The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-06-25


which he could issue bonds At not Tess tkan pr The
principal and interest being payable in u 5 gold or It's
equivalent
As the holder Of these Hawaiian bonds would take
nothing but T. 5 gold coin its equivalent in payment
there was doubt that the value, and no less,
ought to have been paid to this Government BY the
lenders before such gold bonds we're issued
But the Minister did not follow either the Coinage Act
of 1880 or the Loan Act of 1852 He bought bullion
to be coined into gold and silver coins, but agreed
with Mr. Spreckels to take Sl00000 in silver Ha-
waiian coins in exchange for the u = Gold bonds 81
the Hawaiian Government
-Four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars ofthis
silver has been brought into this country by Mr. Spreck
els in dollars each valued at Sll cents as compared
with U S. gold and $4,000 in half dollars quarter
dollars and ten cent pieces mot l21 cent pieres the Act
requred Two of these half dollars are worth 20 cents
as compared with U s. gold
There two kinds Of T. 5 dollars the trade dollar
containing 420 grains of silver and worth in New York
81 cents at the quotations of March last and the standard
dollar containing 4l2l grains and worth there say SlA
cents to the dollar the half dollars containing less silver
and are worth 39l cents each in the United States
One result of bringing all this silver here instead Of
L. ). gold and instead OF exchanging the gold and s
yer In the Treasury tor Hawaiian gold and silver coins
of the value of American coins of like denominations
has been that there is T. s gold British gold to be
found in circulation and even the American standard
dollars have disappeared
This is loss to this country and a gain to those who
have brought the cheaper silver which has driven away
the dearer coin.
If the Minister had followed the Acts above named
there would have been no such loss.
AUD1TOR-GENERAL.
The Act to regulate the receipt custody and issue of
public moneys which passed by the Legislature of
1882 at the time supposed to have been framed for
the purpose of providing some check the improper
disbursement Opubc moneys but such does not appear
to have been the result it simply to have pro-
yded way for prOhigate Ministers to shift the respOn
sibty of Illegal acts to the shoulders of weak and
incompetent official.
Your Committee on visiting the ADVERTISEMENTS
office found that no books of record were kept except
small hook in which he copied out the cash sheet which
is furnished him at stated intervals by the Minister Of
Finance and which copy of the cash book kept in
the Finance Department: that record of any OF his
transactions to be found and that he had nothing
but his memory to rely for any of his official acts
he further stated that 1t was his custom to approve
whatever accounts were presented to him. long as
there money in the Treasury
Your Committee further find that the office which has
identified up for him in the Government Building
seems to be used principally for the prosecution of his
private business affairs which is i'm direct violation of
Section l6 of the Act under which he holds his appoint
ment. In proof of the foregoing statement we may
say that there vouchers file III the Interior De-
partment which bear his approval AuditOrGeneral
and which were subsequently collected by him agent
tor contractor who had large and questionable deal
ngs with the government evidence has also been pro-
cured that the AuditOrGenera has during his tenure of
office, virtually acted agent OF sundry insurance
panieS persons of unmpeachable veracty have test
fled that have had many dealings with him. having paid
and received sums of money in regular business tansac
lions; he also, the llth of Feby 1884 the con-
signee of shipment of produce per schooner Jenny
Walker from Fannings Island portion of which he
afterwards shipped per Kaakaua to San Francisco on
the 18th of Feby consigned to his agent at that port
Further instances of his violation of Section rs of the
Auditors Act could be multiplied AL mnfuD, but your
Committee think that sufficient has been proved to CON
vince the House that the prolOngaon of the present
occupant In the Office of AuditOr-Gene would be Diet
nmenal to the best interests of the country at the
same time they wish it to be distinctly understood
that they recognize the absolute necessity of good
act for the audit Of public accounts and the appoint
ment of man of integrity and independence Of char
acter to the position of Auditor-General
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
i The accounts and vouchers of this department have
been carefully examined and we find that confusion
exists numerous transfers have been made in the way
OF charging 70 appropriation payments that by right
belong to another and it is only by the most abori0us
and critical analysis that the true cost of service can be
determined We will now pass in review the various
items that call for comment
The appropriation entitled Office Expenses of Foreign
Agents has been expended mostly for legitimate pur
poses we were, however struck by the very large sums
paid to the Pacific Commercial Adreytsey say Si5O5 90
which Is little more than half of the entire appro
prlatlon; looking into the matter we found that some
bills had been paid twce.and that by comparison with
the regular charges of other printing Offices the rates
paid to the Adretse much higher than thew ongbt
to be In most glarng case bill for subscTipti0s
amounting to 1884 30 had been paid twice restitution
for this has, however been made since we dscov-
cred the transaction, by the payment of the amount
INTO the Treasury as "a Government Realization
The coronation Appropriation of $4,000 has all been
expended. On the 26th of August 1882 Col c. IT, Judd
received the sum of $1,000; Mr.. Buchanan received