The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-05-11
THE PACIFIC
Commercial 90bfttiser
SATURDAY Y. NAY IL.
The Budget.

= Budget s" is looked for with interest, and its
contents closely scanned AMI sometimes criticised.
As a state paper, the present report is wonder
fully open to the latter process, but our space
will only permit a passing notice OF some Of the
most prominent points.
We object in the frst place to the loose manner
lin which the subject Of estimated revenue during
the coming biennial period is sIurred over. We
are told that the direct loss to the customs re-
ceipts from the Arctic disaster was 81 ,739, and
that " this loes is increased of course, by the
indirect loss of duties arising upon goods and
recruits that I1Oud hare been imported the present
year to replace those which l0ouM hare been con-
sumed by the ships, had they recruited here as
usual last fail.'' This in reality tells but half
the story of the actual loss to the country, in
every branch of business, resulting from the
Arctic disaster but the attempt is made TO con-
sole us by the perfectly gratuitous remark that
" The depression to the revenue from this cause,
however, will be of the most transient character,
as the lost foreign fleet have been nearly replaced
by other ships, which are now on their way to
the Arctic, and will recruit here during the com
ing fall season. This is truly raising great
expectations upon no foundation, for it is well
known that out of the entire small fleet now on the
way to the Arctic, not more than nine can with
any degree of certainty be counted on to recruit
here the coming fall season. Then, in speaking
OF the Hawaiian whaling business and its decline
and present poor prospects of a revival, instead
of delivering a few energetic words in favor of
fostering and encouraging it, the Minister coldly
says Under the circumstances, some have
thought it worthy Of your attention 20 inquire if
any impetus can be given to a renewal of this
business"
rV the Subject or IuuG - purely prIyaru enuoI-
prise, y the Hotel, considerable space is devoted
in the Report, and the Assembly are told that
The cost of the property as it stands, the land,
buildings, and standing furniture, has been
SIG, 528 Is - which little sum, it is asserted,
81 is not unreasonable But, 90 there being no
appropriation from which this amount could be
drawn, the money has been borrowed upon per-
sonal responsibility The Honorable member
for Kahoolawe might, with reason, ask to be in
formed as to from where and upon whose personal
responsibility this goodly but " not unreasonable
sum " was borrowed? He may however be fat
tered by the assurance which follows, that "This
large risk has been assumed in the full confidence
that you will justify ii, and will authorize His
Majesty's Government to issue Special Bonds, a
plan for which l shall have the honor to lay
before you during your session" Doubtless,
the Honorable member for Kahoolawe will Justify
the confidence thus gushingly reposed in him,
and cheerfully lay aside his cherished aspirations
for roads and bridges, new Court House, lookup,
etc., in his district, and enthusiastically vote the
Especial Bonds p" to pay for the Hotel. No doubt
Of it.
The receipts of the Treasury during the two
years ending March 3lst, 1872, are reported as
amounting to 1864 $50 35. The estimated re-
ceipts for the coming two years are put down at
$3.50, 7O0-a decrease of SlI2, 256. But the es-
timated expenditures of the coming two years are
stated as amounting to the sum of 81, l31 1886 or
in other words it is proposed to spend 1878, 636
more than we shall receive. How is this large
difference to be made up? Simply by taking adj
vantage of our credit, which the Minister says is
very good, and rushing h~eadlong into debt. The
policy is plainly advocated of creating a burden of
debt for those who come after us to bear, so that
our children, we presume, and our latest de-
scendants, may rise up and call us blessed, for
having entailed upon them that inestimable boon,
a national debt.
The Customs receipts for the past two years,
from foreign imposts, were 1896, AIS the esti-
AA0S~A NNAPo va NbS AOAN w yN0Ao ~ AhA1
source are put down at S422, 500. Whence this
expected increase of S26,OS2? Not certainly
from duties on goods imported, for stocks of all
kinds required for consumption are in excess In
the Country. This expected increase in the Gus
toms receipts, reads the more strangely when it
is observed that all the other sources of revenue
are expected to produce less than in the last two
years, in the sums respectively as follows Fines,
penalties and costs, 81 ,2S9; Internal Commerce,
SII 1872; Internal Taxes, Sc 1862; Fees and Per-
~quisites, Sl5,S44; Government Realizations,
S37, OIL a total decrease from the receipts of
the last two years, of S62, loo, while foreign i'm
posts are on the contrary to increase some twenty
six thousand dollars, And we venture the as
j sertIon that nine business men out of ten in this
s community, will agree with us that the customs
81 receipts must decrease in the coming two years.
The public debt it may be observed was in 1870
reported by the Minister as amounting to Sll2,-
900; this year it is SI60, SOO-an increase of
SAT 100 in two years. 1t does not appear by the
report, as to how this addition to the public debt
has been brought about.
The report of the Minister under the last Bill
Of appropriations is divided off into four columns
under the headings of appropriations -" g Trans
fers, -. Expenditures and : { Balances For the
Appropriation Bill is not regarded as a positive law,
but only as a directory -" enactment, that may be
carried out q not, as may suit the views of
Ministers. thus, n particular sum may appear
2 in the Bill ashaying been voted for a particular
purpose, andfhe Honorable member for Kahoo-
lave goes back Mt the end of the session to his