The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-10-24

objects very far removed from any pur-
pose Of beneftting the people Of tins
kingdom directly or otherwise. Could
any greater absurdity be invented for the
waste Of public money than the $4,000
voted In 1850 and 81 for uscertalning
- the pedigrees Of certain native chiefs,
Of whom very few are now in existence !;
documentary evidence Of a race whose
/ language has been reduced TO writing
only within the lifetime OF men now
living oral testimony, where the vehicles
of pedigrees and other legends are rs
dead as the Druids-as extinct as the
chiefs they used to celebrate. ii this
committee on Pedigrees has done any
wOrk-if they have preserved, saved from
final loss any Legends or folklore which
would otherwise have died ont if they
have discovered or Perpetuated anything
reliable. anything valuable to the philolo
gist or antiquarian, then the public, who
pay the cost, are entitled to a knowledge
Of the result Of their labors. As yet
though the committee Is far advanced in
the fourth year Of It's labors lof drawing
money! no sign Of a report Is visible to
the expectant providers Of funds.
1t Is the fault of the Legislature that
100000 were voted for something styled
in the Appropriation Bill armed force
4 committee Of prominent officials and
Others was appointed 90 inquire into the
state and condition of the police force,
and ordered TO report on the LIST January,
1883. Ten months have passed away
since the report was due, and yet no signs
Of investigation or report, and no one to
enforce the provisions Of the Act
1t is the fault Of the Legislature that
these and many other kindred eXtraya
gancies and absrTdItles, We're provided for
10y vote, SO the question inevitably arises
who and what are they who composed
TINS Legislature After carefully elimin
atiug several Of the more important names
In the Honorable House of Mobiles. and
some few representatives, whose upright
ness and independence do them infinite
honor. q prepOnderatIug vote remains of
men who are accessible TO hattery and
feasting, promises Of place and profit
and tins last class 1t is which carried out
all the cXtravagancIes suggested to them
hv their leaders Men whose salary for
one session more than covers their coutu
buttons to the public purse for the life
time of each. are not likely TO be scru
pul0us about disposing Of other people S
money especially when they see a way
of approprlating a farther share Of it by
earning salaried posts by subservency.
This Is the not very cTedItable picture
presented by the recent Legislature, and
this Is what we have 10 look forward 10 IL
the course Of the next spring, unless some
earnest men are ready to put their shOul-
der- to the wheel. and cudeayor to return
able and honest Representatives 10 the
next Assembly. that the scandals Of the
last may not repeated that this little
kingdom may be spared the dIssaIslac
tiOu at home, and the unfavorablc com
mcuts from abroad which the vagarics Of
the present Kaleidoscope administration
have called forth. That the independence
of the kingdom be not challenged on the
ground Of incapacity for self government.
These are the aspirations Of those who
wish well for the maintenance Of this as
am independent kingdom but, viewed in
the light of the events of the last twenty
months. they are not unmiXed with fears.
The institution of an Auditor General has
so far served only to hide and protect
irregularities of expenditure but yet the
scauty accounts published Of the last
three months show these two remarkable
items: Civil list, Sl4,9Il; education. only
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