Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-29
BILLS MUST Be
SUBMITTED BY
W0R R K. | En- BOARD
Auditing Board Must See all
Accounts Except Those
For Compensation,

Bismarck, Nd" Nov. 29.-The.
state auditing board. in session here,
passed a resolution requiring the
wOrkmen's compensation bureau to
alLebills for payment, except
claims for Compensation, to the au-
diting board for approval.
The resolution directing that this
be done quotes the law which re-
quires, such action and cites the fail
ure of the previous auditing board to
enforce the requirement. Commis-
sioner Of Insurance Olsness, a. lnem-
Der of the auditing board, voted
against thesresolution. Governor Mes
tos, Acknowledgement Johnson, Treas
urcr Steen andssStatc Examiner Sem
ingson voted for it.
The workrien's compensation bu-
reau has been auditing and paying its
own bills without regard to tine state
auditing board. The resolution intro
duced In the board by Mr.. johnson
cites the law as follows:
THE salaries and compensation OF
the members Of the bureau, Of the
secretary and all %actuaries, account
ants, inspectors, examiners. experts,
clerks, physicians, stcnographers and
other assistants, and all other ex-
penses Of the bureau herein author
iezd, including rent for office OF the
bureau, and the premium to be paid
by the state treasurer for the bond
to be furnished by him. shall be au-
dited and paid .out of the workmen's
compensation fund and the appropriA-
ton made in the prescribed
for similar expenditures in other de-
partments or branches Of the state
service, provided, however, the same
shall not exceed in any one e the
sum of fifty-five thousand dolalrs."
Tho Resolution.
The resolution continues:
Whereas it appears that it has been
the custom, since this bureau was ere
ated in 1919 tomake disbursements
for salaries Qffetthe members and OF
I cmployfssandsfors travelling and other
cSpcnsassasloffsa."the sSmcmbcrs and en-
ployes from~the@funds. raised by col
lections from employers without sub.
hitting vouchers therefor to the au.
diting board for audit as appears tt
| be required in the law, which provi.
sion was also a part OF the law a.
originally passed in 1919; and
Whereas it appears desirable ant
proper that the law in this respec
! be observed and that tho bills FOL
salaries and expenses OF the member:
of the Workntcn's compensation bu
reau and the employees thereof be au
dited in the same name as sinlila,
expenditures III other department.
and branches Of the state service
and - -
whereas it, has been for man.
years a settled public policy Of hi
State, as expressed in the statute
thereof, thai claims on account 80
salaries. travelling expenses. and othe
expenditures be audited by the audit
ing board and not by persons them
selves who"aret directly interested il
such claims; and
"W'hercas we believe this whole
some public policy should be restore
and observed in SO far as the dis
~bursemcnts for such expenditures b
the workmen's compensation burea'
are ~concerned;
- Treasurer to Be Advised.
Nov therefore, be it resolved tina
the auditing board advise the stat
treasurer not { pay or issue check
on. account of any bills or claims fror
the sworkmen's compensation burea
on, account of expenditures for salarie
of members, employees or suhord
mates in the department or for rentin
of offices or for premium paid by tn
state treasurer for bond to be fu,
nishei by him until such claims hav
been. first submitted to the state AZ
diting board and audited in the mar