OPERATIONS OF THE INSULAR PURCHASING AGENT UNDER THE RICE APPROPRIATION. The transactions of the insular purchasing agent under the rice appropriation to June 30, as audited, were as follows: [Act No. 495.] Mexican currency. Character of item. Debit. Credit. Expended for rice to June 30, 1903.. $1,786, 018. 38 Sales of rice, including $10,572.91 United States currency at $2.45 to $1, deposited and undeposited to June 30, 1903.. Difference... $1,373, 550. 51 412, 467.87 Total... 1,786, 018. 38 1,786, 018. 38 WAR EMERGENCY RICE FUND. Act No. 448 of the Commission provided for taking over to the insular treasury the sum of $65,965.65 Mexican currency, profits arising in connection with sales of rice, etc., by the military authorities to the inhabitants of Batangas and Laguna provices during the so-called reconcentration period. The act named provided that the sum so deposited should be treated as a reimbursable appropriation, expendable in the discretion of the civil governor for the benefit of the inhabitants of the provinces named. On October 29, 1902, the said sum of $65,965.65 Mexican currency was deposited in the treasury and became available for withdrawal and expenditure in accordance with the terms of the appropriation. From that date and until June 30, 1903, there had been realized from the sales of rice the sum of $898,544.52 Mexican currency, all of which was deposited in the insular treasury, except $47,212.60, balance in the hands of Capt. D. H. Boughton, who had immediate charge of the funds and whose account was liquidated in full shortly after the close of the fiscal year. During the period ended June 30, 1903, the entire sum deposited, besides the original deposit with which the account was opened, had been advanced to Captain Boughton for disbursement under the terms of Act No. 488, and the sum of $890,017.16 expended or invested in rice, implements, or other supplies, leaving a balance due the government on June 30, 1903, of the sum of $27,536.51 Mexican currency, which balance was also liquidated in full shortly after the close of the year. Summary. The sales include rice, for which payment had not been made by Captain Boughton, to the amount of $19,519.65 Mexican currency, the accounts being settled after June 30, 1903. INSULAR SALARY AND EXPENSE FUND. The transactions under the appropriations for what is known as the insular salary and expense fund to June 30, as audited, were as follows: Mexican currency. Character of item. Expended (including $7,020.96 United States currency, reduced to Mexi- Reimbursed (including $14,934.25 United States currency, reduced to Net expenditure, expressing United States currency in its Mexican cur- Total... PURCHASE OF SILVER BULLION AND ALLOY. The transactions under the appropriations for the purchase of silver bullion and alloy for Philippine coinage to June 30, as audited, were as follows: Character of item. Purchase of silver Purchase of alloy. Coinage and transportation Cost of certificates of indebtedness. Receipt of Philippine currency, 13,200,000 Cost of silver certificates. Amount invested to June 30, 1903, in excess of amount reimbursed to that date... Total.. INVALID MONEY ORDERS. Under the rules of the money-order system an order becomes invalid for direct payment twelve months after the last day of the month of ssue. The amounts received from the issuance of money orders which have become invalid are deposited in the insular treasury and are made a permanent appropriation by the provisions of paragraph 8 of section 1 of Act No. 357, for the payment of the amount of the original orders by warrant upon certification of the claims by the auditor. The operations under this fund during the fiscal year were as follows: Rule 31 of Act No. 90 provides that no disbursing officer's check shall be paid after one year from the last day of the month of its issue. In every case where, after one year after the rendition and settlement of the final account of a disbursing officer, there remains a balance in any depository to the credit of such disbursing officer, by reason of the nonpresentation of checks or otherwise, the auditor reports said amount to the civil governor, who requires the depositary to deposit the said balance with the treasurer of the islands to the credit of "Outstanding liabilities." During the year just closed the sums of $15 United States currency and $233.99 Mexican currency were deposited in the insular treasury to the credit of "Outstanding liabilities." No payments from this fund were made during the fiscal year. THE MONEY-ORDER SYSTEM. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND POLICE, BUREAU OF POSTS. The money-order system of the Philippine Archipelago, operated by the bureau of posts, is analagous to that of the United States in all of its details. Money orders issued in the United States and paid in the Philippines are charged to the United States. Orders issued in the Philippines and paid in the United States are charged to the Philippines. Under this reciprocal arrangement paid orders are respectively transmitted as remittances to the country in which issued. The only revenue which accrues from the money-order system is the net amount of fees received, after all losses have been deducted therefrom. An analysis of the money-order statement shows that there were balances in the hands of postmasters June 30, 1902, amounting to $1,039,112.45, and there was due from former postmasters at that date $86.36, and due to former postmasters the sum of $6.08. During the fiscal year 58,097 money orders were issued for the aggregate sum of $2,842,586.76, upon which fees were received amounting to $11,365.52, with gains by exchange amounting to $2,551.42. of The number of orders paid and repaid during the fiscal year was 32,425, aggregating $1,713,549.87. There was remitted to the United States for the credit of the Philippine money-order system, on account money orders of Philippine issue paid in the United States, the sum of $904,477.94; $13,232.26 was transferred to the postal funds, and $5,537.76 was deposited in the insular treasury on account of invalid money orders, for the credit of a permanent appropriation from which claims for invalid and lost money orders are payable. There was lost by unavoidable casualty the sum of $300. There were balances in the hands of postmasters on June 30, 1903, aggregating $1,251,631.85, which includes the balance in the hands of the postmaster at Manila as the designated depositary of money-order funds. There was due from former postmasters the sum of $7,002.60, while the balances due former postmasters June 30, 1903, aggregated $35.85. Appended is a tabulated statement of the money-order transactions during the fiscal year at each of the various money-order offices in the islands to June 30, 1903, and a statement of the general account with the United States as shown by the records of this office. |