Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-09-15
ATTACK
ON FINANCES
New Brunswick Bd. of Trade
Issues Statement on Road
and Expense Situation.

BY Special Correspondent.
NEW BRUNSWICK, Sept. is. -
Another statement issued from the
Office Of the board of trade regarding
county expenditures, follows:
With an expenditure of ~$31,300.59
charged up to roads and road repairs
in the month of May. according to
the figures of the published report of
the county treasurer, the gross total
for three months amounts to $685.
$3.50. Is 1t strange that the tax
payers are wondering how the con-
dition of the county roads off the
Lincoln Highway show that even one
fifth of that total has been expended
in three months time?
The expenditures in May are a little
more modest than in the succeeding
months of June and July. Evidently
the county fathers Cor would 1t
be amiss to term them the county
spenders"?) had not gotten into their
pace until summer had actually ar
rived.
1t would almost seem as though 1t
would pay the sheriff to have an auto
mobile for such work as would be
Required of 1t. In the month of May
S256.50 vas spent for automobile
hire. Four times that amount would
buy a fairly good car, it has been
suggested. but of course there world
be upkeep and repairs en- a machine
II 1t was provided by the county
which might amount to more than is
now spent for hiring taxis.
The court expenses for May totaled
$4,353.42: salaries of members is
given as $~5.327.34; election expenses
$l1.976.77. In this connection the
query has been propounded why
South Amboy with a population of
not many more than 5000 had eight
election districts to take care of its
votersEnearly as many polling
places as New Brunswick, but it may
be that the board of freeholders had
no option in the matter once the
county board of elections determined
the number of polling places. Hence,
the presumption seems safe that this
is n expenditure. at least, over
which the freeholders had no control.
Going through the list it appears
that $~22,945.57 in round figures in
cludes the actual work on the roads
with a total of ~s6,591.03 for stone
and S151.50 for carting. Some of the
items are given in rather an indeh-
mite sort Of a manner so one is 9
bit in the dark rs to exactly what
Is For instance: "Sundry
individuals, $~1,610.S5" and i" SER
vices" $~7s695.59" may be plain
enough to the members of the boarc
and to the county treasurer, but the
taxpayer might be in doubt as tc
just what was covered.
That Prohibition is in effect and
crime is supposed to have decreased
to an appreciate extent would hard
ly be indicated by the Jail expenses
and board of prisoners, $~2,024.35;
county Jail. s~1,023.35; and sherif's
account of s~3,350.O4. Then, the
court expenses of s~4,353.42 added to
this would give enough money &c
build a pretty nice house.
Under the item tools and sup
plies" the separate sums aggregate a
total of $703.42. and with $2S0.03
charged to automobile, shows an ex-
penditure that is liberal. In June the
amount charged to this particular
item was s620.95; and in July
$482.81.
The apparent prodigality with
which the money of the taxpayers ii
spent is exciting much comment
throughout the county. The fact
rthat so much money has been charg-
ed up to repairs of roads, and so lit
tie has been done that shows outside