The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-03-20

or S122, 600 per annum. Perhaps some more radi-
cal reformer may reduce it still further. | think
however that they can not go much below my fgures
without either gripping the public service. or finding
themselves IN the predicament of the man who
trimmed his stick at both ends, until there WIS no
stick ut all left TO lean upon.
10 meet these $40, 541 expenses, | find tina: the
regular ordinary Government receipts, so far as I
can ascertain from published records of the years
1850 and 1861, exclusive Of the '. water rates." and
:. miscellaneous receipts" would be about S264 600,
leaving n possible balance Of from $4,000 to So
600 in hand. But that this is not hardly enough to
provide for any emergency that may arise, is evil
dent, without leaving anything wherewith to extin-
guished the public debt. There would doubtless be
some Inconvenience at first in pairing down the
various establishments, but no good is ever arrived at
without commensurate exertion. The time of roasted
sparrows flying about is past, and the Government
must now catch the birds before they pluck them, or
put itself upon short allowance for n season. l can
not, however, advise any increase either in the duties
or the taxes, direct or indirect. The former have
reached their maximum, and il would not be prudent
To increase the latter in a season of commercial con-
traction or Industrial changes. 1t is then of necessi-
ty that the Government must look the situation in
the face and resign itself to furego many things
which In more prosperous times might never have
created a discussion.
The sentiments expressed in the above exhibit,
would, if carried out, meet public appreciation.
The reductions correspond in the main with the
suggestions thrown out in this paper of October
CNf 'AANh NNS ~ EbA li0lNdlCu
but which the ministry have found worthy of
attention, and will have to carry out. The
communication indicates 4 step in the right
direction, but too much reliance should not be
placed on it, inasmuch as the ministry have on
former occasions had the sam opportunity of
carrying out popular reforms, but failed in SO
doing.
If the system of compensation according to
the amount of labor performed, is adopted, there
is no necessity of paying any clerk in the gov
ernment service over 81, ZOO per annum, which
is a higher price than is paid in any other SINH
lar service.
Regarding the Marshal's and Sherifs' pay, as
well as that of the police, were the old system of
fees revived, it would work a saving to the
government treasury, though it might not be
entirely free from abuse and censure.
The sum paid for a clerk for the market has
always been considered as 50 much thrown away,
and it is to be hoped that it will be stopped,
while the ground now occupied as a fsh-market,
can be made to bring in an income of one or two
Thousand dollars u year, if leased.
The salary of the Postmaster was formerly
$1,000, then raised 10 $500, now $500, and We
see no reason why the very reduced service now
required cannot be done for the smaller sum.
perhaps two or three hundred for n lad
as a clerk. The pay is ont of all proportion for
the service rendered.