The news & observer., 1901-03-07
No lawfOr Secretary Harris
Appointment.
eeNulNSNEsS Of ACCOUNTS QUESTIONED
The Committee Recommends a More
Thorough Examination Than it
AAs Been Able tC Make.
Report of Committee,
Rsport Of Committee,

The special committee appointed to
Investigate the steamer Lilly" and hel
accounts and commander, made report
90 the House last night
'rhe report points out number of
gross and glarins. Irregularities discov-
ersd, and recommends that a thorough
investigation be made. either by q
s-c4rAmittee of the General Assembly or
Wy the Department of Justice OF the
state.
The committees report. in full, was az
foliows<
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tstives of North Carolina;
We, the undersigned members of the
Joint committee srpoialted under joint
resolution M. Is, ratified on TIE 6th
"aS of February, 1901, to- investigate the
Zlccc''hts rendered by the Inspector of
Ffe Shell Fish Industry. Theophilus
White. and matters relating to the
management OF the steamer "Lillie, =
beg leave to report That we have at
cempted TO perform the duties pre-
$cFibed In that resolution, but owing to
he great press of public business upon
VS. incident to the meeting of the Gen
eral Assembly. we have. not been able
10 make a thorough nor satisfactory in
vestigation but we have proceeded far
enough TO become convinced that
fssI investigation of the management
~ the whole Shell Fish Industry is de-
lnanded for the good Of the public SER
ice OF North Carolina. We have been
accorded every facility by the State
Auditne and Treasurer, and only the
seessing duties in connection with the
General Assembly have presented the
completion of the work begun.
We wish TO cell your attention to
tile biennial report of the Treasurer of
North Carolina, Statement NJ, page 66
showing the receipts under the oyster
Jaws of North Carolina for the past five
years, and to ask your attention to the
difference in the receipts in the years
81, '99 and 1900, as it is ineXplicable to
MS. with the evidence before us, why
With greater facilities for enforcing the
igw and the greater demand for the pro-
aucts of our shell fish, it should appear
hat the receipts for 1899 should have
been S9.S7S.76, and 1900 S7202.65.
I'm the county of Beaufort there APP
pear to have been no receipts for the
wear 1899, and for 1900 only 2.37: the
county of Craxen for 1899. S1.4d4.56 and
for 1890. $441.21; Currituck county for
999, $l,sC7.Sl: for 1900 only 1858.
II appears that the receipts for the
FIVE years We're $3l .794.6S, while the ex-
penditures up to November 90. 1860
were $31 SPA
I'm addition TO the expenditures as
stated in the Treasurer's report, we find
there was paid by Treasurer Worth
from November so TO the date Of the in
9uguration of Treasurer Lacy the sum
Of SSl7.S9 and since the Auditor. Hor.
-. L. Dixon, has assumed charge there
has been filed with him claims to the
amount Of $l,024.22 2-S, and there Is
now pending before the House of Rep
resentatiXes a bill, No. 926 asking for
an appropriation to pay the sum of
s4,56.6l on account of the expenditures
in the Shell Fish Department since
March 20, 1899, making a total OF $685.
10 for five years.
we append a statement rendered MS
today by the State Auditor, showing
that for the years 1889 and 1900 the
total receipts from the Shell Fish IN
dustry have been SIS S30.43 while for
the same period the expenditures al
ready paid amount to t,3126S. which.
added TO the sum now in the hands Of
the Auditor, S1,o24.22%. and those in
the bill referred to. S4,5e461: No. 92e
$5. 5SS.9S and the expenditures by
Worth, Treasurer. in December, 1900,
aud January 1901. sS17.S9, makes total
Of disbursements. $27,7l9.50. showing the
TO have exceeded the re-
ceipts by $S,SS9O7 in two years.
We have also ascertained that dur
ing the months of June, July, August
and part of September. 1900. the steuner
Lilly was rented by the Chief Inspec-
tor, Theophilus White. to Capt. A. W
styson, at price which we have not
Yet been able to ascertain: and we here
with append the certificate from the
state Auditor. showing that no amount
has been received or certified to his
department on account of the rent for |
said steamer; while the accounts in his |
ettiee show that the sum of s$I4SS5 was I
paid for the maintenance of said steam |
or during those months for which she /
Vas rented
Upon an examination of the accounts /
Tor The keeping OF said steamer. and the I
vouchers mentioned in II. 3. s2G afore-
said, we find them certified bv T w.
''arris, Jr., who styles himself Secretary
of the Shell Fish Commission. Upon an
examination OF CHAPTER 13. Laws Of 1877.
and cha2tcr ~. OF the Laws of 1899. tie
NO acts which provide for the manage
mcnt of the Shell Fish Industry. ii viii
lac seen that there is no warrant Of law
Tor The appointment of said T. ". Har-
rls Jr., as secrctary aforesaid BY the
said Theophilus White. the Supreme
court having held. in White VS.. the Audi
tor. that section |, chapter u, Laws Of
ls9s, wherein It attempted TO provide for
he appointment Of She'll Fish Commits i
sion. and tho election OF a chairman and
secretary Of said Board. was inooerative
and void Therefore. The signature of I. /
" Harris. Jr.. 10 these different vouch- |
{ rs could give them no validity what I
ever And we find further. that said T. t
~. MarrLs. JT.. aigns The gomcllnrs .r;,.cl,