Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-09

ed by what Is known as a fund bal.
anee sheet, which would show the
status OF fund accounts at a given
time.
|. Ledger Accounts.
Accounts in the general ledger
should be divided into two general
groups: proprietary accounts, or
those showing what the county
owns, and what it owes. and display
ing the results of operation expressed
in terms of revenue, expense, surplus
and deficit, and fund accounts OF
those compFehending acts Of appropri.
alton and pledges to provide revenue
for meeting them, together with In
formation as to rates charged for Ii.
censes, fees for permits, the number
Of licenses and permits issued in q
preceding fiscal period, and revenues
derived from them, the revenues which
may be expected from county enter
pfises, such as waterworks, etc. These
forecasts furnish ample opportunity to
suggest adjustments In rates, or re-
strictions of free privileges, for the
purpose OF increasing the public rev.
enue @& O. - a..-,..
Accounting Forms. ~ =
The following summary Of reports,
forms, etc, for the county of Hawaii
(which can very profitably be extend.
ed to include the territorial depart
.ments, as well as the other counties
of the territory regard as the mini
mum requirements, and the general
structure of these reports should be
uniform in all the counties of the ter
ritory.
+. Revenue Controlled: a. ID
financial stationary l21 reports Of
revenue accrued and collected; fS)
register Of revenue accrued; Cd ac-
counts receivable ledger Expense:
b. IA register of orders, payrolls, In,
voices, vouchers and contracts; l2)
contract and claimants ledgers; (3l
classified expense ledger, functional
accounts, posted from payroils, in.
voices and vouchers; co monthly re-
ports Of stores issued for consump-
'tion.
2. Treasury statement Purpose:
To show. by funds; cash on hand and
cash transactions, including cash re-
iceived and discussed. From the trea-
surer's accounts statement should
be prepared, showing: Ca cash on
hand, at the beginning of q monthly
period; (b) cash received during the
month; (c1 warrants issued during.
the month; I'D warrants paid during
the month; fel cash balance on hand
at end Of month; lf1 warrants OUT.
standing unpaid at beginning Of pc.
Rod (g) warrants outstanding unpaid
at end of period
8. Stores Account Report Pur.
pose: To control the use and Gus.
today of ali supplies and material on
hand. pending consumption. Books,
documents and reports necessary TAI
stores ledger, to show inventory Of
each article at beginning OF period.
goods received during period. goods
dispensed during period, goods on
hand at end of period lbl Feavisi.
lions on store keeper; tcl monthly re.
port of stores dispensed, showing ex-
pense and construction accounts to be-
cd Inventory Of goods on
hand.
1. Cost Accounts Purpose: To
Shows the cost OF each job or each
kind Of public service performed: (a)
work and job assignments; (b) time
reports; (c) reports of material used;
i'd reports to show quantity OF
work or service performed. 8
5. Operating Statistics, Records
and Reports Municipal reports are
not limited to financial statements.
Statistics Of operation and especially
those showing unit costs, give both
to the administrator and to the tax.
payer a clear insight into the economy
and efficiency of administrator. Pur-
pose: To show for administrative
guidance the character and amount Of
work done: (al classified by charac.
ter of work; fbl summarized and
compared with preceding periods;
fc) percentage Of increase or de
crease shown; (d1 total expense and
unit cost show, II possible.
4 g. Miscellaneous Statistical Re-
ports Containing NonsF Financial Facts
Purpose: To raise danger signals
and to provide q basis for administra-
tive policy; designed tor meet the spe-
cia1 Requirements of the various
branches of governmental activity.
Tax Assessments. q
The prime matter toward which the
self-interest of the taxpayer forces his
attention land there will be ample op-
portunity for such retrospection I'M
the coming years. is the amount and
method of assessment of his PROP
erty upon which the tax levy is based. |
We have our territorial board of equal
lZation, but the assessment of prop /
erty under present conditions depends
largely upon the personal equation of
the assessor. A science of assess |
ments for the various counties in the |
territory has not been evolved, and i
his is particularly striking. because
are so fundamental in |
The work of government. !
Not only in respect to taxes, but in
respect to other revenues, it is pos
sible to provide in accounts method
# currently matching collections with
that should have been col !
ected. The total amount billed to. all
water consumers of the county for
water supplied them is rarely collect
ed. Yet for every failure of collection |
tbaro ic como EXPLANATION This oy-