Loading...
Wingham Times, 1890-03-28, Page 4leilltaccounts and that Statement is abs0.Li A M lately correct. (Cheer) IsTow, let me notice the untruthful way in which what took place and. what Was old in regard to this is reported in the Knspite neWepaper, a newspaper that is acquiring an unsavory reputation for untruthfulness' in its political references. Let us see what this paper says of this incident, and it is in the editorial column—in those Legislative Notes —every line of whieh boars evidenoe by their unfairness and incorrectness of the hand that penned them ;--- It was was pointed out by the Qp. position ou that occaeion that sv;tle teference to the Drainage Assessment Account, while for the year 1886 the fund was placed at $166,889 on the credit side of the account, and in 1887 at $190,684 on the same side, in the public accounts of the next year, while the only trausaction in conneo- gen with the fond had been a receipt of $15,041, the balance hact suddenly jumped over to the debit side of the account and was set down at $242,2213, thus mtuking a difference in the one year of over $132,000, while the ton, sections had only amounted to $15,- 000. Such a startling discrepancy was admitted by the Treasurer never to have been noticed by him, and when his attention was called to it his excuse was "only bookkeeping," although he could not give any explanation of it. Now, Mr. Chairman, continued the hon, Treasurer, the statement that• such a startling discrepancy was ad- mitted by the Treasurer never to have been noticed by him is, the most f thre a deliberate untruth. MIST -AND DRUGGIST.. P;, R. TICKET AGENT. f.C. N.111. TELEGRAPH CO. Opp. Brunswick House, Ingham, - - Ont. It J itiitm (me FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1800. L.bill has been introduced into the Pr York State Legislature for the pea of. enabling all the Cayuga ians residing in. Canada or else. re to participate in the amount of •annuities claimed by the tribe pr old treaties. The introducer is rtnan of the commission appoint - o enquire into the claims of the tiga Indians, and the fact of his ng introduced such a Bill is con- • ned a practical recognition of, the you bay money, paying so much per cent, per atalUna far AS Use, Under the annuity %amine • you sell Money,' acoepting the hest cull Offer that is made for the amount you covenant to deliver. In the One ease you pay in tarot, in the other you luay have 110 more to do with the interest on the annuity than you have to do with the national debt of England. The hon member for Grey says the salinities include interest, the interest being the large partion of the amount, The bon member for Toronto says" There ite not, there cannot be, any question of interest conneoeed With the payment of annuities. The hon. member for Grey obieete to the way the payments, have been credited because the interest and principal have not been kept separate. The hop. member for•Torouto Must contend that the account 119.13 been kept and the payment credited °or rectly, because, according to him, there is no interest at all, but all is Am I correct in saying that the hon sale of the annuitiee, lees the sums principal. member for Toronto thinks this an that had since been aid on them, nuity account kept correctly as it both principal and itierest, and it correctly sly:ivied* t t My own opinion is that the be kept differently, bu for difference of (mini :oe iin- 0a.uadian of the claim. port I never admitted that there was a PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. discrepancy at all, and there is no — discrepancy at all, (Cheers.) The bezel, TREASURER ROSS REPLIES discrepancy existed only in the brain. ,Teen melanin AND TIM MEATEIBIk of the hon. member 'for Grey, who as attempting to discuss a matter • POR NORTH GRIM that either he had not exa —as he ought to have kn charging it as an .error—o did not understand. (Che also as distinctly* .untrue my attention was called excuse was that it was keeping, although I could explanation of it. No bookkeeping was made by ,reference to this item. statement is a fabrication; care whether it was w editorial chair of the P,2eiep at a member's deskein this is totally untrue. Mr. Oreighton—that statement, in the presen -who heard you. Hon, Mr. B,oss—It is than the occasion • calls please.) I did refer in t as to the item of annuitie a mere matter of hookl affeetina to the extent either the receipts or s the Province, but no refer keeping or beoklweping made in regard to this rte age debenturee, and the s this artiele, I repeat, ai untrue. Then the articl' deal with aleference whi to the item in. the same s ledger balances ander Annuities, the credit bal account in the ledger bei $792,512'. The, article ea. get anexpIanation of thi ary blunder, another exa bookkeeping was then p him in connection with Now,in the first place, t nary blunder is seen to b at all, at least no blunde of the Treasurer or of a neeted with his DePartro a blunder of the membe Grrey. Bat the article ahuui ties. include in teres repayment , of principal, being a larger portion of Toronto Entpiee and Mr. D. 1ton, the member for North having been criticizing the Prott . a000unts, Mr. Ross, the Pro- Tressurer, replied as follows, peeeh delivered in the Legisla- a few days age is may be, said Mr. Rose, as opportunity as any other to lte explanation asked by the hon it.r for North Grey, when before twaittee of supply, as to how the • balance of Drainage Assessment ;yit3. the 'statement of opeie ao- i ariedeer balanee of 1887 of 484 36 had disappeared in same 'tent in the Remounts of 1888, • !ta. become a debit balance of t28,22, making a difference of poo,000. When the hon. titan asked the question I told !at theehange was in connec- eat the corregtion of the incor- ethod of stealing with those ea accounts by Mr. Harris, the ;maxima, wl..ich I had brought attention of the House in 1887, . ain in 1888, when I informed use the corrections had been told bine I had no doubt the: .ed balances were correct, but liese corrections involved no Iference as the sum mentioned • a upwards of 400,000 ; that at meat (Ionia net give him the ;figures or entrien but would • information and give it to erwardi., I will give him the etion now. The hon. gentle - .1 soe that while the -statement aceounts or ledger balances in ;iontains eredit balaime of ,34.36, it also on the other side debit balance under the head its and Drainage of Swamp $366,581an account .1.4n 1870, to wilich sums paid DELge wilder the Carling Act 'nailed,. When payment of • ants oa account of this expen- Jiere alias bY municipalities, credited these to another Now there le matter iti ,,,linaded "Drainage 'Aeneas. tweett the hon. reeinber -A to that account M.r.Barris, the seder member for " Clarke). which s hear these hon. gentlem 1find a letter public ofthe 5th inst. over the E, Ciarke,in which thea eecenute that are not closed every otwarrea lei fore 1 ig Tow Year by transfer to fimsolidated fund, NV 001t eolineetime tj,ih- by the Was that as eo .ii es it (wane t ,y That statement ts Ade up Accountant in the reaeury Departknowledge that there had, sinee iteee moat and the Audit r choke it with the ledger, and if he finds those e.alanoet =repay t3 down he ord• fies the statemei ,orreot. The Auditor :did cheo these Waimea, hedid find them 00 'ect as they tip Peered in the ledge mid he properly certified to the etatement. The Auditor is iwt th efore, oltargeehle with certifying to wrong stateineet, The article state owing by the Prov unities was see do 912, in 1888 at $ at $79.2,512. No the account in the set down the ameunrtowing by the Province, nor did t t.eitAiies to do so, nor did it profese to low the present value. It merely, as he account was opened and kept by Harris, pro. feesed to show the an ant which had he received by the rovince on the existed' ea diserepaiwy between the halauces in the Weiss and the halintees omen en the public Ea:omits, 1 ittf- diately instituted au examination to 'tame these deeeepaticies investigat ed and acljoeted, and cud get Oahu set right mitt eajoeted, and .1 should have thought that hon. gentlemen oppokite, if they had been candid auI feir, mighe have gi. ine Ittaio credit' for detertniuiug to have these that the amount ice ou these an. matters set right. Thiess dourtiPnIns • in 1687 at $896,. tioLuneenced in 1869, nutter tile 1reae- 4,712 and in 1889 am in the Government 44 $aucitie , the valance of Macdonald. In the public accounts statement did not of 1869, certified as o root metes the signature of "E. B Wood, Tretteurer," a certain amount show ' the receipts from crown lande• That amount was incorreet ny the emit. of $118 as shown by this hiveetigateon and by the auditors report presented to thia *pose and the halftime as certitied b‘ ler. Wood was therefore incorreet. in 1871, also, •another, disorepency ti100 occurred in the bault balance as tete/eau the public accounts and the bastes ae in the haelts, and theme wince coutioued u70,71i11°,°ivueer:ldeicdhurit'lli4e tiedfitici el tie - ;leers 1869 douald Goveruineot were in )sovver, and until the inveseigation ordered me in 1885. It would. be in online\ acoording to the role t,f crineisiu pursued by the hon. geutlemee op- posite, to denounce Hon. E. B. Wood hisas i110QUWBtUt, S8 scuoguuuitittey asof u grosstry blunclers, and uhtruatevorthy. dou't charge Mr. Wood, with anything of the 'dud. Ile was not the itecountatit. He did not keep the bootee. He did not persou• tt:ly make out the. accounts. He depended upou the accuracy of the accountant. The accountant was ine accurate, and, as events hove proved. not to be relied upon. it was 'the same accountant then that has been responsible for all the inaccuracies since, and eucceading Treasuiers have been misled. The only difference ne to responsibility between Mr. E. B. Wood and succeeding Treasurers is that he appointed the ineompetent accountant, and they continued han in office where they Wand him. And the difference between my position, and that of all my predecessors is that I discovered his incompeteocy c,ad,r1larolssed him. In regard to, the drainage debentures also it was this same official, appointed by the Sand - field Macdonald Govetninent, who adopted the incorrect system of keep• ing these accounts under the Carling Act. • I discovered the ,erroneous system and corrected it, Now, is there anything in my dealings with these accounts or the discovery and correction of the errors that should warrant the personal bitterness that soma hon. members on that side of the House have imparted into their criticisms of the accounts and my Department and the malicious mis- representation in . their chief. organ, such as I have noticed? My qualifi- cations as an accountaut arta financial menare my business capital,upon which I am dependent for ray livelihood. Should. the fond though delusive hopes of bon. gentlemen be realized at *the coining election, I slat:Iola be obliged to put these qualifications to use for a means. of fiving—(o.pplause)—and I object to my character in that respect being traduced by such barefaced misrepresentations. As to the admin- istrative acts of myself or the Govern- ment, they are preperly open to the 'freest criticism and attack; that every, man in public life expects. But what I do object to is that these atraylcs aretnade personal ; that the res tars of this paper are told that I sin incompetent.; that the public ac- counts, the Treasurer's accounts, are represented as being full of blunders and utterly untrustworthy, and I am held up as the tete respon- sible for thee alleged. blunders— which do not exist but intim writer's own• diseased imagination, Now, Mr. Speaker, again 1 ask, what is the cause of all this animosity recently exhibited?. I have already shown that the only serious errors that have been shown to. have been in the public accounts °courted: long before I. had any commerical with the 'Government, ant commenced under the *adminstrie. tion. of Sttridlield Macdonald. 13,y thea investigation of the experts. employed by me, and by . the investigation of the.kublio accounts Committee, two dicers were shown to be prineipally responsible 1 for them; I dismissed these officers, and. luting •politicad friend's of bon. gentlemen opposite, apparently 1104 inclined their server�. displeasure, and this is the reason ot appears ? • Mr CI,A.ItICE—Yes. Then he does not agree with the member for Grey, who says it is a blunder. But to proceed with the ex- amination of this article, continued the Treasurer. It goes on to say;— Confrontea with this further speei- men Mr. Ross stammered out an ad. mission that it was evidently blunda or in the method of keeping the ac- counts bot he had never noticed it. As to whdther it was a •kelnuder or not the hon. member for Grey and the hon. member for Toronto are at issue, but to say that I admitted I had never noticed it is again dishmtly untrue. told the hon. gentleman that I had noticed, some days before he referred to it, that the balance of mined into that account did not show what was r h 1 the present value of the annuities, and own before had drawn the attention of Mr Camer- ers.) It is on, the Assistant Treasurer, to it. If that when he doubt my word on that point he to it my can refer to Mr Cameron or to my only hook- friend the hon. Commissioner of •lot give any Crown Lands beside me, to whom I mention of also spoke of insome days before the me in any hon. gentleman referred to it. Mr 1 ray this Cameron said. Mr Harris had leapt and I don't the account in that way, and he had ritten in the continued it as Mr Harris had opened ira office or it, without thinking. the mattpx, but Chamber, it as to whether it was the most correct . way to keep it or not. The article s a strong proceeds to make an unfair and =ho- se of those ious attack upon the Provincial Auditor, who is not an officer, of the not stronger Government, but an officer of this for. (Ap- House, appointed directly by the h' discussion House and only removable by the s that it was House. • I considered I was in duty ceeping, not bound. to defend the Auditor when he of a dollar was unfairly attacked, but my de- xpenditure of fence of him is again untruthfully recce to book- stated in this article. I am repreeent- erors was ed. as follows m of drain- Mr Boss made the 'extraoklinary statements in statenaerit, in trying to excuse the ea distinctly bl wide' ring, tb at ' the Provincial i proceeds to Auditor could not be expeeted to eh was made verify the accounts, and that his eatement of. signature to them did not necessarily the head, imply that they were correct, ante of that 'Now, I made DO • such sweeping ng given as •assertion. What I did say, and 1 ys; Failing to repeat it hero again, is that in the s extraordin- preparation.of these accounts in the ihple of his few weeks between the closing of the (anted out to, financial year, on.81st December, and the annuities. 'the session, for or five clerics and his extraordie assistants in the Auditor's Depart-. e no blunder meat were employed ehnost day and men opposite have beet' more bitterly ✓ on the part nieht• that the Audieor himself could b persoual ie their attacks upon myself ent,• but only not personally, with, his, qwn hand examine and eneele every as Treasurer in conneotion with the ny one con, every en- public accounts, than they wore ,with or eye, . , r for North figure in these accounts, or a any of my predecessors, or .,+.0u.t.foro Says ' Th°14e try made during the whole year by so than during the first few ,y..4.,,, is b as well RS stall of a dozen clerks in the Treasury my owa incumbency of t" e office, atitt Department; that he must to a large the interest one is naturally inclined to ask if the amount. extent depend upon the statements there id any reason for it. Has there dispute be presented to him and eerti6ed as been darting my heourabency, any such for Grey ' and oorrect and checked by his subordm, numerous errors,, inacCuracies or mis. Toronto (Mr. atea. To say that the Auditor shall takes in the public. accounts, for which }paid like to pereorially himself with his. own hand I am either directly or indirecely res• en argue out, (+heck every entry, and himself verify pousible, as to warrant the eharge that Itht hi the Mali every figure, is to say he can do the it ha's become notoriety that the signature of id, work that twelve men are enaployeil to statements, year by year presented by e anntlitiek ge do. Evety one'who knows anything the' Treasurer are utterly untrust. ,ahopt Recounts of large concerns, or worthy ? 1 haye been - in office eix eorperatiorie knows that what I say is Catathey mention six errors correct; but that is a very, different Yoicattusa.couniciaa ia the „bile accounts theory from the ineeeping, assertion that is put in iny mouth when 1 am occurring during those six years, that I atn responsible for 1: 01111 they 111011. made to. say "that the Auditor's otlieint signature re)list temente nothe ti" nix, that It''Y 0146 ill th6 Treasury depeximent is responsible for 1 Can ing,Nobwilit wasmarengettliirdr Lfhaerae;tirtieniar they mention six errors in those. six, items that drew forth thia cendem. years °centring at alt / Can they mention fotir / Can they mention 1.0 count, should there is room as to several ways in which it inigl he kept. The hon. member for Torus o says it is correct as it is. Some might prefer that at might be kept. v leaving the account on the credit from. time to time the aunuities sold, withoul that account any paym its made in redemption. Others leg '11 might wish the 'moonlit kept so as ei show the present value of the ' 'maims eat - standing at any date. These are matters of clinicl. on w ich account ants might differ, but. tit Auditor has no right to dictate to le Treasury Department in the matt Now there is a genera charge in this article whieli I wisi" to refer to. In this same article ow s the follow- ing sweeping charge egailst myself.;— A couple of years ago was dis- covered that the public a4couuts were in a muddle and the balance wrong by over $14,000, while it was admitted that the fact' had been known, but the Auditor had year after year certified a false balance to the House and country. 'Indeed it has become notori- ous that the statements year by year presented by the Treasurer are utterly Wortley ; and"that. uo Who has time to devote to it can start to havestigate without coming upon the most extraordinary blunders. I could reply that the Treasurer has not responsibility for the public accounts or their accuracy. , By the statutory declaration of -this House they are prepared and submitted for transmission +,o this House by the Provincial Auditor, and the Provin- cial Treesurer has not the right, any more than any member ef the House, to dictate or instruct the Auditor in the performance of that duty. The Provincial Auditor is an office/ of this House, appointed by the House and removable by it and uuder its dire°. tion. That is the position of the Provincial Auditor since • the Audit Act of 1886. The hon. member for Grey is, therefore as much responsible for the public accounts as I am, but I 'ram prepared to accept in full all res• ,ponsibility that either directly or in,. directly can attach to me in connection with the public accounts since 1 have been Treasurer. It cannot have escaped the notice of the House that during the lasatwo years hoa. gentle- ide to show tal amount of charging to tied by inc in 1887, carried ' se payraente, although part , should be credited to interest. 'to ditsto drainageassessments ,;. '4 properly inade the difterenee '' these teen acconntef wonelti giseussed. !Jr, Clarke awn the amount still dud...6 Will you orinit me ince. Certain adjusting ' ,en. swer to your .editorial o u P c tt s g a r y to do this. sold en Provinciartinances usting entries were mAde ati failed to catch the 'pin Sne- hDrainage Aitseetstnene troversy between the charged With the ainonut his critics on the questi the debit of surveys and VOW the controversy warnti lands.. Ib was also'. controversy. between th h. the proportion of respipts, for Terohto tout the he) and the Treagurer thin own differences in their criticism be. blunder of•thn hon. inembotfor 4.1rey thspk s , aS Well {Orilla Crates a res y fort; he is caned upon to defend him. hintheif, and was • no bittaer of the °eh meet them. (1,,i0iid applaiii304) The Prtapire ertiole., referg. to the self from these contradictory '114"k°, Auditor. And now as to. the other. of $14.'000 in the bank hoeing° Mr. Clark goes on to s,to,, 94 sdonebtitetuaneatitatNedoit2biasittansetattatzttrionfgthaes., dbahtleartiesePssn,reeYported by me le the Idonteitheir hitterriess. iChears.) titutstiun of et connected with opt acuoututS in, 0 lea410rk WO ilt4:111 148%. 0,710;, 0110 of, 4110/0 '400r01 The hol4 %ember ter Peuaik‘ *Ilk It here is trtthere cannot ue,, thil pavuetit .m1441,400, in 4, leo, ,v-„ „ . , *:i: ,..., .1 ' ' ' ' ' '- — ''''' '''.. ''• ''' '"'.. - - - "' - 4- ' ., -- •• • 'i - says: O say ire sena ' f this morning that you have t the con. Treasurer and on of anus itiest shifted into a a hon. member member Orgy, k it might be interest • improperly nation orthe Auditor. 14 ha a Ing• 014.1, and ' yid,* g made by' order.in.coucn. ,11, as distinctly shown in founts of ,I888-estat4. these entries tosethitr foe tagetpie ot;188$ Ile Viz* htN the **ti11 1opfin ,0601 6 tWO if they know of any I wish to• Ott 0their a oho an that One of the.ra totate them, now,rao that 1