34 STATION BULLETIN 346 



legislative action materialized, but tlie mere fact that the matter was 

 presented suggests a future trend toward weakening county govern- 

 ment. How many of the present county functions would be assumed 

 by the towns and cities is questionable. It was probably not the in- 

 tention of the initiators of this scheme to dispose of all county func- 

 tions, certainly not the courts nor the registers of deeds and of pro- 

 bate. Inasmuch as welfare is the major function of the county, it may 

 be assumed that this recent legislative action is aimed at that particu- 

 lar function. 



A review of certain facts suggests some possible advantages in 

 reorganization of welfare administration. Counties, like towns, vary 

 in area, in population, and in taxable wealth. (See Appendix 2.) 

 Furthermore, the state itself is small. The entire population is less 

 than that of a number of individual counties in other states. Only 

 recently the state department of public welfare was reorganized ; its 

 activities have been broadened and coordinated. County welfare of- 

 ficers are, for the most part, part-time officials, who obtain office by 

 popular election, and not because they have shown any particular 

 aptitude for administering public welfare services. 



It would appear that there might be some economic and social 

 gain in having a strong state department assume full supervision of 

 and responsibility for the county institutions and welfare services 

 through the appointment of cpialified personnel. This would make 

 it possible to establish administrative areas which may or may not be 

 coterminous with the present counties. Assuming that the county 

 will maintain its present importance as a civil division of the state. 

 and in view of the fact that the welfare activities of the county have 

 increased to such large proportions, it might be advisable to establish 

 the office of County Superintendent of Public Welfare, a full-time 

 official appointed by the State Commissioner of Public Welfare on 

 recommendation of the county commissioners. It is conceivable that 

 such an appointee might be given some supervisory powers over the 

 welfare activities of towns. 



A large proportion of the important officials in local units of gov- 

 ernment in Ne\v Hampshire are elected by popular ballot. Whether 

 these officials are appointed or elected is not determined in all in- 

 stances by their respective positions in a "line of responsibility." For 

 instance, the county solicitor is elected by ballot but is responsible 

 to the Attorney General, by whom he should be appointed for an in- 

 definite term. Similarly, the solicitor might well appoint the medical 

 referees and the superior court apjioint the sheriff. 



The long ballot for town elections presents a problem more ap- 

 parent than real from the point of view of economy since for the most 

 part the compensation is small for the amount of time consumed. 

 The more serious problem is that of administration. One highway 

 agent might well be appointed for an indefinite period by the select- 

 men to whom he is responsible, and the practice of dividing the town 

 mto highway districts, with an agent appointed or elected for each 

 district, might with advantage be discontinued. It might also be 

 better for the selectmen to appoint the treasurer. Furthermore, many 



