A-4608, DECEMBER 20, 1924, 4 COMP. GEN. 550

A-4608, DECEMBER 20, 1924, 4 COMP. GEN. 550

COMPENSATION AND RENTAL OF QUARTERS - MATRONS OF THE INDIAN SERVICE THE COMPENSATION AND RENTAL OF QUARTERS FOR FIELD MATRONS OF THE INDIAN SERVICE ARE CHARGEABLE TO THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION "INDUSTRIAL WORK AND CARE OF TIMBER (FIELD MATRONS).' THE COMPENSATION OF OUTING MATRONS OF THE INDIAN SERVICE IS CHARGEABLE TO THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION "INDIAN SCHOOLS SUPPORT," WHILE THE RENTAL OF QUARTERS IS CHARGEABLE TO THE APPROPRIATION "INDIAN SCHOOL AND AGENCY BUILDINGS.' WHEN THE DUTIES OF FIELD MATRON AND OUTING MATRON OF THE INDIAN SERVICE ARE PERFORMED BY ONE PERSON, THE PRACTICE OF APPORTIONING THE EXPENSES OF COMPENSATION AND RENTAL OF QUARTERS BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE APPROPRIATIONS OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT IS PROPER. 4 COMP. GEN. 327 MODIFIED.

COMPTROLLER GENERAL MCCARL TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, DECEMBER 20, 1924:

I HAVE YOUR REQUEST OF NOVEMBER 14, 1924, FOR RECONSIDERATION OF DECISION OF THIS OFFICE OF SEPTEMBER 25, 1924, 4 COMP. GEN. 327, REGARDING THE APPROPRIATIONS AVAILABLE FOR THE SALARIES AND RENTAL OF QUARTERS FOR OUTING AND FILED MATRONS OF THE INDIAN SERVICE. MY DECISION OF SEPTEMBER 25, 1924, AS STATED IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH THEREOF, WAS PREDICATED UPON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE RESULTS SOUGHT TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE TWO CLASSES OF MATRONS WERE PRACTICALLY IDENTICAL, NO DEFINITE STATEMENT OF THE DUTIES OF THE RESPECTIVE CLASSES HAVING BEEN PREVIOUSLY FURNISHED THIS OFFICE. WITH YOUR REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION, HOWEVER, YOU SUBMIT DETAILED STATEMENTS OF THE DUTIES OF OUTING MATRONS AND OF FIELD MATRONS, RESPECTIVELY, FROM WHICH IT APPEARS THAT THEIR DUTIES ARE IN FACT WIDELY DIFFERENT. THE FIELD MATRONS' DUTIES MIGHT BE SUMMARIZED AS GENERAL WELFARE WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL THE INDIANS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS, WHILE THE DUTIES OF OUTING MATRONS ARE CONFINED TO EDUCATION WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH ESTABLISHED INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS AND CONSIST IN THE SUPERVISION OF INDIAN BOYS AND GIRLS PLACED WITH WHITE FAMILIES FOR PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION IN DOMESTIC ARTS AND AGRICULTURE.

THE APPROPRIATION "INDUSTRIAL WORK AND CARE OF TIMBER (FIELD MATRONS)" SPECIFICALLY PROVIDES FOR SALARY AND RENTAL OF QUARTERS FOR FIELD MATRONS AND IS EXCLUSIVE SO FAR AS FIELD MATRONS ARE CONCERNED. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC APPROPRIATION FOR OUTING MATRONS AS SUCH, BUT THEIR WORK IS SO CLOSELY ALLIED TO THAT OF INDIAN SCHOOLS THAT THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SUCH SCHOOLS MAY BE CONSIDERED AVAILABLE FOR THEIR EXPENSES. UPON RECONSIDERATION, THEREFORE, IN THE LIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE NOW BEFORE THIS OFFICE, I HAVE TO ADVISE THAT THE PRACTICE OF CHARGING THE SALARY AND RENTAL OF QUARTERS OF FIELD MATRONS TO THE APPROPRIATION "INDUSTRIAL WORK AND CARE OF TIMBER (FIELD MATRONS)," THE SALARY OF OUTING MATRONS TO "INDIAN SCHOOLS SUPPORT," AND THE RENTAL OF QUARTERS FOR OUTING MATRONS TO "INDIAN SCHOOL AND AGENCY BUILDINGS," APPEARS TO BE PROPER, AS WAS ALSO THE PRACTICE OF APPORTIONING SUCH EXPENSES BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE APPROPRIATIONS WHEN ONE PERSON PERFORMED BOTH DUTIES. MY DECISION OF SEPTEMBER 25, 1924, IS MODIFIED ACCORDINGLY.