The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-03-20
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THERSD4Y MARCH %

i that body for discussion not least among which
l. Is the adjustment of our national expenditure
; 10 the limits of our curtailed revenue. IL i
4 patent to all that some reductions must be made
5 and the legislature ought to take advantage o.
this fact to make 4 general reduction in ererJ
, branch, reducing especially the salaries Of EN-.
r Ployees to the rates paid in 1850. The appro-
priatiOn bill Of that year, if taken as IA guide,
would reduce the amount called for for salaries
q. more than oHe-tLird, while as efficient officers. in
every department Of the public service, can be
secured at those rates as at the princely sums
now paid.
In the POiyHeSfcn Of the LIST of March, we find
a communication on the proposed reductions i'm
salaries, Of 4 character rather above the produc-
tons usually met with in that sheet, and which
IS all the more worthy Of attention as il is under
stood to have emanated from the finance Office,
and may DC thus taken as an index of the policy
Of the Government. As we have before said, we
shall always cordially cooperate and assist in
any measures which have in view the real benefit
OF the people, no matter from what source they
originate, and therefore insert most Of the arti-
Gle, though somewhat lengthy:
Mr. EDIToR As the time is rapidly approaching
for the session OF the Legislature, and as neither YOU
nor the -7frsrfiser appear to have the least inkling Of
the amount or direction in which the Government in
tends TO proceed ia its propositions TO the legislature
for reduction OF the national expenditures; and rs
public discussions Of public questions help amazingly
to expedite business and mature opinions VIXEN the
times comes for their transaction aud delivery, / beg
: your permission TO submit 4 view OF the amounts and
the direction in which not n few Of the best friends
Of this country. ifs People. Government and King,
think that q reduction may properly be made without
iDJuring or jeopardizing any essential interest. l
will not detain your readers by pointing out what
/ portions Of the Civil Code will require altering or re-
pairing, for If the Legislature agrees upon the main
question. there will be little difficulty in arranging
existing statutes. / will therefore take the last ses-
siOn's appropriations bill before me and make my re-
marks rs occasion may require.
We find, then, that the last Legislature appropriate
ed : I35,4o2 40 for the two years ending 3lst March,
1862, or S3G7. 74l 20 for each year. as an average.
Now, let us turn to the details as follows:
The CIVIL LIST Qeaving out the exceptional e-
penditure of S3,OOO) was fixed at S2i, $50 per annum.
Observing that this sum comprises the expenses Of
the entire Royal Household, including even ii. r. II.
Prince kamehameha, who performs the duties and
draws no salary as Minister of the Interior, and
knowing in some measure the many and constant
calls upon the benevoleuce and ever-ready charity Of
their Majesties, that sum is certainly email enough.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTNEST.-The sum cf $685.
235 81, or SG4, III SO was per annunl appropriated
by the last legislature
Were | on the Finance Committee Of the Legisli-
tnre. while | would retain the full. salary Of the Chief
Clerk, on whom most of the labor falls. and Second
Clerk. as they now are, I would dispense with the
Third Clerk and his salary of $500 a year.
IL might be n mOoted point with the legislature
whether. while retaining the honorary titles Of Gov
ernors OF the various islands, with their social pre-
eminence and civil prerogatives, their salaries NAV
not be appropriately Withdrawn, and their few actual
official functions performed by some other Office OF
Offices already existing, such as, for instance, the
Circuit Judges on Hawaii, Maui and Kauai. and the
Minister Of the Interior on Oahu. The united sala-
ries Of the Governors amount TO s. 5000. and those
Of their Clerks to $500 Should the Circuit Judge
ebfpa of Hln and Aaui ba ipvasfal ui,b .La G,b,- !
Material official functions, n raise in their salaries to
$1,000 each would, in my opinion, be appropriate.
The Circuit Judge on Kauai ought to be sufficiently
well paid with his present salary, considering the
extent and population of that island; and $3.50 or
$500 might be added to the salary of the Chief Clerk
Of the Interior, as compensation for any additional
labor accruing from the island of Oabu-we shall
have then a saving Of ST $500 n year in the items Of
and their Clerks. !
The idea Of making the Governors honorary dizni-
taries, serving without pay, is not new in the legisla-
of this country; for if I remember right, in 1851
or '52, a proposition was made to appoint Lieutenant
performing the functions of the Guberna-
tOrial incumbenis; and, l think, that the idea would
not lie unfavorably looked upon in high quarters.
But should the legislature think differently, I can
fully appreciate and respect its motives, and an quite
willing TO retain the emOlumenis O. the present in
during their lifetime.
OF the two Offices, Marshal" and "Sherif OF
public opinion is more and more convinced
that their respective functions could. without injury
10 the public service. be merged in one, and either
The Marshal do the SherIf's duty as we'll, or the
Sheriff the Marshal's. While I would keep the ap-
called Police, OAHU at its late figure
'r nearly so, thus enabling it to replace a sufficient
number of its constabullry to meet the present otjec-
ion to their small number. I think that about So. 900 n
! year might be saved OIL thus merging the two offices. c
q would remain for The legislature TO arrange that h
JUNCTION with present laws. But as, under such an v
arrangement, the Marshal or High Sheri or what I
he may be called. will undoubtedly have his I
lands quite full, il would be but proper TO relieye =
lin Of the responsibility Of the Oahu State Prison by
making the Iniendaut of that establishment directly r
appointed BY. and responsible to. the Minister Of the C
Interior. Whatever reductions may be made in the l
appropriations called Police, Maui, Hawaii aud ~
I have no doubt will be suggested by the !,
Minister Of the Interior, though for my part l do not o
hink that much can be taken from them without n
mpairing their efficiency. j
There is an Appropriation of 81 900 n year for o
Clerk of Honolulu Market" / have no doubt that 3
he Deputy Sheriff in Honolulu, or some other CONNIE q
ent policeman could, without detriment 10 his own "
uties. attend to the business devolving on that office, :,
nd consider himself well paid with 500 additional n
D his present pay. ~
The I" Postmaster of Honolulu receives under the n
ste appropriation $500 u year, and his clerk OF
i 900. | know many, fully a. competent, who r,
-ould be glad TO perform the duties at 81. 600 year, 10
nth an allowance Of $500 for occasional assistance, tr
needed. when foreign mails arrive. +,
" Stationery, lncidentals, Vaccine, Coroners and nj
lealth Commission" expenses being all of an uncer- W
lin nature, no more would be expended than the CT
rcumstances would require, whatever the amount
would be.
The GOVERNMENT Press having been disposed of W
y lease, the contract would be the measure OF the T
in that branch. Sll, GOO was the appro-
ration for the % Government Press by the last 81
egisliture, per annum. By contracting for the work 81
ld the lease 81 the establishment the Government b,
i'll save perhaps $4,000. -.
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRs.-The appropri- l. l
ion is 5000 Il year. &C
| am aware that there are many who think that 4;
lis Department might be merged as n Bureau or a
under the general presidency of the p
mister Of the Interior or of Finance. | do not f.
,actly agree with those reasoners. While it is all a.,
Try true that as government We should study sim ;,
icity and economy, yet as long as there is n Sove- uI
ign Court in this country, with an independent