Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-15
BILL SEEKING
UNIFORMITY IN
CITY ACCOUNTING
Offered in Senate Wednesday
by Senator Eaton of Oxford
County - Act Prohibiting
Smoking in Street Cars-TO
Increase Compensation of
Knox Register Of Deeds

oIlOh!HS III SlIeeC NafS-1O
Increase Compensation of
Knox Register Of Deeds
Uniformity in municipal account
| ing is aimed ut in a bill introduced
! in the Senate Wednesday by Senator
! Eaton of oxford county, chairman
OF the committee on financial affairs
! and appropria tons. who has been
| making a study of this subject for
several years. The bill provides
that any city, town or village cor
poration in the State may petition
/ the State auditor for an audit of its
accounts or for the installation of
an accounting system. The state
auditor is required to comply with
/ this petition as soon after it is re-
Ccivcd as possible. 1t is further pro-
Vided that aftc' such accounting has
/ been installed the voters of the town.
! city or village corporation, at a legal
meeting may provide for a continu-
ing of audits of municipal accounts
/ by the State auditor.
| The bill further gives authority to
| Sclcctmcn or assessors to ask the
state auditor for such an audit when.
in their Judgment, conditions war
rant it.
1t is provided that the state audi
! tor shall install an accounting sNs-
| tenn which viii be most effective IN
| securing uniformity of classification
! in the accounts of cities, towns and
/ village corporations. These systems
are to he supplied. approximately at
cost.
! The State auditor will he Required
! to supply all municipalities taking
advantage of this act with blanks for
/ lin
auditors as a rart of the plan Tor
/ bringing about a systematic nfetLod
of accounting IN cities ana towns OF
! the state. which shall he incorporatef
! in a report to be issued by the State
,iCpartmcnt.
! The cost Of installing this account
/ ing system shall be paid by the
! state. but shall he charged to the
cities or towns. who shall reimburse
, the state treasury for the amount.
! This bill is along lines similar 10
the law of Massachusetts and while
it is not obligatory upon any town TO
accent the provisions of the law II IS
lchcvcd that its advantages VIII ap-
peal to plost of them.
Indexes in Res;stries Of Oeets
Elliot of knoH-Act relating 70 IN
dcxes in registlicS Of deeds. .,
The act provides that when II shall
ticc of the supreme judicial court or
an associate Justice. if presiding at a
term of court Ecld in the county
from which the application comes.
that the records in any registry OF
deeds are not properly indcNed, ne
shall after satisfying himself as 10
the facts, appoint some sultahlc
person as commissioner to inspect
such records for such term or Years
as may he necessary. comparing inc
records with the indexes and making
such corrections and additions as
may be found necessary. and per-
forming any other duties in connec-
ton Herewith that MAY be required
hv the county commissioners. He
shall also examine the RECORDS OF
plans to sec that the law as to fling
and recording of plans has been OBJ
served and the records OF plans
properly indcXed.
The act further provides that TOR
all such services such commissioner
shall be paid a suitable compcnsa-
ton, his bills to be audited by the
Justice making the appointment and
paid from the treasury or the
county. The register of deeds in the
county or counties for which such
commissioner is appointed shall al
ford such commissioner all necessary
and reasonable conveniences for per-
forming his duties.
Complaint by a Utility Against Itself
Hincklcy of Cumberland = Act
amending the revised statutes au-
thorizing complaint by utility against
itself and empowering the Public
Utilities Commission to order re-
fund.
The act allows 90 days instead Of
30 days for publishing an authorized
reduced rate after rendering of any
service in the State of Maine. 1t
may be filed. instead of published
two years, instead of two months,
after the rendering of any service
within the state of Maine by any
public utility complaint may be
made by an agreed person, firm, cor
poration or association
To Prevent Smoking in Street Cars
| Bailey of Penboscot-Act to pre-
vent smoking in street railroad cars.
tiers any street railroad car with a
lighted pipe, cigar or cigarette or
lights or smokes a pipe, cigar or
cigarette therein. except in cars or
apartments in cars provided for that
purpose. shall he punished by fine
not exceeding five dollars. provided a
copy of this act in plain lcghle
characters J.: kept posted in a con-
spicuous place in said car.
To Increase Compens ation
Elliot of KnoX--Act increasing the
compensation of the register of deeds
Of Knox county from $3.50 to $500.