The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-22
OFFICIAL BOOKS
Of WEST ORANGE
TOWNSHIP GONE
Discovery, Made at Lively Meet
ing, Follows Demand for
Audit of Records.
JOHN j. KENNEY HAS
TILT WITH MAYOR FLINT
Announced that Only Five Years
Dispensing Accounts We're
Investigated.

That books of former treasurers of
West Orange have been destroyed In
the course of years prior to 1904 was the
startling announcement given the West
Orange Town Council last night by
Mayor Walter A. Flint when the
municipal body was discussing h re-
cent audit by the New Jersey Audit
Company of town officials books. The
Democrats In the Council, who ave
claimed all along that anxiety to dis
cover Irregularities In the former adj
ministrations, when the Democrats
were In control, was chiefly responsible
for the audit, have been surprised to
learn that only five years accounts
were Investigated In the dispensing de-
partment, although the collections
were examined for more than a quar-
ter of a century. They AVE been ask
ing many questions, and last night
Councilman John J. Kenney put the
pointed queries which brought forth
the information that the ~treasurers'
books had been destroyed. Mr.. Kenney
also wanted to know why the Mayor
llho " u otiOAS - OOoee
estimates for the auditing work, which,
1t is expected, Will cost about $4,000.
Because l wasn't required to-" was
the only reply he got from Mayor Flint.
The refusa' of the Board of Education
of West Orange to show their books
to the New Jersey Auditing Company,
to audit the towns books for the last
five years, precipitated a lively discus
sion. The board said that the Council
had no jurisdiction over the board, and
therefore the board was not obliged to
hand over its books.
President Robinson of the board said:
DO you realize thai the Board of
Education was never requested by the
Council to show its books?"
Mr.. Robinson's remarks were then
supplemented when former Clerk Frank
L. Baldwin reminded the Council that
the board was not under the jurisdiction
OF the Council. The Mayor replied by
saying that he believed the boards
books were a part of the towns bust
ness and should be audited. Frank M.
Scott, president of the auditing COM
pany, read several carbon copies of
communications SEN the board in an
endeavor to audit the books, but which
met with scant success.
The report. Of the town assessors on
assessments in Harrison avenue, which
was eturned to the assessors for cor
rection because ONE of the assess
ments were excessive, was again under
fire at the meeting when Mr.. Vance,
who owns property in that street, OBJ
jected to an assessment being levied
for a sidewalk, which was once on his
property but was removed when Kirk
avenue was opened at that point.
Mr.. Vance explained to the Council
that he knew of no assessment when he
purchased the property and did not
feel obliged to pay for a sidewalks
where there was no sidewalk. Several
Councilmen then wanted to know where
the tagging went TO hen Kirk street
was opened. but no one knew, so the
street committee was delegated TO find
out.
Following criticism of Council for dis
regarding the building code ordinance
the measure was passed on first read
ing by title and will come up for sec
ond and final reading on October 5.