The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-05-03


out some scheme which may be thoroughly
displeasing to His Majesty: he may spring
a mine upon him, as It were; he may
spend. for instance, a large sum OF money
on the purchase Of broom handles. and
may I'll the government storehouse with
these articles, and having done 50. he may
put on his hat and take the next steamer
Tor the United States or the Australian
Colonies and His Majesty Is powerless to
touch him. The broom handles are there
and the King and the Legislative Assem-
hly VIII have to accept them: the loss or
injury entailed upon the country may be
very large, the next Ministry may have a
very hard fight to recover the ground
which this unwise purchase has lost, but
the man who caused the trouble can walk
of without IL any way being made 10
shoulder the responsibility Of his act.
Our Ministers are practically irresponsible
TIE Ministerial reports which have
already been laid upon the table, shew
that whatever there may. be to criticize in
the administration Of the Government.
and from a casual glance there Is plenty
to criticize and argue over, there has been
very commendable industry shewn in get.
ting up the reports, and in laying infor-
nation before the members Of the House.
The reports Of the Ministers Of Finance.
and the Interior. together with those upon
Immigration and the Public Health are
ready. and in a few days we may expect
~, .I,7,.z TT1,,,,, = .,y,,,1a Tod EYY dis
CussiOn for some time to come: Tor the
present we viii only give a few of the
more salient features Of the reports.
The income Of the nation during the
past two years has been S2.409,1403S the
expenditure S2.2S2. .59933. leaving a sur
plus in the treasury Of S12654lO5 In
1875 the balance was Sl3O.S41O4 in 1880
S33S. .SS044 The Minister Of Finance
estimates the income for the ensuing two
wears at Sl.9l5.25l.O5 and proposes spend
ing -. .923. .S60.50 This Of course Will ne
cessitate raising a loan. and from HIS
Najesty's speech we see that the Govern
ment intend to ask for measures author
ising a ~spsslf, Loan for Immigration and
for each great public Improvement"
The expenditures that are usually hrst
looked at by this community are those
Of the Interior Department. The most
noticeable among these Is the enormous
sum Of S246.509.09 which has been ex
pended over the New Palace. The Legis
iature Of 1880 appropriated $4,000 for
this object and II was then understood
that that would be ample TO finish and
furnish the building. How It Is that the
actual cost has 50 far exceeded the est
mates remains yet to be explained, the
whole Of the matter viii Of course be
shortly gone into. and more data viii be
given: at present the fact only can be
noted To complete the building $4,000
VIII be asked for. and $4,000 additional
for stables Supposing that this viii
suffice the palace will cost when completed
S335.S9l60 distributed as follows
Expended daring biennial period ls7s SIS st5S3 81
expended darE biennial period isslss iso11 ~
.Sg5Js7- CD
No one has been averse to the building
Of the palace. It has been conceded on al
hands that the King should have a resi-
dence betting His position: the question
VIII be raised however. has the money
been spent IN the most economical way
That Is a task to which the present Legs
lature Will have to address itself
Another matter that viii create consider
able discussion VIII be theexpenditure for
roads: there have been continual com
plants from all parts Of the Islands about
the roads: and vet the amount Of money
voted for roads has by no means been ex-
pended. a balance has been transferred TO
other items. while Of the money raised
and only to he used in particular districts
a large balance remains IN the treasury
vaults In North Kona. for instance.
5000 had been voted and Of this only
S1675 has been spent during the two
wears: the special tax of the district was
Sl144 out Of which SS4 has been used.
The roads Of North Kona must be Of a
very peculiar character if they only have
required SlO075 to be expended in She
district: the Road Supervisor Of that part
Of Hawaii had better come down to Homo
lulu and shew us how to make roads that
VIII last in this way
The Minister Of Interiors report con
tains a great deal Of interesting informa-
ton in the shape Of reports from the
various sub-departments which are under
his supervision. The report of the Post
Master General Is a very excellent docu-
ment, dealing very fully with the details
Of the department Ii carefully reviews
the whole inter island postal service. The
account of the routes Of mail carriers. and
the difficulties that there are in distribut
Ing and collecting the mails IN the remoter
districts is well put forward The work
ing Of the L. p L system Is also dis
cussed. and the public Is promised further
advantages in the introduction Of the
money order system. which the report
recommends should be adopted at once.
The statistics Of this department have
already been laid before the readers Of
the GAZETTE in an article which appeared
April 18th.
The Surveyor General furnishes an In
teresting report This gentleman and his
staff have done excellent work. and the
Minister Of Interior pays a just tribute to
Professor Alexander and his assistants.
when be saws that their '-skllful work
has placed this kingdom IN the front
rank Of those countries which have under
taken such important work
Pages 13 to . Of the Report are devoted
10 al uEIDLlAt u MAuA Ids Dttl ll4At dl4l
what VIII be required in this depart
ment- 1t Is proposed to grade the Pail
road at a cost of $4,000; to build store
house at Kahului: to construct new land
ings; to buy a new dredging machine for
Honolulu Harbor; to purchase q new
steam tug, for which $4,000 Is asked; and
to erect additional public Offices for the
accommodation Of the Police magistrate
Of Honolulu, the Collector and Assessor
Of taxes and the Superintendent of Public
Works. Here are plenty Of ideas: the
present Minister Of Interior Is go-ahead;
In other parts of his report he has also
some capital suggestions, as the establish
ment Of a savings bank. the improvement
Of public places. the establishment Of
nurseries &c.
We have left ourselves no space to dis
cuss the reports of the Board Of Immi-
grafton and the Bcsrd Of Health, both Of
which documents merit lengthy discussion.
In the latter are reports from Drs Fitch
and Emerson anent leprosy matters; this
Is a matter Of very great interest to all
classes in the community.