, 1903-05-01

and the matter was settled and dropped. At
the Succeeding meeting the clerk made anoth-
er complaint against the Collector, and after
1t had been thrashed over for sometime !
made a motion, which was carried, calling
upon the Collector to give a correct account
of the matter in dispute. In doing this sup
posed it would give Mr.. VanHorn an oppor-
tunity to give his version OF the matter@a
right that should be accorded to every man.
1t will thus be seen that Mr.. VanHorn, 1gura-
lively speaking, has been stabbed in the house
OF his friend and not rom The StllettO OF an
imaginary foe.
1t does not seem necessary to say that peo-
pie who have paid their taxes have been ad-
vertised as delinquents when the Collector
admits 1t in his published statement, but we
cannot agree with him that there have been
but four mistakes made within that time.
AS an example, Borough Solicitor Zeller pub
licly stated that he paid his taxes sometime
last summer, and has a receipt for the same,
and yet he is not published in any way, either
as having paid his taxes or as Il delinquent
and yet the books, it seems, are made to bal
ance just the same. But let us go a little
deeper into the 'mistake" business and read
the following report:
To the Mayor and Council of the Borough of
Wildwood, New Jersey.
G"entlemen:-I have the honor to submit
the result of my audit of the books of b.. v.
Borough Collector and Treasurer,
md md the following errors: The Collector
has charged himself twice with S45.5l, The
amount of Chas. Ii. Mickel's tax for 1901, and
has also charged himself twice with S46.06, the
amount of the grading and graveling ASSESS
ment on j. Albert Harris property for 1901.
The Collector has paid out the sum of 5000
for stamps and releases, which, with the above
mounts, makes the sum of Sl2l. S7, for which
he should be given orders.
would recommend that the Borough Col
~lector's books be balanced every month by
him., instead of being permitted to run for a
year. ! would also suggest that different col
ored orders be used by the borough clerk for
the various accounts, with the names of the
accounts printed thereon, instead ofthe white
orders which are now used for all accounts.
This would tend to simplify the bookkeeping
very greatly.
Respectfully submitted,
X. PENN SMITH, Auditor.
Wildwood, n. j., March 3, 1908.
b. V. VAN HORN,
Borough Collector.
The above statement is signed by the Collec-
tor. Now, if he is correct in his newspaper
statement just published, that he has made
but four mistakes, then it follows logically
that the above alleged errors were not
mistakes" and that Council has turned over
to the Collector a sum of money that does not
belong to him. The Collector can choose Ell
ther one of the that may suit his
fancy.
Now, as to the assets and liabilities. l may
be in error, but somehow Lam under the inn
preston that the financial statement of a
bank, financial institution or corporation
should show the assets and liabilities, and ct
for the past three years such a statement has
not appeared in the Collectors annual report.
There should certainly be some assets in the
way of moneys due The borough, and we are
forcibly reminded of the fact That there are
liabilities, when we are asked TO appropriate
$1,000 for interest money, andin addition raise
$500 to meet q deficit in last years Interest,
also $500 in last years water bill, items that l
never heard referred to in Council, nor knew
nothing about until l saw ii in the printed
report. And l would here remark, in answer
to Mr.. XanHorn's demand hat l keep a closer
watch over the deliberations ofCouncil, that
am not admitted to the sinner circles ofthat
body, and most of the "cut and dried pro-
ceedings are sprung on me, as it were. But
even if regarded by the powers that be- as a
criminal offence upon my part, l still main
tain that a correct report should be made and
published of the assets and liabilities of the
borough.
The Collector speaks somewhat flippantly
about tie county Jail" and then in the Same
breath impliedly threatens to shave the law
on some one If the manner of his administra-
ton of a public office is further discussed.
Th latter might be "a good move-for the gen
eral public-as it might lead to a judicial IN
vestigation and a multitude of reforms. There
has existed heretofore a delusion that the Bor-
Ough of was "a law unto itself, and
il is about time that it was being dispelled
In order to bring this about Will welcome a
law suit, and invite the Collector to bring il
at his earliest convenience.
The Collector also has something to say
about my enforcing the building law, and
herein he again attempts to mislead the pub
lie. The resolution to enforce the building
law was introduced by Mr.. Slaughter. 1t re-
ceived the unanimous vote of Council. I'm
deT its proyisionslGeorge Ferris was appoin'