Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 265, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1910 — PAY BILLS AT MARLBOROUGH [ARTICLE]

PAY BILLS AT MARLBOROUGH

How Accounts of British Ruler Are Kept and Discharged— King Inaugurates Bystem. Loudon.—When King George came to preside at Marlborough house his majesty immediately gave his attention to systematizing the keeping of the numerous accounts of the royal establishment. A clerical department was formed, consisting of three clerks, under the control of the treasurer, Sir William Carrington; dockets for goods bought for the kitchens, storekeepers’ and butlers’ departments had to be made out by the head of each department, who was responsible for the orders which were sent up to the clerk’s office. A docket gave all particulars of the article bought and the name of the tradesman who supplied it and its cost. The particulars of all the dally dockets are entered up iu a general day book, from which they are trans- • V .• , .

ferred to each tradesman’s account ln the royal ledgers; the ledgers, by the way, are bound ln dark red leather, and a crown Is. stamped ln gold on the back of each. Each tradesman who has the royal custom must send in his bill at the end of the month, when It Is compared with his ledger account, and. If It is found to be correct, is discharged during the first week of the month. No discount is asked for any of the royal accounts; a tradesman who receives the royal custom Is Informed that he must supply goods at the lowest reasonable prices and there Is never any attempt at bargaining by the official of the royal household. If a tradesman Is thought to be making extortionate charges he simply loses .the royal custom, so he rarely or never attempts to do. so. There are of course several articles which are supplied to the royal household by contract, such as coal, for elam-

pie. The contracts in most Instances are made for three years and the contracts are as a rule paid ln equal half yearly installments. A great deal oT work is also done at Marlborough House under contract, such as window cleaning, carpet cleaning, chimney sweeping, and the glass frames of a number of large pictures are also cleaned by contract. - All the servants’ wages are paid monthly, the upper servants, holding important and responsible positions, are paid by check, which Is sent to each from the treasurer’s department; the other servants attend at the clerk’s office to rebelve their wages. The king’s accounts for clothes, cigars, theatre tickets, newspapers, books and other personal articles are sent ln to his secretary and are not dealt with at all In the clerical department. These accounts are also discharged every month, but King George always likes to see them before they are paid; it was once a rule that they should be initialed by his majesty before being discharged, but this Is not now done.