Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-05-12
BORN.
DIED
SATURDAY PRESS
SATURDAY. MAY IL, 1881.
THE FINdNCE STATEMENT.

Alter having ignored for some months pas,
the law enacted by the last legislature, rcquir
ing him to publish quarterly a detailed state
ment Of the receipts and expenditures of the
Hawaiian Treasuary, the minister of finance
has at last made a blundcring attempt to show
the public that the intent has not been alto.
gether to defy the law. On the sh instant
appeared in the columns of the Advertiser a
statement Of the receipts and expenditures o
the treasuary to March 81, 1883, signed by the
minister Of finance. As represented there, the
total receipts Of the treasuary to date of state
ditures for the same period, ST.. .3Ss, 5SIo7
According to such statement it appears
$36,75I.76 has been paid out of the treasur,
in excess Of what has been received into it.
which is certainly wonderful performance
We might believe in the ability of the minister
to pay bills out of an empty pocket; but are
met by statement which Immediately upse,
so pleasant theory. This statement is that
notwithstanding such an apparently wonderful
performance, there still exists balance or
hand Of S4S,25o.7I. But i, would be i'm
possible to conceive that this large balance
could have been evolved from nothing
As the balance existing on March 81, 1882,
has no, since been included among the receipts
we naturally look for that balance to explain
the difficulty, We find it to be $I26, S4I.o5i
but then, il it had been intended that this
| hal h,,a la. ,,e ri, l.I a..
receipts, the actual balance would be as fai
from correct as ever. II we add the balance
on hand on March 81, 1882, to the receipts o
the succeeding year, it forms a table o.
$I,475,3.I.s and the books Of the depart
ment would call for balance on hand o.
$50, 7S9. 20, differing by $4I,55S. IS from tn,
balance as per statement. Apparently, thi:
seeming discrepancy can best be explained b,
supposing that the latter sum has been paid
out Of the treasury in advance for something
which has not been received, or for something
that would appear less favorable in the column.
than discrepancy. Nevertheless, the fact
remains that large discrepancy plainly exists
and il the account is incorrect in one place, il
may be so in another. In fact, such an in
accuracy remaining unexplained renders the
whole account utterly worthless and open tc
the gravest suspicious, Neither are these sus
picions lessened when we contemplate the fac
of the unlawful delay which has attended tn,
publication OF the treasury statement, and tn,
unceremonous dismissal Of the late registrar
Nh Godfrey Brown, few months since
upon which occasion the minister of 6nanc,
informed MIR. Brown by letter that he wa.
following out necessary policy" in dismiss
ing him, but tina, his "valued services in tn,
past to the government, were "highly appre
ciated" and would "ever be remembered.
But let US now turn to the individual espendi
lures as set down in the tables, In scannin,
them, we are not surprised to find that unde
the model rule Of the philo. Hawaiian premie
and his colleagues, more attention has beer
paid in the actual management Of affairs to tn,
decorative than to the substantial; /; that the pro
vision Of gilt and tawdry to please few veal
heads, and raise himself thereby in their es,i
nation, should have usurpcd the proper plac.
Of public Improvements and the vital question
OF health. by the report We find that sucl
matters as the coronation, reception OF foreigr
official guests expenses Of foreign missions
ito Japan and Russia) purchase OF decorations
education OF Hawaiian youths (mostly in tn,
art Of warfarel aid OF volunteers, drill sheds
band, flags, arms and accourterments, purehas.
OF ordnance, etc, have received full attention
in the way Of expenditures. On the othe
hand, such crying needs as the Pail road
landings, whayes and repairs OF landings
water supply at Kalawao lmueh needed by tn,
lepersl, repairs and additions to water works
and the like. comparatively little has beer
expended. Only SIS has been spent out of an
appropriation OF $4s, 900 for the proposed Pal
road. The sum Of $4,000 was appropriated
ior building aud maintaining hospitals"
the time understood to be for the out districts
Gu, OF this the sum Of $40. s76 has been spent
but where and for what purpose. |, would be
difficult to conceive, unless il be for the add
'ion Of one OF two small rough houses added tc
the Honolulu Leper Settlement Il is on,
opinion that it would oos, less than hall thai
sum to put up anew all the fencing and build
ings on the premises. We also Learn from the
tables that $4,000 has already been spen, on
the appropriation for an armed force amounted
pohee) Where are ,heys One thing onl,
plainly is shown BY the figures That unles.
the government can get considerably more
ereii, than il has succeeded in doing, up to the
present time, things will have to stop ioI want
VI funds, Mose u this anon.