Page:1887 Compiled Laws of Dakota Territory.pdf/82

Executive. § 120. It shall be the duty of the said examiners to order and enforce a correct and, as far as practicable, uniform system of book-keeping, by territorial and county treasurers and auditors, so as to afford a suitable check upon their mutual action, and insure the thorough supervision and safety of the territorial and county funds. They shall have full authority to expose false and erroneous systems of accounting, and, when necessary, instruct, or cause to be instructed, territorial and county officers in the proper mode of keeping the same. It shall be their duty to ascertain the character and financial standing of all present and proposed bondsmen of territorial and county officers, within their districts. Each examiner shall require of county treasurers within his district, from time to time, as often as he shall deem necessary, a verified statement of their accounts; and he shall personally or by duly appointed deputy, visit said office, without previous notice to such treasurers, at irregular periods of at least once a year, or when requested by any board of county commissioners, and make a thorough examination of the books, accounts and vouchers of such officers, ascertaining in detail the various items of receipts and expenditures; and it shall be his duty to inspect and verify the character and amount of any and all assets and securities held by said officers in public account, and to ascertain the character and amount of any commissions, percentages, or charges for services exacted by such officers without warrant of law. Each examiner shall report to the attorney general the refusal or neglect of county officers to obey his instructions, and it shall be the duty of the said attorney general to promptly take action to enforce compliance therewith. The said examiner shall report to the governor the result of his examination, which shall be filed in the executive office, as well as any failure of duty by financial officers, as often as he thinks required by public interests; and the governor may cause the results of such examinations to be published, or, at his discretion, to take such action for the public security as the exigency demand; and if he should deem the public interests to require, he may suspend any such officer from further performance of duty until an examination be had or such security obtained as may be demanded for the prompt protection of the public funds.

§ 121. The examiners under this act shall in like manner and with authority visit within their individual districts without prior notice, each of the banking, insurance, saving, annuity, safe deposit, loan or trust companies, and other moneyed corporations created under the laws of this territory, and thoroughly examine into their affairs and ascertain their financial condition at least once in each year. It shall be the duty of such examiner to carefully inspect and verify the validity and amount of the secureties and assets held by such institutions, examine into the validity of mortgages held by savings banks, and see that the same are duly recorded, and ascertain the nature and amount of any discount or other banking transactions which he may deem foreign to the legitimate and lawful purposes of savings institutions. He shall inquire into and report any neglect or infringement of the laws governing such banking, annuity, safe deposit, trust companies, moneyed and savings institutions, and for such purpose shall have power to examine the officers, agents and employes thereof, and all persons doing business therewith. He shall forth with report