Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-04
SHOWS WASTE IN
STATE CHARITIES
Commissioner Byers Discusses
Need of Economy at II
Institutions.
THINKS PRICES PAID FOR
SUPPLIES TOO DIVERGENT
No Uniformity of Salaries
Whatever, Declares Report
to Advisory Board.
Especial TO the Newark Starr

~ lRpeSiot ~ tHt fcHdIh Dtd1.i
TRENTON, Oct. 4~Striking infor-
nation showing the need of more CO.
operation and uniformity for the sake
of economy in the administration of
the eleven New Jersey State institu-
tions was given today by State Chari-
ties I'M Corrections Commissioner
Joseph p. Byers at the quarterly
meeting of the advisory board of the
Department of Charities and Correc-
tions.
BY a series of graphic charts. pre-
pared by himself after an exhaustive
study of the subject, Mr.. Byers DEM
onstrated in an emphatic manner that
there are great variations in the per
capita cost of the maintenance of the
several institutions; that the prices
of supplies purchased under contract
from lowest bidders vary consider
ably on the same article in different
institutions; that there is no uni
formity of salaries whatever and that
there is practically no classification
of employees.
Room for Economy.
The showing made by Commissioner
Byers, based on the official reports of
the State auditor for the fiscal year
of 1911 and several weeks research
made by the former, provoked the
discussion hal was exceedingly spir-
tied. In some cases it was shown
hat the variations were due to the
peculiar needs of certain institutions,
to the fact that some of them have
their w sources of food supplies
such as farms and diaries and to other
2 causes not to be reached by reforms
in administration. Mr.. Byers said,
however, hat these things could not
account for all the lack of uniformity,
and he intimated that investigation
would disclose more than one way
that money could be saved to the
State.
without a doubt. the State Econo-
my and Efficiency Commission now
at work and of which Senator Edge,
of Atlantic, is president, will take
official cognizance of the demonstra-
ton and will make a further investi-
CATION. AS both State platforms de-
clare for greater economy and eff
iciency in State government, 1t may
be expected thai some legislative eff
fort will be made next winter to cor
rect the situation.
some Per Capita Costs.
The first chart of Mr.. Byers showed
that the per capita cost of ma1nte-
nance of the eleven institutions for
the year 1911 was as follows:
tuberculosis Sanitorium. $494.1s;
Horne for Girls, s320.96; Epileptic VII
g. H- ~o.o ar.H Otata Discriminatory
s29b. 20; Morris Plains Insane HOSPITAL,
s240.6 Sc; Trenton Insane Hospital,
s23S.2S. vineland Home for Feeble
Minded Women, s232.13; Vineland
Soldiers Home, s192.54; Kearny Sol
diers' Home, $187.35; State Prison,
s1sO.43; Home for Boys, $170.S5.
1hat there was a variation in the
Nor capita cost in the item of sal
aries. wages and office expenses in he
institutions from $5s.21 up to $194.32
was next shown, the table being as
follows:
tuberculosis Sanitorium, $194.32;
Epileptic Village. $164.42; State Re-
formatory, $145.14; Home for Girls,
s126.91: Trenton Insane Hospital.
s1o5.32; Morris Plains Hospital,
ss5.1s; state Prison, 1897 6 Home for
BOYS. $79.9 5; Home for Feeble Minded
Women, $71.35;A Kearny Soldiers
Home. $50 90. Vineland Soldiers Home,
$5s.21.
No Uniformity In Wages.
Commissioner Byers said he was
preparing a statement showing the
rate of wage paid, etc, in all the in
st;tutions and that he had already
found there was no uniformity.
The State paid for 1911 the sum Of
s173,O 600 for the single item of fuel,
light. heat and power in these institu-
tions. Here again there was absolute
~ no uniformity in cost, the per
capita expense running from 1882
for the Kearny Soldiers Home up to
1885 for the tuberculosis Sanitorium.
This chart gave the following table
OF EXPENSE:
tuberculosis S~anitorium. $45. So;
Girls Home, 1896: State Reform
atory, 1924; Home for Feeble Minded