The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-09-08
EXPENDITURES ON
REVENUE FROM
s63q.O4l q
s666.Iss Sc

In the above there Is credited to Oahu the
large amounts derived from duties on imports
which enter at Honolulu, as the principal port of
the kingdom. But the veriest tyro in finance
needs not be informed that duties, though adj
yanced by the importers, are paid by the con-
sumers, of whom a most important portion
(nearly three-quarters of the entire population)
live on Hawaii, Maui. and Kauai. The state
ment of the revenue derived from the different
islands is therefore fallacious. But it was not
enough to expend upon Oahu, 4. e., Honolulu,
the whole amount here collected-that dispro-
portionate sum was even exceeded by $40, 1873,
while 10 Hawaii and Maui was given less than
their own nominal revenue, and their nominal
revenue we have shown to be less than they
actually. though indirectly, do yield.
The customs paid at the City of New York
greatly exceed in amount those of any other city
in the Union, and, if we mistake not, 1--WE have
not the authorities by us,) exceed the sum total of
all the rest amounting, if we reminder rightly,
to three-fourths of the entire customs revenue of
the United States); but what would be the fate of
the statesman who advocated to expend upon the
harbor and public works of that city the revenue
there collected. Yet such would seem to be the
doctrine of the Minister in charge of the Bureau
of Public Improvements, for, in his report to the
last legislature, after remarking that ' local
roads and bridges throughout the islands may all
be rery necessary and rery useful in their several
localities, but viewed separately, each is of little
advantage to the Hawaiian people as a whole, 'he
says, even adopting the principle of applying
the proportion of revenue contributed by each
island (the abstract fairness of which l admit),
80, xr,l cd tba& <l,s ,slo,J oc Ok, L., 1900
mo1nt claim over all the Kings other islands put
together and proceeds to recommend a loan to
be raised abroad by the sale of government six or
eight per cent. bonds to the extent Of $500, 900,
or of $3.50 900 at the least, to be applied exclu-
sively to the furtherance Of certain extensive
harbor improvements.
Yes, could such a loan be expected, (since
1854, when the project was first proposed, the
experiment has been tried-with what success,
happily FOR the country, we all know it would
promote the great end of making the islands, or
rather one or two ports in them, a mere stopping
place and tavern on the ocean highway but it
would not so directly promote the object of
making here an independent and 6ourishing
kingdom, as the policy suggested in Mr.. Gregg's
report, page 4 The great desideratum of the
kingdom is an increase an the amount and rarely
of our erporks., In order to be enabled to do
this, our agricultural and planting interests,
which constitute almost the only internal re-
source to which we can look with reasonable
confidence for the means Of paying this debt, (for
our imports} must be encouraged and fostered
by all the means in our power.,r As we. are
situated upon an ocean highway, IL +. o. course
to our interest to keep a house Of entertiinnent
for all travellers. but we had better do Il upon ~
plan of some of the country taverns attached 70
good farm, prepared to give " entertainment to
man and BEAST - and able to live without the Gus
tom of either.
To instance where the principle with which we
Started. Of natf1<ta fair dIstribution Of the