The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1884-03-01

/ am not a seeker after Office either
for myself or my friends, nor do l
share in the belief that those now in
authority are the most corrupt, the
most inefficient, and the most bun
Cling set of men ever appointed to
govern. am a poor, obscure man,
known only to a few and knowing
only few. But this is my adopted
home and the native home of those
most dear to me on earth, and we
expect it to be our permanent home.
Therefore, | feel that concern for
the welfare of the country which
self-intcrest naturally inspires, and
would exercise my unit of strength
in promoting good government,
rather than in striving TO weaken
and destroy.
The idea with which | started out
is this, that little decentralization
would tend to strengthen and render
more efficient the government of
this country. ! am not fully pre-
pared to admit that the same mea-
sure of decentralization that has been
adopted with success in some other
countries could be introduced here
with the same success. District
| Councils and local Road Boards, for
instance, which have worked with
great satisfaction elsewhere, might
not be practicable with us for the
reason that it would be difficult to
find competent men in the country
districts willing to serve in such
bodies. But right here in the capi-
tai, the deccntralizing idea might be
carried ont to a greater extent than
hitherto, TO the advantage of the
government and with beneficial re-
suits to the country.
As it is, and as it has been, His
Majesty's Ministers, or at least some
of them, have more duties to attend
to than they can properly perform.
No doubt, some people will smile at
this statement; for | have frequently
heard it said that one minister is
sufficient for this little country, and
that there is not enough work to
keep one employed half his time.
Men who talk so are inexperienced.
Let them try, and they will tel
another tale. If the Ministers at.
tend faithfully and thoroughly tc
the duties properly pertaining tc
their ministerial functions, their time
and their capabilities will be fully
cngrossed.
Yet it is the custom here to put
those Ministers in responsible posi-
tions on subordinate boards. Thus
at the present time, the Minister OF
Foreign Relations is President o.
two boards and Member of another
The Minister of the Interior is Pre-
sident of one board and Member o
another. The Minister of Finance
is Member of one board. This i:
placing in ministerial hands too
much work and on ministerial shou!
dcrs too much responsibility, outside
of ministerial functions. If the dutie!
Of ministers are such as to require
their entire thought and attention, i
is too much to expect those gentle
men to do board duty also.
The decentralization, or division
Of duties and responsibilities, whicl
/ advocate, exists in name, but no
in reality. | see no advantage il
this arrangement. If the board
must be composed of men in cabine
positions, what need can there b.
for those boards at all? Why no
the duties appertaining thereto b.
discharged by ministers in thci
ministerial capacities? | cannot per
ceive how boards so constituted cal
in any way Tighten the work o
government or add to its efficiency
Decentralization, to be beneficial
must be real as well as nominal
The various boards, although subor
dinatc to the General Government
should be independent thereof, il
the sense of being composed of me-
not in the cabinet Each boar,
should consist Of, say, five intelligen
= and capable men, no one man t
serve on more than one board. Thi
, arrangement would divide the labo
and responsibility of government
enhance its efficiency, leave minis
tcrs free to give their undivide'
attention to great questions of ma
tional import, and be in keepin