All persons in the employment of the government of the District of Columbia having, as a result of such employment, custody of or chargeable with property, other than real estate, belonging to the District of Columbia, shall, at such times and in such form as the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall require, make returns to said Mayor of all such property remaining in their possession, and the condition thereof, and, with reference to all property that may have come into their custody that shall have been consumed in use, a statement showing the quantity thereof and the purpose for which used.

(July 21, 1914, 38 Stat. 553, ch. 191, § 7; Mar. 3, 1915, 38 Stat. 925, ch. 80, § 7.)

1981 Ed., § 1-502.

1973 Ed., § 1-309.

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.