The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-08
CONSERVATION
 AT COURTHOUSE Officials Must Pay for the Phones and Typewriters RULING BY GORMAN May Be That Thousands of Dollars Will Have to Be Refunded for
 Past Expenditures Made
 By the County
RULING BY GORMAN

Consternation was brought about in the local courthouse yesterday by the announcement of Special Examiner of Books and Accounts German that the expenditure by the board of revenue o, county funds for telephones and other modern office conveniences in the courthouse Is illegal, and further that all expenditures for these appliances for the past seven years must be re- funded to the county treasury.
 It was stated by the examiner that an effort would be made to recover the amount spent during this time out of the probate judge, the tax assessor, tax collector, sheriff and other county officials who had enjoyed the benefits of these conveniences, and that in fu- ture these officers will have to pay personally for them. In case the amount can not be recovered from the officials who used the conveniences, it
 is stated that the country treasurer is liable personally to the county, and must replace the funds.
 It was stated by MT. German that this ruling was given after a confer ence with the governor and the at torney general and that in their minds 1t Is clear that the expenditures made for office accessories js not authorized by the present law, the reasoning fol- lowed being that no specific authoriza- tion of such expenditures Is found in the law, and that they are therefore illegal.
 n GnHntf1Rd th4f telephones, typewriters and adding machines were articles which are not purchased lawfully with county funds It was stated. however, by several of fcials that few if any typewriters and adding machines have been purchased with county funds, but that most of those in use in the courthouse have been purchased by the parties using them.
 According to the statement of the ex- aminers, it appears that something like 25 typewriters and three adding ma chimes have been purchased for use in the courthouse, the Hillman hospital and the county almshouse, and that all of the machines bought were new ones, entailing a large expense. It Is stated also that the amount spent for tele- phones is about $175 per quarter, so that the amount expected to be re- placed will figure up to something like $10,O00 or $120OO.
 After the Board of Revenue and the treasurer had been notified of the rul- ing of the examiners, John NJ Mil Ter, attorney for the board, was mo- tifed, and took the matter under con sideration. It Is hoped that an under standing can be reached in the matter before the formal report of the exam iners is made to the governor.
 Job Going, president of the Board of Revenue, expressed the opinion that the attorney for the board would be able to figures out some escape from the ruling, the plea that the telephones, type writers, etc., are part of the mainte- nance of the various offices having been of no avail.
 T believe" said MT. Going, that the telephone service, the typewriters, and the adding machines not only are es- sential conveniences for the various offices, but are a saving to the county. in providing facilities that really save rln In hn fxF