The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-14
SEEMING DEFICIT
EXPLAINED BY LEE
Former Commissioners of Fi9h-
cries Takes Issue With
His Successor.

/ w MCponald Lee former Commits
sioncr OF Fisheries. denied las, night
that there was more than q technical
discrepancy between the accounts or
the Commissioners secretary and the
State AUDITORS books, as might DO In
ferred from an Interview hy John $
Parsons. the new commissioner. and
published In The Times Dispatch on
Thursday.
/ Mr.. Lee was on his why 10 attend the
first meeting In Norfolk Of the new
commission, when the steamer Berk-
Icy, on Wednesday night, stuck In the
mud OF Wcyanokc. ana remained IN
! I'll Thursday afternoon. Mr. Ice sub
mits the following report from the
Norfolk Ledger Dispatch as TO the
meeting which he missed, In cxplana-
ton of the seeming deficit:
The Virginia state Fisheries Com
mission met here to-day. this having
been the hrst meeting In Norfolk of
the newly-appOintcd commission com
posed 81 John :. Parsons. Of Accomnc
chairman. Walter II Ryland of ur-
bnnra, secretary, former State Senator
George y keezcli. OF Rockingham:
Charles \. Johnston, OF ChristIansburg
and j. Frank Wysor, OF Patriot All
TIE members OF the board were pres
Ont.
The board discussed Il real tenclt,
so far rs IT is concerned, but only an
apparent deficit. so far as the rctirint;
bonrd Is concerned, of s2,624e3 II was
clearly explained that the Auditors
reported dencit Of the amount men
toned has been caused by the chnrg-
ing of in the Auditors Office at the end
Of each fiscal year of all surplus money
20 the credit OF the Fisheries Conipis-
sion before warrants drawn for ex-
penscs during that fiscal year had been
presented Tor the payment
1T Appeared that the Auditor refused
to pay out OF the years appropriation
for the Flsheries' Commission any war
rant drawn on the fund unless 1t ar
rived before the close Of the business
hours on the last day of the boards
fiscal year.
1T was shown by calculation that the
retiring Fisheries Commission during
| the four wears Of its existence spent
SAS3il6 less Than the total state APP
/ preparations for tho period mentioned
not ircluding $1,000 pai1 to NJ state
( members In that period, and that, in
/ Guiding the S2,4u0 paid to up state
| members. the cid commissions actua'
] expenses al told were S2i3tl6 less
/ than the States total appropriation to
! the board, whereas the Auditor REPORTS
q dcricit to the new board Of s2.62i.93.
I The new board members explained
! Their" WAS nothing whatever in the Au
dltor's deficit report of S2G2i93 to re-
/ ilcct On the old board. as the ola board
| during the four years of it's cxistencc
! nad spcnt less than It's total appro-
priations aud the apparent real"
| deficit had only come about by the Au-
| ditor charging of funds to the credit
| Of the board before warrants issued
/ for the year and payable out OF OLD
funds had hcen received II seemed
[ that last year there was balance on
I The books TO The credit of the board
Of $1,000. which the Auditor CHARGED
/ Off before all bills were In and would
not let tho old bills be paid out OF
| this. The money charged on went back
! 10 the credit of the State"
| Mr.. Lee said that the following state
inent was submitted over the phone by
/ him to State Auditor C. Lee Moore and
verbally approved by the Auditor.
The methods pursued in tho Audi :
| tors Office are TO now close all ap-
| preparation accounts the first of every
! March, and any warrants ISSUED prior
: to that date not reaching the Audi
! tors Office by March, when the new APP
! preparation begins. are charged against
| the new yearly appropriation. Unttl
! last year uncNpcndcd balances of app
! propiia tions reverted to the treasury
| blcnnially only. Acting upon the opin-
, ion OF the Attorney G cnerai this re-
f! vcrting was adopted yearly
! The seeming ovcrdraft Of the late
Commission Of FISHERIES came about
, through failure of warrants to show up
| in time, and more OF their appropr,a-
ton money revertins to the treasury
/ than they took credit for"