The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-20
T II 4
FRIDAY
: August goth.
THE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislative Assembly manifested
Wednesday, but it fell somewhat short OF
the same quality yesterday. Very little
was done yesterday beyond finishing the
Internal Tax bill in Committee of the
Whole, after the adoption of an amend
ment that might open the door to system
attic fraud 1t is needless to say that this
amendment originated with the Opposi-
ton. They would not trust the Govern
ment with the disbursement of the road
and school tax; accordingly, TO make as
surance doubly sure, they inserted an
amendment in the bill which will ena-
bic Tax Collectors and Road Supervisors,
or other disbursing officers under bill
that is to be passed, to apportion the
road tax between them. No check has
been provided upon either officer so far
as the section authorizing the retention
OF the road tax is concerned. The bill
as printed provided that all taxes except
the school tax should be paid to the
Governor of each island by the collect
ors, the Governor accounting for the
same to the Treasury. In order that
the Treasury should not control it's ex-
penditure, however, the bill was
amended, authorizing the Tax Collector
to retain the money while it makes no
provision whatever for the mode of its
disposal. That is to be done by some
other bill.
Now, this is slip-shod legislation with
a vengeance. The principle is wrong,
the machinery is defective, and the |
policy of the amendment is opposed to
all efficient control. What possible !
check is there under the conditions con-
templated by this amendment? None |
whatever. The Tax Collector and Road |
Supervisor may "pool their issues"
that is, they may have an understanding,
and what they do not themselves appro-
pirate to private uses will probably, but
not necessarily, be spent upon the
roads Who is to tell how much or
how little is collected? The Collector, if
he is honest, will do his duty faithfully,
and we assume that the Tax Collectors
are all honest men; but then, like flesh
and blood they are human, and there
fore prone to yield to temptation, which
in this case viii be spread as a net be-
fore their feet by the law itself. The
law should not be an incentive to crime,
which this amendment as it stands un-
is.
1t may be said that the collecting and
officers are under bonds.
Granted; but does that prevent breaches
of trust? And if such an occurrence
should happen here, what are you going
10 do about it?" We almost fancy that
f a delinquent officer were put upon
MS trial, he would be justified in plead
ng the statute in mitigation. The true
principle is to turn every cent of taxes
and Government reaiizations into the
Treasury, to be disbursed according to
aw. 1t is opposed to sound policy and
against public morals to use the
machinery of Government to raise taxes
md leave the money so collected In the
lands of irresponsible people, to be dis
cursed or not, according to their discre-
ion. Under such system, check upon
SELECTION and expenditure would be
learly impossible; and in case of the
heft of so much unguarded treasure,
which is liable to happen, who would be
for the loss?
The House should strike out this {
mendment on third reading, and hold
he Government responsible. If they I
% not comply with the law they can be /
cached. The Audit Act is sufficient to c
rotect the public Treasury, and compel ]
with the Appropriation Act; a
ut what control would the Auditor &
ieneral have over the road expenditure $
Mess the road tax was paid into the t
reasury and withdrawn in the regular h
av? And we hold also that the school \
* should be similarly treated. If the a
government is not to be trusted to exc I
lite the law let it be changed, but do /,
ot trust altogether to chance or per- o
NAL character in the collection and o.
of public money. ii