The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-08-30

The consideration of the veto mes
sage will be taken up at 2 p. m. Fri
day.
The vote by which the third read
ing Of the bill relating to taxes was
set for Friday, was reconsidered
and the bill was ordered to be read
on Thursday.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
Minister Thurston presented the
following statement:
In reply to the questions of Rep.
Naone, in the matter of the grading
of Alakea and Halekauila streets, 1
beg to reply:
lst. 1t is not true that Mr.. Crib
BILE had not filed his tender for the
grading of Alakea and Haelkauila
streets when the other tenders were
opened
I'd. 1t is not true that the tender
was awarded to Mr.. Harrison and
afterwards withdrawn and given to
Mr.. GribbIe.
The reply to the first two ques-
tions covers the third.
would further explain this trans
action as follows:
All public works of this descrip-
ton are in the Department of the
Superintendent of Public Works.
Whenever it is proposed to let out
work by contract, plans and specifi-
cations are drawn up and an esti-
mate made in that office Of the
reasonable cost of such work, in or
der to give basis for Judging ten
ders, which frequently vary over 100
per cent.
The advertisement for tenders is
made in the name Of the Minister of
the Interior, and final award of the
contract is subject to his approval.
Such approval is never given un-
til after consultation with the Super
intendent of Public Works, and
comparison with the estimate of the
cost.
If the bids reasonably approxi-
mate the estimate made in the Office,
the lowest is accepted. If not they
are all rejected, the clause in the
advertisement, reserving the right
to reject all bids, being placed there
for that purpose.
The custom has been for bidders
to hand their bids either to the Min
lister, q clerk in the Interior Office
or the Superintendent of Public
Works.
Ia this particular instance Mr..
Grihble handed bis bid to the Super
intendent of Public Works on Aug.
Dist, the time for receiving bids be-
ing fixed at noon on the 22nd.
At noon on the 22nd l opened the
bids that had been handed to the
clerk Of the Interior Office and my
self, not then knowing that any
bids had been handed to the super.
intendent.
Mr.. Harrison's bid was for So.
365. 40, and was the lowest ther
opened, the others ranging up to
81, $40.
Mr.. Harrison was present, an6
asked if his bid would be accepted
or words to that effect. AS l die
not know what the Superintendent
estimates were, and he was not pre-.
sent, replied that this was in the
Superintendent of Public Works
department, and L should have to
consult him before making any de-
cision. AT 2 o'clock the Superin-
tendent of Public Works came tc
my Office to confer with me on the
subject. He then stated that he haC
a bid, received the day before from
Mr.. Gribble, which he produced
and which was for 81 800. He alst
showed me the estimates prepared
in the office, which were for 81 300
AS Mr.. Gribble's tender wa1
reasonably approximate to the Gov
ernment estimate. it was accepted
As the next highest bid was fo
over 81 900 more than and nearly
double the Government estimate, il
would not under any circumstance
have been accepted.
Had Mr. Harrison's bid been ac
cepted, under the circumstances, i
certainly would have been a repre-
hensible failure on my part to guart
the public interests.
Minister Thurston reported fou
bills presented to His Majesty TO
signature.
ORDER OF THE DAY.
Second reading of the propose,
anti-Chinese amendment to the Con
sttution.
Noble Warehouse asked if tn
amendment did not conflict wit
Art. of the Constitution.
The Attorney-General said
thought it did not.
Rep. C. Brown thought that
this amendment passed there woul
be trouble with treaty rights. II
moved the words with due regar
to vested rights" be inserted. Il
believed in every law that woul
restrict Cinnamon coming into I'll
country.
Rep. Kamauoha favored indefini
postponement of the amendment.
Noble Smith offered several sligI
amendments which were accepte
and then moved the amendmel