Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-12-24

territory do not show and it should
be eliminated. But what of the cash
book, or book of original entry? There
is little or no evidence of such a book
having been kept, although it is an
essential of any business wherein
money Is received and disbursed.
This book should be introduced, and
in it should be entered every money
transaction, whether the money be
taken in or paid out, and from this
book posted to the respective cases
or accounts. The most necessary
thing after the cash book and docket
book is that all transactions wherein
the Payment of money is entered
should be balanced at stated intervals,
and the amount of money thus
shown should be the amount Of money
on hand and in bank, l. e., that the
cash books of this Office should show
at any time just how much cash is
being carried by the district clerk.
This will be best brought about by
having a debit credit and balance
ledger or form that will give each case
a cash account, as well as the general
accounts for any other cash transac-
tions connected with the office.
Printed Forms Necessary.
Minor improvements would be print
ed forms for district attorneys and
sheriff's returns in which the title,
number and date of each case should
be provided for, and printed forms of
receipts for money turned over to
county treasurers-these returns and
receipts to be suitably filed, prefasA'
ably apart from the case papers,s where
they are liable to be lostswhen papers
are removed when consulted, or loaned
to attorneys. Other improvements
could be introduced as experience war
ranted. No doubt improvements could
be introduced in the handling of the
large number of books and records
that have to do with the legal side
of the work of the Office. | therefore
recommend that commercial bodies
and public-spirited citizens take an in
terest in the matter and that bill be
introduced in the next session of the
legislature for a set of books and ac-
counts wherein cases shall be rightly
set forth, the filing of legal papers,
ETC., comprehensively covered and re-
ceipts and disbursements of all mon
eys accurately kept.
Accurate Report Impossible.
With no cashbook 10 date from, with
cancelled checks and check-stubs
missing, with books unbalanced and
docket papers not on file or loaned to
attorneys, it has been a difficult task
to render a report that is even ap-
proximately correct. 1t is well under
stood by me that this is not entirely
a complete or satisfactory report. but
with such matter as there was in
hard, carefui and paingtaking@ atten+
tion has been given to it's compilation.
1t is to be noted that there are many
cases that balance to cent and 9TH
ers where it was probably almost i'm
possible to collect the fees. This fact,
however, should have been noted on
the docket books, as the fees as shown
are certainly due the territory and the
clerk 81 vested with power to collect
them
In closing / desire to place on rec
ord my appreciation of the help re-
ceived as to the regular method OF
procedure of the Office from Francis
G. Wilson Esq. clerk of the First jul
dicial district, and the uniform cour-
tesy of treatment given me not only
in his office, but at the hands of ter
ritorial and county officials with whom
| have come in contact while in quest
of information that would lead to just
findings for this report"