Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-06-18
Hahn investigating Committee
Hits Several Departments
Of the State Hard.
THE recommendations
Would Have Many Commissions
Abolished and Others ReOr-
ganized for Public Good.
METHODS OF STATE ASSESSORS
Investigation Into Erection of State
Buildings Shows Many Pecul-
lar Circumstances.
Special to the EVENING NEWS:


TRENTON, June 1S:-An exceed
ingly interesting document is the re-
/ port of the Hahn investigating COM
mittee authorized by the assembly
last April and which has been look
ing into the different departments of
state government during the recess OF
the legislature which ends today.
The report was presented to the
legislature this afternoon. 1t is re-
view of the work thus far accomplish
ed and contains numerus recommen-
dations as to future legislation tend
ing to remedy the evils that have been
found
In its introduction the report says:
THAT within the limited time allowed
for that purpose it has been able to
make only a cursory examination OF
some of the departments, institutions
and commissions of the state govern
ment oneida of expenditures of pub
lie funds.) In many of them your
committee has discovered, and pub
licly made known, a studied indiffer-
ence and disregard of official duty as
well as wanton, wasteful and reckless
expenditure of public funds; in some
instances involving moral obliquity
and corrupt practices-matters which
call for immediate correction at the
hands of the legislature.
Banking and Insurance.
The report calls attention to the
commissioner of banking and insur-
ance who confessed that he kept on
deposit the funds of his department
without exacting interest. These
moneys frequently aggregated more
than 100000. The moneys were de-
posted in two banks in his home
town. In each of the banks he was
stockholder. Some of the money sc
deposited was withdrawn by him from
an institution paying interest. In the
opinion of the committee the COM
missioner was unmindful of his trust
: The committee recommends that the
law be changed compelling the com.
missioner to make monthly remit
Y tance of the states funds and that he
give a bond with sufficient surety in
the penal sum of $4,000. His bond
is now for but 100000"
The report criticises the state
treasurer for handling money under
his charge in a similar manner.
, Continuing the report says:
"There still remains in this state
some thirty departments, institutions
and commissions, to which are paid
directly and in bulk their annual ap-
propriations for their maintenance
and support as testified by the comp
troller. Certain appropriations are
paid in equal monthly installments
others in such installments as exen-
gencies may require. In turn they
are disbursed by their respective
arrangements without supervision
guard or check on part of the state.
The report points out that this
system sis not compatible with goot
business methods, and harmful to the
public welfare" For remedy the re
! port recommends that all incomes
! from whatever sources, received b,
departments, institutions and com
: missions be paid to the state treas
: Iurer monthly and that the debts con
tracted by them be first submitted tt
y lLnG cOUlpIIOllSl, uuuCi Odtu, anu pdit
: by his warrant upon the treasurer.
/ State officials being paid high sal
' aries absenting themselves for days
at time from their office, leaving
the work in the hands of clerks, an6
the practice of public servants hold
ling additional offices with additional
compensation, as was brought ou
during the investigation, is condemn
i ed. The report also recommended
the creation of civil service commits
sion.
u The merging of several depart
: ments into one Is also urged upon tn,
{ Legislature.
t State Board of Assessors.
/. Regarding the state board Of as
> SCISSORS the report says:
"The state, in the judgment o
your committee, is annually losin
vast sums of money The railroa,
companies virtually make out thei
own assessments. The assessors d
not assess. The work is left to tn
lclerical force of the board. The evi
Idence is, that in nearly all cases, tn
assessors accept the figures compile,
by the railroad companies. Since tn
first railroad assessment was mad
s lin 1884. under the railroad tax law o
5 that year, railroad main stem prop
. 'erty has been increased by the boar,
!. la little more than two per cent. Whel
|. compared with the increased assess