South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-14
Accounts Board
Offers IS Bills to
Eliminate Abuses
News-Times Special .ervice /:

News Times Special :ervice:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. Ia
Fifteen bills drawn under the direc-
ton Of Gilbert II. Hendren. state
examiner Of the state board of &C
counts. were introduced in the senate
Monday by various senator's. The
bills were aimed. Hendren says. to
correct many abuses against public
now practiced under existing stat
utes. Under many instances the
bill provided heavy penalties for
failure 10 comply with their pro-
vision. One of the latest improve
ments OF the bills would make il a
felony for any public official direct
~ or indirectly TO demand from or
receive from any deputy any part of
the compensation paid such deputy.
Abuses of this kind have been de-
scribed in public Offices throughout
the entire state to the examiner of
the state board Of accounts in the
past The penalty for violation of
this bill is Imprisonment for not less
than one year and not more than
five years.
Another bill would prevent the
public official from inserting false
statement in the transcript of pro-
ceedings for the sale of bonds.
Under existing laws auditors or
otter officers say that a certain
township is indebted to a certain
extent and that a contemplated is
sue of bonds together with other in
debtedness of one particular town
ship does not exceed the constituted
debt limit In many instances such
statements are known to be untrue
when they were made and this pro-
posed bill will provide fines and i'm
prisonment for such false state
ments. The same bill provides pen
alties for making a false statement;
that his bond is a county bond and
non taxable when in fact such bond
is an assessment bond and is tax
able: whereby the public is de-
ceived. The same bill would give
the governor and auditor Of state
power to give their approval of
sales of bonds during money strin-
Yencies at not less than 81 per cent
of the face value of public bonds.
Another one of the bills would
provide a bond of $4,000 for the
state veterinarian. Two of the bills
have the same force and effect upon
township trustees and county treas
urers. They seek to change the
present law so that bonds required
of township trustees and county
treasurers shall cover only the APP
proXimate amount of money handled
by said officers i'm one year. The
present year requires bonds of
twice this amount but since the
enactment of the present laws such
laws is a full depository law and
the accounting law has been
thrown out OF public business. 1t is
said, for instance that Ed. Sauer-
bier. treasurer of Marion county,
pays approximately S1,10O a year in
bond premiums. The present bill
would cut this in half Another bill
would provide that the trust fund
of the clerks and Barrett law i'm
provement funds OF the county
treasurer shall be deposited in pub
lie depository as are other public
funds and that the interest accru-
ing thereon shall be the property of
the public and not the property Of
the officers. This bill would not be-
come effective until the present Of
tcers' terms expire. This bill cuts
out only two exceptions now exist
ing in all public funds where the
interest does not go TO the public.
Another bill regulates the improve
ment. construction and repair of
public funds where the interest
does not go to the public. Another
bill regulates the Improvement. con-
struction and repair Of public build
ings by cities. towns and school cor
porations. The purpose of this law
really is to apply only TO school cor
porations. 1t provides higher meth
DDS of publicity and establishes a
system of competitive bidding on
such building II provides also that
publicity shall be given in Indian
apolis on proposed contracts for
school buildings that will cost more
than $4,000. Another of the bills
would prohibit the payment of
This bill is aimed directly at school
boards.
Another bill would prevent coun-
ty councils and city councils from
making appropriation unless funds
therefore are in the treasury or
have been provided for The bill
carries a penalty of $40 to $1,000
fines and prohibit contracts in vio-
lation OF this provision. Another
bill seeks TO regulate the purchase
of material Of public roads and pro-
vides for penalties for violation. II
provides that where quantities OF
material greater than so cubic