The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-07-05
OTHER DEPARTMENTS COM
MENDED FOR BUsINESS-LIKE
MANAGEMENT. RECOh.
CATIONS ARE MADE.

ATLANTA.-The report of Chas.
J. Metz, of the Audit Company of
the South, employed by the governor
under a special resolution of the last
legislature to make an audit of all
state departments and institutions,
carried some intensely surprising and
interesting matter, both in the shape
of revelations and recommendations.
The Audit a Complete One.
The audit, made under contract,
appears to have been thorough and
complete one, covering not only the
several departments Of the state gov
eminent in the capitol, but the insti-
buttons of the state which draw mon
ey from the treasury by appropria-
ton by the legislature. A complete
statistical tabulation, accompanying
the report of the auditor, shows the
exact condition of the several depart
ments and institutions, as revealed
by the examination, and in some in
stances the examination is brought
to within a day or two of the date
of the report, which is June 14th.
Reports of Various Departments.
The reports made on the several
departments investigated and check
ed are especially interesting.
On the office of secretary of state
the report shows that for the year
1915 there was due the state for au
tomobile tags $50, while the secre-
tary of state, on the other hand, over
paid the state $155 on his settlement
of that year. He reports that the
collection of funds for the sale of
automobile tags are deposited by the
secretary of state to his credit as
secretary of state and there allowed
to accumulate, and "at times has been
over 100000. While this practice
is legal yet we believe this money
should be RENTED to the treasury.
At present the state loses the inter-
est it might earn. Secretary of states
bond is $4,000"
Separate Comptroller's Office.
On the office of comptroller gen.
eral the report says: "The office of
comptroller general and the Office of
insurance commissioner are consol-
idated. They should be separate"
In respect to a coordinate depart
ment the report says: 'The work of
the able tax commissioner has done
the state
much to increase the states income,
and he should be given the additional
power he requires to increase the eff
fectiveness of the state. 1t is our
pleasure to testify to the efficient SER
vice rendered by the state tax col
lector."
On the office of insurance commits
sioner the report shows, as it says, a
need for some change in the manner
of keeping records, and points out
that "a special insurance investigator
should from time to time determine
that all companies doing business in
the state are paying the tax and fees
required by law"
The State Treasury.
All balances and securities held by
the treasury department are reported
verified and, by adoption of the i'm
proved accounting system we have
suggested" the work of the Office will
be cut in two. "These methods, "
the report says, twill meet all legal
requirements and should be adopt
ed" The report says that, with the
exception of three departments, in
terest was not collected on cash bal
ances, and holds that all actual cash
of the state, with the exception of
petty cash funds" should be kept IN
the treasury, and, likewise" the
states bookkeeping should be CEN