The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-12-06
Indignation Meeting at Hilo-oMcial
Rerorf.

A citizens meeting was called at the Court Hous
In lilo, on Tuesday the 18th of November, at noon
for the purpose of expressing the opinion of al
classes Of taxpayers in regard to the way in whic
the present Tax Assessor E. Kekoa had performeI
his duties Owing to the extreme unpleasantnes
Of the weather only about 60 Hawaiians mostl
property holders and about Is foreigners wer
present.
Col. W. G. Jones was called to the chair and d
h. Hitchcock was elected secretary. A committee
of5vers appointed to adopt Resolution to express
the sense of this meeting to the natives before it
The following Resolution was then laid before the
meeting:
Resolrca - That we hereby express our entirC
diespprobation of the way in which the Assessor OF
the District, Z. Kekoa has assigned the taxes fol
the year; as follows
THAT he has made the most outrageous assess
ments without any reason therefor. disTegarding
and utterly ignoring the assessment Returns as
made to him by property holders.
That such outrageous Assessments have been
raads by the said Z. Kekoa without even going
to the land to view either the crops other pro
party Assessing the same for more than from to
bis oath as Assessor.
THAT in so doing the said E. Kekoa has shown
himself to be utterly devoid of sense and person
entirely unfit to hold the Office of Assessor.
"That by such system of outrageous assess
msnts he has brought great deal of trouble not
only TO those whom he hes assessed in this manner
and forcing them to be at time and expense TO de-
fend themselves before the Appeal Board, but also
to the Government in putting of the payment of
the said taxes for so much longer a time.
THAT we hereby condemn the appointment of
such ignorant and unprincipaled men to be Asses
sors Of property the value Of which they are utter
~ ignorant and who do not feel bound by any oath.
THAT we respectfully ask that hereafter the ap-
pointing power will appoint true and honest men
and those who know the true value of property, as
Assessor
The motion to adopt the Resolution being second
ed. Remarks were made by a large number present
ShoreiHg =" That the SAID Assessor has not even
gone to view the property owned and had no means
of knowing that the assessments, as given in were
not correct. That he had only made 'guesses as
TO the value.
THAT in many instances properties adjoining
each other were assessed very differently.
THAT property which had been only recently
sold al one figure had been assessed five times the
amount. That in many cases he had added largely
10 the acreage of small pieces of land 50 that he
could put in most abominable tax.
That his books show the most gross careless
ness in the assessments.
men who have been dead and so reported to
him are assessed while those living and whose
names are given him not found on the books.
" That men owning property have not been as.
seesed at all, although their names are on the old
assessment books.
:" That it has been common thing to assess the
same man twice.
"That he would not allow parties TO prove their
age and has assessed the aged and young contrary
to Law.
THAT he has never told any one, though asked |
by some TO do so, that he had made any different
assessments from the one given in"
At the close of the remarks the question as to /
the adoption of the motion was put and unanin- |
ously agreed to.
II was then ordered that the foregoings should |
be published in the Foreign and native papers at
Honolulu. d. H. HITcIicocK.
Hilo November Goth, 1882. Secretary.