The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-09-30

N EBE ASSEMBLY. SErr. 27rH. o. DISCUSSION
OF THE AUTHORIZATION BuI-

! have Ttfnada for the department. over Nhicn L nav
the honor to preside. 1 Wuuid. With ycur permits
sion. ask The Honurablr Numbers 10 revise and
insert 4 frw items which I viii briefly explain.
would NOT urge the following changes were L
not fully conrincrd. after careful examination mat
they are decidedly necessary and essential IN
many respects for The we'll working o. The depart
meni.
The 6rst item TO which 1 would invite your at
iention Is the pay OF Post-masters, $500. L
would earnestly the Insertion IN thF
appropriation bill OF the amount for this service
which was asked for by the government
Our postal service, as at present developed, We
have every reason TO be prond Of. From being 10
its infancy q constant source 81 expense, II has
1 become self-sus.aining. and under lie present eco
nomical management bids fair 10 become n source
Of revenue. This is more than can he said 81 some
larger and wealthier countries than our own,
whose mail services are even st the present time
a constant drag on their treasures.
No services are paid and no expenses incurred
which are not absolutely necessary for the wei
working of the burcau. Only n few OF the fosi.
masters throughout the Kingdom are paid, and
these are either in the moro populcus districts or
are persons who receive no other compensation
from government. II will be seen from inc mem
orandum accompanying this that the highes' salary
paid IL only $500 per year, and u can hardly he
expected that persons who arc not compelled so To
do by law, will attend either cheeriuily or well to
duties imposed upon them. Much 81 our mail
matter IL very valuable, consisting OF money,
money orders, deeds and other important docu-
ments. the loss or detention Of which would cause
serious inconvenience 10 parties Interested. The
small compensation asked for those who make mp
and dispatch the mails in the places referred 10 Is
sufficient to cause them to exercise tho care re-
quired TO save the public from loss and inoenven-
fence.
1 doubt not that all who will give the subject a
moments consideration, will see that instead OF
1 crippling the service by refusing appropriations, IL
would be much the soundest policy to encourage
its efficiency by granting all reasonable requisi-
tons. as in no way can business and commerce be
iostered at so little expense as by rendering postal
communication rapid and certain.
This Is a branch Of the public service which at-
fects every inhabitant OF the Kingdom, and by
reference 10 the Biennial Ministerial Report II viii
be seen that the correspondence between foreign
ers aud native IIawaiians through the mails Is
steadily Increasing from year 10 year.
! / might cite many more substantial reasons Tor
continuing this appropriation, but with the fore
going l will leave ii TO your own good judgment.
Pay Of Road Supervisors-The Assembly has
seen fit, in its previous consideration OF the APP
preparation bill. TO merge the Office OF Road SUI
pervisor of Oahu with another bureau, and at the
same time reduced the aggregate pay for the
Kingdom from $4,000 TO $4,000. by reference 10
previous appropriation bills il will be seen that
FOR n number Of years back the former sum has
been regularly appropriated for this service, aud
after deducting the amount paid for the supervisor
ship OF Oahu, the remainder gives but a very
small salary to the supervisors OF the several dis
tricts throughout the Kingdom. the highest being
about 1920, and the lowest about 500. The sala-
ries vary somewhat from year TO year, according
to the amount Of work reported by the supervisors
themselves.
Now, the amount paid the supervisor for Oahu
nus Dttu SEtOV u iUt TWO years. WulCu utuuSitu
from $4,000 left $4,000 TO be divided amongst the
other supervisors, but the amount In the present
bill is only $4,000, which Is a reduction Of 5000
from what has heretofore been distributed amongst
the supervisors Of the outer districts. The appro-
priations for roads and bridges have been gener-
Gus this session, and much more work in that line
will probably be done this biennial period than In
the same time for years past, which will require
more Of the time and attention Of the supervisors,
and / would therefore ask that the item In the bill
be placed at $1,000. doubling not that you will all
auFaa with mi that n rnalfar NJ an ununh imnnrfanQQ |
as the making and repairing of the roads and
bridges of the Kingdom should not be discouraged
by reducing the salaries (already very smalD Of
those who have to plan and do the work, and II
our finances would permit ! should not hesitate to
urge a very considerable increase, but for the
present will only ask for the above amount.
Fencing New Government Buildings $5000.-I
hesitate, Mr.. Chairman, TO touch this item, when / |
recollect that this Honorable House has already
discussed 1t thoroughly and declined to make any
provisions for such expense. But ] will crave
your indulgence for a few moments while / present
q few reasons in its favor.
Aliiolani Hale is the only building erected by
the Hawaiian Government which lays any claim
whatever TO architectural proportion OF beauty.
None of the appropriations for the building have
been found sufficient 10 do the work In the bienni-
al periods for which they we're set apart, and in
completing the building to its present state.
(Which cannot be called finished, at least as was
hrst intended) the appropriation granted at the
last session OF the Legislature had 10 be largely
overdrawn. Still, with this extra expense, IL was
not found possible 10 construct a suitable fence,
and the fence which was on the premises when
they were purchased, and which still surrounds
them, was too shabby and rotten TO make IL advis-
able 10 expend any considerable amount Of money
in repairs, consequently little has been done 10 II
further than to set up again such parts as from
time TO time rotted down, as ii was confidently
expected that the present Legislature would make
provision for the construction OF n fence In keep
ing with the building itself.
We have good reason to be proud OF our large
and commodious building. and travellers from
abroad frequently compliment us on its fine sub
stantial appearance and general appointments; but
ii cannot be denied that the fence aud gates, both
front and rear, are q serious blemish on the whole
premises.
would therefore ask the Honorable House 10
set aside the sum Of $4,000 for the PURPOSE OF
building O new fence and gates and the improve
ments and care Of the grounds for the current
biennial period. $4,000 OF this sum will be sunl-
cient 10 build a substantial and neat fence, and
the remaining $1,000 l propose TO expend in i'm
proving the grounds, planting ornamental shrub
berry and trees, and paying for prison or other
labor necessary to keep the premises I'm order.
Certified Copies Of Boundary Commissioners
Certificates, Expenses Of Settling the Boundaries
Of Government Lands, Sl500.-The Act providing
for the return 10 the Interior Office Of copies OF all
decisions made by Boundary Commissioners
throughout the Kingdom, was laid before the Hon.
orable House some days since, and as q reasonable
compensation should be paid for this extra work /
would ask that the sum Of $1,000 be set aside for
this purpose, and as in the settlement Of bounda-
ries government interests are not unfrequently az
fected, Agents have TO be appointed TO defend
them, witnesses summoned, &c, oil entaIllng more
or less expense, | ' would ask that $500 more be set
aside for this purpose, making in all $500.
Also rent OF land OF ii. III. Chas. Kanaina, I'm
'front.' OF the Government House, four years from
March 3lst, 1874 to March 3lst. 1878, $500.
Also rent Of the Honolulu Station House premi-
ses and Office OF Road Supervisor, from January !,
1873, to March 81, 1878. 5 years and 3 months. AT
1862 per annum, 81, 10000.