Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1919-04-08

the audit was then in process and we
had already begun the collection of
the personal roll, at my suggestion the
auditor kindly consented to delay 9TH
er matters and audit the personal roll
before l proceeded further with the
collections. After the audit of the
personal roll had been completed Cup
to the usual standard) and returned to
my office, | looked the book over to
see what changes, if any, had been
made, and naturally turned to the page
where | knew errors existed and |
found that they had not been discov-
cred. l called the auditors attention
to this particular page and suggested
that it might be well to look the book
over again, and on the second audit
between thirty and forty similar errors
were discovered, which he ordered Mr..
Elder to correct.
For the information of Mr.. Defen-
bach, will say that when he comes
around again, more of the same errors
in the same book can be pointed out
so that he will have a starter for his
next report.
AS Mr.. Defenbach was not on the job
at any time and for his information,
will say that one of the principal err
rors included in his recent report, and
one which involved the greatest loss,
was pointed out in this office and was
covered by the audit made by him per-
sonally two years ago.
Mr.. Defenbach concludes from my
former article that / am directly OPP
posed to the auditing of public ac-
counts. In reply to this will say that
Al I'll, I..t f1.x 90 as.I
practiced so far by Boundary county
is responsible for any prejudice l may
have against the practice, and in my
opinion, ten cents worth of white-wash
will give the same results so far as a
thorough and complete audit applies
in this instnace. Unless an audit is
thorough in every detail which can on
ly be made by people well qualified,
experienced in the business. and abso-
lutely reliable, it defeats the very pur-
pose for which it was intended. Some
of the most important steals that have
come under my observation, were
pulled off in collision with wOuld-be
public accountants and auditors, and
there is no reason to assume that they
are in any higher class than a county
treasurer, or immune from tempta-
ton. Mr. Defenbach remarks that
rwhen a county treasurer takes stand
against the occasional checking up OF
his accounts by a disinterested pro
fessional man he is doing something
that is not exactly ethical and such
criticism would come with better grace
from an overburdened taxpayer" Had
not been a taxpayer he would have
been spared the sorrow which he says
has been brought upon him by this un
due criticism from Boundary county
have been paying taxes into the
treasures of Kootenai, Bonner anC
Boundary counties for the past eigh
teen years and from the looks of things
will continue to do so until / go broke
! On account of space will conclude thi
, article with the understanding that i
Mr.. Defenbach wishes to go further in
} to the matter and will contract TO
space in the Boise Statesman, l will
go him $3.50 on the expense and w
will discuss the subject to a finish
His letter contains other timely sug
| gestions which / would like to enlarg
upon if space would permit; in fac
) the whole of il, like the audit, need
} little fixing.
? His last and final appeal is, what
/ ever you do, do not discontinue tn
2 practice of having your account
checked every two years by someon
' from the outside" To relieve his SC
= licitation for the interest and protec
I ton of Boundary county taxpayer:
s I will say that my Office has bee
= checked up twice within the last yea
a previous to his audit by competer
e outside men who were vitality inter
D ested and it did not cost the count
one penny.
= I do not think, Mr.. Defenbach. ths
= Boundary county, not even the treas
r urer himself, "claims to be so far az
: lvanced in wisdom that no one on cart
n can tell him anything" but 1 ca
: youch for the statement that If hal
= pen to be on the job when the ne1
s man comes around to pull down a mic