The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-05-20
THE BUDGET FOR 1876.

Through the kindness OF the Minister OF
Finance, we have been favored with a copy OF
the government biennial report for 1876. Upon
reading the same We regret to cay that we were
much surprised to see, after the opinion Of the
country was 50 generally known, instead Of a re
duction in the estimated expenditure for the en-
suing biennial period, that it had been increased
by nearly one hundred and two thousand dollars.
The estimated expenditure exceeds the estimated
receipts by 1851 ,467 70, while our national debt
has increased in two years more than 800 900.
One hundred thousand of this estimate of course
is for a new steamer, an appropriation which We
entirely endorse but still, as the unexpended
balance from the estimate of 1874 is 500 ,944.5s,
besides q considerable sum expended rrifhout
authorization by inc, and the universal cry has
been for reduction, regret will no doubt be the
expression with which such unwarrantable lavish
ness will be met by the country.
The revenue from all source exclusive of moneys
borrowed and the road and school taxes (Which
are not paid into the treasury up to March 31st,
1876, has been 1887 ,791.85, against 1886 .938.75
for 1874, showing an increase Of $50 1853. 10 over
the preceding two years. This is probably owing
in a great measure. to a better system adopted in
assessment returns, as the larger proportion of it
is from taxes. In this particular, the Minister of
Finance deserves great credit.
An appropriation for a subsidy to the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company's steamers, is set down
at $1,000 annually. Upon this question we are
decidedly of opinion that such an expenditure is
entirely beyond our means. We now furnish the
steamers with more and better facilities than
they are furnished with in the Australian Colo
MES, according to the confession of the officers of
the vessels in service and this certainly ought to
be our full quota when we consider our diminish
ed size and impoverished condition.
We believe in the benefits of steam but also
believe, that We have paid all we can afford to-
wards it's maintenance.
The Ministers salaries have been modestly ()
returned to the figure of the last Kamehameha
government, perhaps at the prompting of others
who may have served that ruler in the same capa-
city, and who still might like to see the pre-
cedent established for the raising, in the near
future, of other salaries. For the military, the
country is asked an increase of 81 $40, while
the expenses of the Foreign Office are also in
creased by several thousands, making the total
difference under the appropriations for the two
periods for the Department of Foreign Affairs as
follows for 1874, SCI ,070; for 1876, $85 ,240.
Possibly this is a very interesting difference for
the Minister of this department, especially as the
Office always was a sinecure, and is becoming
more and more SO.
We notice that in the report of the Board of
Health the expenses will be less for that bureau
hereafter than they have been, the lepers being
now well supplied with comfortable wooden
houses, &C.; but a larger appropriation is asked
for than heretofore. We think that the public
would be better off in pocket, and not worse off in
health, if a considerable reduction were made in
these proposed appropriations.
The Ministry recommend an appropriation of
$50, 900 for the immigration of Chinese. They
tell us that g the prospects for a steady immigra-
ton now seems fair the machinery having been
set in motion, we may reasonably look forward
to a steady accumulation of Chinese as an addi-
ton to our population" This is rather san
IafHr!ensqlent for the wOrse," as the Irishmana
evident that the Ministry have not forgotten the
memorialists, and they are still SO greedy of
every chance to vent their ill-timed spleen as to
have begrimed even the pages of the national
budget, with an inuendo against the signers of
that well remembered document. A yeritable
copy of the spirit, if not the text, of the former
letter OF a certain Minister is here portrayed
verify the hand as the hand of Esau, though the
UOice be that of Jacob.