The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1922-12-01
STATE
CAPITAL
New State Rule Reviewed BY
Governor.
Annapolis

What reorganization OF tne otatc
government will mean to Maryland Is
to be set forth in detail by Governor
Ritchie at the annual session of the
Governors Conference, to be held at
the Greenbrier Hotel, White Sulphur
Springs, Va, December IA, Is and 16.
To this end he has made additional
studies of the Reorganization Act,
which becomes effective January /,
and arranged a summary showing just
what changes will be made In the
States administrative Offices.
The summary, in part, is as follows:
Department of Finance-This de-
partment will be headed by the Comp
troller and the Treasurer. The State
Auditor, the Bank Commissioner. the
Insurance Commissioner, the State
Tax Commission and the State Pur-
chasing Agent are all assigned to this
department, although these officials all
continue to be appointed by the Gov
ernor.
The more important administrative
changes are as follows:
State Auditors Department-The
duties of the State Auditor, which at
present cover the accounts of all State
departments, State-owned and State
aided institutions, and all Clerks OF
Court, Registrars of Wills, Sheriffs,
States Attorneys and Collectors OF
State Taxes, are broadened SO as to
cover all county treasurers, collectors,
fee officers and County Commission
ers so far as State taxes and receipts
are concerned.
This department has very much
do, so that the audits are not frequent
enough. To obviate this an annual
appropriation is made for auditing as
sistance of nearly $4,000 instead OF
a little over $4,000, as at present.
Payment of Bills-All bills for mer-
chandise, materials and supplies pur-
chased by any of the departments or
institutions of the State are required
to be promptly forwarded to the
Comptroller for audit and review and
if found correct they are to be paid by
the Treasurer upon warrant OF the
Comptroller.
The Comptroller, however, is given
the power to exempt from this require
ment such purchases as he may, from
time to time, determine it is better for
the department or institution to pay
itself, and to facilitate payments OF
this character the Comptroller Is au-
thorized to advance a working cash
balance to such department or insti-
tuition out Of its appropriation.
Monthly Accounting for Fees-Ev-
cry department, institution or other
governmental agency Is required to.
account monthly to the Comptroller
and pay to the Treasurer all fees and
revenues received by it, and the
Comptroller credits the same to the
agency so accounting; and these
funds can be paid out only on war
rant in accordance with law.
In order to provide for cases in
which such monthly accounting may
not be advisable, the Comptroller Is
authorized with the Governors ap-
proval, to grant exemptions.
Department of Welfare-This de-
partment will be headed by the Board
of Welfare, consisting of the Director
of Welfare, with salary of $4,000,
and four unpaid members, at least one
of whom shall be woman. This
board will take over the duties of the
State Board of Prison Control, which
will be abolished, and thus the new
board will manage the Maryland PEN
itentiary and the House of Correction.
In addition to this, the five institu-
tions for the insane and feeble-mind-
ed are placed in this department and
are required to report to the Director
of Welfare quarterly. These institu-
tions will continue to be managed by
their respective boards of manage
ment and trustees exactly as at pres
ent.
The Lunacy Commission and its
secretary are abolished, and in their
place there will be Board of Mental
Hygiene, placed in this department,
consisting of the Commissioner of
Mental Hygiene and six unpaid mem
bers, four of whom must be physi-
clans, and at least one of whom must
be woman. The Commissioner is re-
quired to have had at least five years
experience in the treatment of mental
diseases.
Examining and Licensing Boards
There are 10 of these at present Each
will be required to submit annually
to the Board of Public Works an esti-
mate of it's fees and expenses for the
ensuing year, and only such expenses
can be incurred as the board approves.
This will provide supervision over the
expenditures made by these boards,
which is now lacking, as the boards
at present can use their fees practic-
ally as they please.