The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-07

entirely satisfactory.
Save on Fire Insurance.
tacts which have come under our
notice induce US to recommend that
all OF the fire insurance of the several
departments and institutions of the
state be placed in the hands of some
officer or committee of tho government,
empowered by act of Legislature to
require each institution and depart
ment Of the government to report what
! insurance and what kind Is needed and
! on these reports to place the risks on
| the best terms TO be had.
The management of the four great
State hospitals have been notified that
they will be required to keep and re-
port separately and distinctly the cost
of maintaining the stan and employees
as separate and distinct from the cost
of maintaining the inmates.
On examination of the accounts Of
| the treasurer Of the Virginia Home
and Industrial School for Girls, at Bon
Air. It was found that they had re-
ceived from the State only s2,277, and
; from other sources s1S.T50.os, and had
balance on hand of S367S0 They
have assets valued at s15.5e561.
Chesterfield Situation.
After several conferences with in
terested citizens of Chesterfield coun-
ty concerning their school funds. the
accountant advised an Investigation OF
the school fund accounts. Subsequent
ly the Board of Supervisors authori2-
ed the State Accountant to employ an
accountant to do the work 1t was
soon discovered that the county ~ ~
| urer was Indebted to the school FUND
to the amount of S4,633.l5 of money
shown by his entries and also indebt-
ed to the amount of s6,014.2s of money
Items making total of slo,7es.44
When these facts were reported to
| the Board of Supervisors. they at
once ordered the investigation to be
extended to all of the county accounts
as far back as 1902. At this time the
report of the results has not been
made, but IL the facts developed are
| OF sufficient interest, they will be ad-
| ded hereafter.
] Officials Ignorant
But the examination SO far made
| discloses the fact that the county ant
| district officials of the school were
! ignorant of the real state Of their af-
fairs. AS illustrating this fact, two
| incidents will suffice: One school dis
trict Of the county. with $50 to Its
credit in the treasury. has unpaid out
standing warrants on the treasury
amounting to $1,000. One the same day
that the accountants reported $4,000
In the hands of the treasurer to the
credit OF schools. petition was abou,
to be presented to the Board of Super
! vlsors asking for a special levy to
| raise $4,000 for school purposes
| These significant facts are mention
ed in the hope that they will show the
necessity for the extension OF State
aid to the counties in the matter of &C
| counting and in fixing responsibility
| for the public funds.
| "ISnd LIZ Not Yet,
! The committee desires TO remarlo
| here that the accountants aid and ad-
| vice WAS solicited in the Chesterfield
matter and that he did. as far as the
| law allowed. advance the work OF ex-
animation there and was able TO re-
| port errors, which being corrected
/ saved the county more money than the
entire cost OF the auditing commit
/ tees work for two years And the
| end is not yet. There are many more
/, years OF work which might be review
! ed.
Recently there have been develop
ments in the county of Goochland
which show very plainly that the In
terests Of tho Commonwealth in the
matter of the proper listing of de-
| linquent lands and the sale of lands
| delinquent and other matters bearing
on the states revenue have been
| grossly neglected.
Developments in Rockingham and
indications at other points show very
plainly that there Is necessity for q
vigorous effort to instruct and dlsci-
! pline many officers who arc account
able for the public funds OF the coun
| ties and tho Commonwealth
| There are numerous incidents on rec
! ord which prove that the clerks of
i,courts, tho treasurors and the Com
wealth's attorneys need instruction and
warning concerning their duties with
reference to those things which affect
the States revenue. and which arc de-
| pendent upon their activity and care
| Have Many Employees.
The committee has been impressed by
the reports concerning the pay rolls
and employees of several State institu-
tions, as compared with the number of