The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-07-17

Pacific Commercial Advertiser
SATURDAY
THE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislative Assembly yesterday
made progress with the Appropriation
bill and took an early adjournment to
Monday next, in consequence OF the pro-
jected visit to the Leper Settlement on
Molokai, which had been arranged for
on the invitation of Hon. S. G. Wilder
The Interior Department estimates were
disposed OF with the exception of some
postponed votes, and breach was made
in the Attorney Generals Department
also. The salaries of the Attorney Gen
eral and his clerk, the Marshal of the
Kingdom, and the Sheriffs of Maui, Ha-
waii and Kauai were severally reduced.
In the Finance Department, on motion
of Hon. c.. r. Bishop, an item of $15,-
600 for the Queens Hospital was added
This is the estimated receipts from the
Hospital tax, which is very unpopular
with tourists. Heretofore the Chinese
paid the bulk of this tax, but owing to
the stringent regulations now in force
their contributions to it will not be as
large as formerly. Should this prove to
be the case to any very appreciable ex-
tent. it follows that the realization from
TINS source VIII Iau CUIISEu.S----ey-
OF $40, 900. This is anticipated by the
Hon. Mr.. Bishop, who also intimated
that should the Hospital tax furnish
sufficient funds to meet the needs of the
institution named, no demand would be
made upon a previous vote of $4,000 for
the same purpose passed in the esti
mates OF the Interior Department.
We thus have demand for $25 900
from the National Treasury in aid of the
Queens Hospital during the current BIZ
ennial period. No more worthy object
could be fostered by the Government,
and in all respects the Queens Hospital
is a credit to the Hawaiian nation. But
the thought naturally arises: Why this
double appropriation And why again
place one appropriation in the Interior
and another in the Finance Department,
more especially as the accounting for
both is to the Minister of the Interior?
Hon. Mr.. Bishops reason that it had
always been so is no reason at all and
the Hon. President Walkers reason is
no better. He argued that because the
Hospital tax Is collected through the
Custom House, and paid direct into the
Treasury, therefore the Finance Depart
ment should have entire control of the
fund. There is really nothing in this
argument. 1t is not question of the re-
ceipt of the Hospital tax but of its dis
bursement, and we contend that as the
accounting by the Hospital trustees is to
the Minister of the Interior, drafts on
Hospital vote should be made by that
official and by none other.
This is a matter of administration in
volving an important principle, that OF
ministerial control com bined with min
isterial responsibility. 1t is to be regret
ted that the Legislature did not adopt
the suggestion OF His Excellency Mr..
Gibson, and place the $4,000 appropri-
alton in the Interior Department as it
had already placed the vote of $4,000.
The other matters before the House
were not OF any great public interest.
One native Representative wanted the
''visiting statesmen" furnished with
gloves to keep their hands warm. Mr..
Thurston improved this by suggesting
that the members be inclosed in air
tight bags, going and returning. He
did not stop to think, or he would have
perceived that his suggestion involved a
big funeral at Molokai There was a
practical side to Mr.. Nahale's humor, as
embodied in the glove resolution; Mr.
Thurston's was grave joke from which
the humor was absent.