The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-11-18
N. c. REVENUE
DEPT. SWITCH
LONG DELAYED
Observers Wonder if Re-
organization Plans Have
Hit a "Snag''
Bv ]. c. BASKERVILL
The rimes-News RureRr
... S;r V.Itar ITOtpl

'r Sir Walter NotnI
RALEIGH, Nov. 18.-Has the
long-predicted reorganization OF
The state department Of revenue
run into a snag? Is Gov. J. c: B.
Ehringhaus hesitating to follow
out the recommendations of his
one-man "brain trust" DR.. Mar
Gus Cicero Stephens Noble. Jr.,
executive assistant commissioner
of revenue, or has Commissioner
of Revenue A. J. Maxwell decided
10 continue to be commissioner of
revenue and has he objected to
some of the Recommendations :
Also what has become of the re-
port of Accountant George Scott
of Charlotte on his audit OF the
department of revenue and the
admitted Irregularities he found
in some divisions? =,
These questions are being asked
more and more here, especially
since both the audit of the revc,,
nue department and the special
report and recommendations Of
DR.. Noble with regard to its re-
organization, have been in the
hands of the governor and Com
missioner Maxwell since the first
week in October. But so far both
Governor Ehringhaus and Com
missioner Maxwell have been non
committal whenever questioned
about these reports, other than to
say that they are still being
studied.
Considerable excitement was
caused throughout the department
of revenue here yesterday by the
presence of Accountant Scott,
who called upon DR.. Noble, Com"
missioner Maxwell and Governor
Ehringhaus. despite the fact that
both he and the governor an.
nounced that his visit was entire
ly unofficial and that he was mere
ly passing through Raleigh.
Governor Ehringhaus said today
that he could not give any indica-
ton as to when any action or any
announcement with regard to any
reorganization within the revnue
department might be made. He
did indicate, however, that for the
time being much more thought
and study is being given to meth.
DDS of collecting revenue and
keeping books and records than
to personalities.
Commissioner Maxwell, DR..
Noble and are still studying the
situation and attempting to arrive
mt the best methods we can en-
ploy to increase the efficiency Of
the revenue department" Cover
nor Ehringhaus said. 1--WE all
agree that in the. past it has been
too much of. tax receiving agen-
cy rather than tax collecting
agency, and we are determined
now to make it q real tax collect
ing department. So far we have
not considered personalities at all.
If later on personalities conflict
with the new methods we wish to
use, the personalities will have to
become secondary consideration.
Governor Ehringhaus would not
say more than this. But; it has
been known for some time that
the installation of a fool-proof
system of mechanical book-keep-
ing and auditing is being consid-
cred, similar to that already in
stalled in the sales tax division
If this is done, it will make it al
most impossible for any employe
to get away with anything, as
some have in the past. This new
system will also be so simple that
almost any one can operate it, SO
that it can be operated largely
with the present personnel. That
is why the governor, Commission
er Maxwell and DR.. Noble are
working so hard to evolve a fool
proof and crook-proof system Of
bookkeeping, For if such a sys-
TEN is finally evolved, fewer
changes in personnel are likely to
be necessary than otherwise might
be the case. Not that any en-
ployes of questionable integrity
will be retained, since it was an
nounced many weeks ago that all