The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-03-01
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THERSDAT. z l

THURSDAT, MARCH l..
The discussions Of the past few weeks have
developed the fact that the Civil Code, about
which such = great noise was made. and for
which - much money was spent, Is at best but q
poor, incomplete, abOrtive specimen Of legisla-
tive laundering. Every week Is making more
apparent what : mistake it was u enact it with
out first making public the rough draft. In a
work Of 20 much importance, requiring a. ii did,
an expression Of the views and experience Of all
interested IN the welfare Of our domestic rela-
tons, instead Of the half-a-dOzen persons who
nad the nOnOT 10 sIJ-IIKe the wise men Of
Gotham-and talk over Its sections, the omission
70 render it as perfect as possible appears mex
cusable.
Had it been published, the lawmakers would
have had the aid Of the suggestions Of every class
Of men upon those parts in which they were best
fitted 70 advise, and it would not have been I'M
worthy 70 have received them with attention.
and, as they should be deemed sound, have given
them operation. II Is possible for instance, that
the difficulties in the tax-law, of which we have
seen the beginning, might have been avoided by
getting the ideas of intelligent taxpayers, who
have seen the operation Of tax systems in other
countries, mayhap have assisted to construct
them. Even very wise men may profit by sug-
gestions Of experience. An old proyerb i, that
- in 4 multitude Of counsellors there Is safety
and a later one SAYS, . that two heads are better
than one"
The legislature will soon be conTened, and
We presume that each member viii have a copy
Of the Code before him, which was not the case
when the law was enacted, and scarcely 4 mem
Der was able 70 know the exact tenor Of the
sections passed. Large portions Of the Code will
either have 10 be repealed OF - modified as to
make it q new law. Particularly Is this true of
the ASSESSMENT and tax laws. We need not spend
q moment 20 argue that these are faulty the
country feels 1.-THE Government admits it.
There is required some simple and cheap way Of
appealing from an Incorrect assessment. 1t Will
not DO 10 send taxpayers 70 court with Its heavy
charges. a. the Ministers are seeking to dO-and
from the lower court TO the highest, to compel
him u resort u HIaHdangus, To try 20 simple a
question a. whether he has been assessed az all,
or has been assessed too high. Although We
contend that the Minister Of Finance was en-
powered 70 create a board of referees, vet as he
has refused his duty, the legislature Is bound
u provide this or sOIne other mode, which shall
reduce these varying estimates to a uniform stand
ard, not the same standard perhaps for each island
and district. but To one suitable 10 the invested or
productive value Of property in each. The gen.
eral rec;iicatiOn Of the assessment would Of itself
prevent most Of the instances Of private dissatis-
faction. Few men are displeased if they fare no
worse than their neighbors. Such a board might
BE- created, and sit at the principal town on each
island for a few weeks. and review the returns Of
the ASSESSORS before thev are delivered 10 the tax
Ii would receive communication and
complaints from all parts Of the island. With
such material before them, and with the iudg-
meut IF the members representing and acquainted
the different sections, proper rates for landed
property could be ascertained. Such action
would have remeiied the grievance Of our cor
respondent in our last number, d. Payer Of Taxes
Costs for such a Board could not conclude
the assessment Of his land at eleven dollars per
acre, u suit the whims Of an assessor, when
better land in the anne neIghbOrhoOd sold "a
private sale within the year for but one and a
half dollars Per acre.
Besides the imposition Of a tax on property,
the last legislature increased almost every other
impost. The duties were raised from FIVE 10 ten
per cent. the price Of store licenses increased all
around. and one Per cent. imposed on auction
,ales. which burden the auctioneers have thrown
upon their customers. and stamps have been
needlessly multiplied. We have never desired to
We are now L most vexatiously taxed people,
w. simply object 70 this needless multiplication
IF demands upon the good, patient people. 10 this {
f'ttering Of every enterprise and in
iustry. ,