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we have, it is far from our intention to appear ego-
<br />tistical.
<br />After taking the oath of office in March, 1876, it be-
<br />came a part of our duty to examine the affairs of the
<br />town in its several departments, and then take ' such
<br />measures and adopt such means as in our judgment
<br />would result to the best interest and prosperity of the
<br />whole town.
<br />By a personal examination it was ascertained that
<br />January 31, 1876, the town owed on notes, $64,800,.
<br />and $1,328.23 on bills contracted previous to that dater
<br />making the whole debt $66,128,23. There was at that
<br />date in the hands of the Treasurer and Collector,.
<br />$657•o2 in cash, and $5,986.32 uncollected taxes.
<br />On the 31st of January, 1879, the town owed on
<br />notes $51,800, with no outstanding demands. There
<br />was at this date in the hands of the Treasurer and Col-
<br />lector, $7,383.15 in cash, and $5,550.30 uncollected.
<br />taxes, which shows that the financial condition of the
<br />town is $19,395.84 better January 31, 1879, than it
<br />was January 31, 1876, after deducting $1,222,50 to pay
<br />the firemen and for street lights.
<br />The Selectmen, in 1872,very properly called the at-
<br />tention of the town to the unwise practice of the ex-
<br />penditures exceeding the appropriations ; a vote was
<br />passed instructing the Selectmen not to draw an order -
<br />upon the Treasurer for any sum in excess of any grant.
<br />except under certain restrictions ; notwithstanding this
<br />was designed as a standing vote, passed for the guid-
<br />ance of town officers in the future, not a year has
<br />passed since, but its requirements have been to a con-
<br />siderable extent disregarded, until 1875, when the ex-
<br />cesses amounted to nearly four thousand dollars more
<br />than the appropriations ; since then all expenses with-
<br />in our control have been kept within their respective
<br />grants.
<br />The expenditures from some of the annual appropria-
<br />tions are liable to many unforseen exigencies, so that no
<br />absolute or definite amount can be fixed ; neither would
<br />a vote of the town be binding in certain cases, as there
<br />are Statute Laws which supersede any action of the
<br />town ; for instance the amount granted for the sup-
<br />port of the poor, is based upon supposition ; if the sure
<br />so granted should be exhausted, the overseers are
<br />compelled to furnish relief to the needy and suffering ;
<br />if the Highway Grant were expended, and a freshet or
<br />anything occur to render the roads dangerous to the
<br />travelling public, then the surveyors are commanded
<br />by law to repair them immediately. Should the Con-
<br />tingent Grant be drained, and some serious catastro-
<br />phe happen, as a conflagration or a contagious epi-
<br />demic, then the Selectmen would be absolved from
<br />any action of the town previously taken.
<br />in compliance with an oft -repeated desire, we would
<br />take this opportunity to express our views upon some
<br />feasible course for a reduction of the current ex-
<br />penses for the ensuing year. There were several ex-
<br />penditures the past year that will not be required this :
<br />$1,5oo less for the fire department ; $823 36 granted
<br />to repay drainage assessments, is not required again ;
<br />if the town will reconsider the vote to assess $2,000
<br />on the centennial loan, and take that amount from the
<br />
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