The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-03-12

b,,;ld;no. the above amount is O fair figure, as we
learn that DR.. McKibbin's building, which is small
Ter, rents for $1,000 per annum.
We come now to the cost of the establishment at
the present time.
The last appropriation bill voted for the government
press for two years qs56-D the sum of s~25,6oo.oo
Add two years rent of building, 100000
" " " interest on materials and presses,
(sS.OOO) $4,000
Tota, cost for two wears. $50, $50 90
Making the cost of the printing Office S14,76O per
snnum, if the entire sum voted by the Legislature
is consumed. Our readers will bear in mind what
we said in our last issue, that the government eek
pend $4,000 to SI5, 900" to support their news
paper and printing office; and if the above figures
are correct. lust make n note where the charge of
Sc insanity want of moral perception SC. be-
longs, and who is the most fit subject for medical
treatment
We did not assert in our last issue, nor have we in
this, that there was a loss of $4,000 or SIS, 900 in
sustaining it's printing office. But let us look and
see what the loss is. This can only be estimated, as
the term has not expired. But the cash receipts
of the public press for 1856 and '57, from other
sources than from Government, will not exceed $4,000
per annum, taking the average of the past few years
as the estimate. The account will then stand
Total expenses for 1856 and '57, S29,52OOO
Total receipts from other sources than for government
work, $4,000 per annum, 100000
Deficiency for two years, s~17,52o.Oo
Making a total Toss to the government and people
of $~17,52O.OO, in two years, for sustaining the
government newspaper and printing establishment.
If these figures can be disproved, we shall, with
pleasure, make the correction.
So ingeniously have the reports of the bureau of
government printing, for the past few years, been
made out, appearing to give a very prosperous state
of affairs, or so Disgusting them, that even our clear
headed legislators were befogged and bewildered,
and, according to the PolyneSian, twere so well salts
that they made an extra appropriation of
$4,000 for a press. We wish the ministers and the
people to know the true state of affairs and learn one of
the reasons why this government is cramped for
money. A perfect knowledge Of the facts in this
of government printing, enables us to say
that all the printing required By the government,
excepting only it's cumbersome newspaper, and taking
the average of the past three years for the amount,
can be executed for $4,000 per annum, instead of
$14, 760, which is now being expended for it.
Is it any wonder that the government is obliged to
send an ambassador abroad, at a great expense, to
procure q loan to carry on the government works?
Is it an" wonder that our numerous public improve
ments in other parts of the kingdom remain, and are
likely to remain, at a stand-still The government
press is every year becoming a more heavy incubus.
1t was originally established when there were no
facilities here for printing, and it may have been
then a necessity. But those days are past, and we
have in our midst a community of enterprising me-
chanics, artisans and merchants, who are capable of
supplying the wants of the government in every
branch of industry, and whose interests ought to be
encouraged rather than suppressed by any system of
monopoly or perversion of the public funds.