collect the taxes as charged
thereon.
When tax payer pays his taxes, it is SO
marked with the date OF payment. Durlng
the rush of the collection it is possible to
omit marking the payment OF name when
it is made, but experience has shown this to
be of uery rare occurrence and when this does
occur. OF course it is my mistake and IS cor
rected by me afterwards when discovered.
After the time for payment expires,
| am directed by the la,o to issue
executions against all unpaid tures
cbnroed on the tar book. Now it
frequently occurs that the same name Is
found charged up with taxes unpaid ID an
other township different tc the one that the
party lives in or has paid In; or perhaps In
the same township two tax charges to the
same name i'll separate places.
It sometimes occurs that another person
bearing the same name OF Que who has paid
his taxes is found and is really delinquent
this occurs mostly with colored people).
Sut if also occurs that one and the same
person is charged up on tax book IN two
places for the same tax. OF course he does
not and should not pay but one, and the e1-
hibition Of his receipt shows that ne mas
paid one tax and the other tax charged TO De
erroneous.
These mistakes are called double en-
tries" and when discovered 1t becomes the
duty Of the Co. Auditor to abate these erro-
neous charges made on the tax BOOK
But the question is, why these double
entries" which cause so much unnecessary
riding" and finding receipts! This is
question that does not apply to me- AS
have already stated, the treasurer does not
make up the tax book for the collection OF
taxes, and knows nothing OF the charges
therein until the same is completed and
turned over to him, and he has no power to
add to, deduct from, or make single cor
rection on same.
The book is prepared by the Auditor. and
I will add that where double Tax Returns"
are made to him he cannot be blamed for
the double entries" but it is through him
that any correction of erroneous assessments
of taxes can be made.
will not suppose that Tom" intended
to reflect directly on this Office, but if he
felt asrieved, and it was his inten ton to do
so, am satisfied that with this explanation
be will see that he was doing me an lnjus-
tice. Il. d. HUGGlNS,
Co. Treasurer.