If any expenses pertaining to land in a reclamation district have been paid from the county swamp-land fund including expenses for attorney’s fees in the examination of the character of the land, the county treasurer shall deduct this amount from the amount otherwise found due to the land for which the expenses were paid, and only return to the owner of the land that portion of the money paid on the land which remains after deducting the amount paid for expenses pertaining to the land.