If the owner or occupier of a subdivided survey, section, tract, lot, or part thereof fails to appear when required, and to produce the title papers, or produces them in such manner that the county auditor cannot plat and number said subdivisions without a survey, the auditor may require such owner or occupier to cause such subdivisions to be surveyed, platted, and numbered within twenty days, and to deliver said survey and plat to the county recorder for record. If such survey and plat is not made and delivered to the recorder within the time required, or the owner or occupier has not appeared when required, the auditor may cause the subdivision of such survey, section, tract, lot, or part thereof, to be surveyed, platted, and numbered by the county engineer and recorded by the recorder. The expense of the survey and record made by the order of the auditor shall be reported to him by the engineer and recorder, and the auditor shall add the expense to the tax on such subdivisions in proportion to the quantity of land in each. The expenses shall be collected as are other taxes against the land, and when collected paid over to the parties entitled thereto on the warrant of the auditor.
Effective Date: 10-01-1953 .