Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-01-22
KENT CLOSES YEAR
With Bic BALANCE
Auditors Would Have Great
er Care Exercised in
Making Contracts
ASK IL ROAD WORK
CAN BE STOPPED
Special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, Del. Jan. 22-Audltors Wal
ter o. Honecker and John C. Hopkins,
auditors Of the books and accounts OF
Harry d. Grieves, comptroller have
completed the audit and made their re-
port to Judge w II. Boyce. The audi
tors make the following recommends
lions.
Following the practice Of comment
ms on certain matters disclosed in our
examination Of the comptroller's records
we again call attention TO the items Of
supplies and materials purchased for
county use and respectfully urge in
creased care In these purchases, wheth-
er the articles purchased be for use IN
The various county Offices or for other
departments OF county administration,
In order that reasonable economy m
The county's expenditure may result
I'VE note with much qualification that
our suggestion that the prisoners In
our county jail be employed upon re-
muneratlve terms 90 the county was
enacted into law by the Legislature, and
that the county's share Of the hire OF
the prisoners for a portion Of the year
very nearly covered their board for the
entire year. This result alone is worth
while, TO say nothing OF the larger
benefit to the moral and physical con-
ditlon Of the prisoners employed rather
than sitting IN enforced idleness.
1--WE were also pleased 10 note much
Improvement in the promptness on the
part Of the collectors IN their collec-
lions Of the county taxes and we
especially commend the collector Of the
First district, who returned his tax
duplicate collected In full on November
26, 1917, or in about six months after
receiving the same Similar promptness
on the part Of all the county's tax col
lectors would make q vast difference IN
the showing Of It's receipts at the close
Of the fiscal year. In this connection.
let us direct attention TO the fact that
by reason Of prompter collection Of the
taxes and greatly reduced delinquent al
lowances, greater economies In the ex-
pendltures Of the county's moneys, TO
all Of which the county comptroller, by
his painstaklng care and alert watch
fulness Of the bills presented to him for
approval, has contributed his full share
We have today a balance Of s67.i35.i6
as against a deficit Of s79il43, i've
years ago.
with neither desire nor purpose to
In the least degree NEEDLE with the adj
Of any department Of the
but wholly I'm the interest Of
the taxpayers OF the county, we raise
the question in view Of war conditions,
the very high cost Of materials. the ex-
ceeding difficulties Of transportation and
the great scarcity Of labor, would It
not be well TO discontinue road build
Ing for the current year And this done,
save the county the expense Of q county
engineer. We note this item cost the
county last year s2.6si IS we merely
raise the question and commend 70 to
the Levy Court for consideration.
I'm closing this report, we again COM
mend Comptroller lGrieves for the splen-
did service he has rendered the county
and reiterate our previous statement
that in our judgment the office Of
county comptroller. with the right man
In 1t. Is one Of the most valuable we
have"