The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-03-24
DAILY PAcqE1o ooMMERclAL ApyERT1sER, MARCH u, 1890

the question whether or not the Minis.
ter has the hight 10 direct the prisoner
70 work upon certain public works, o.
whether he, 10 subject 10 the advice and
consent of the Auditor General"
"What effect will the decision have
-, 0n prison labor in Honolulu ?"
:. The effect is that it has compelled me
e. ~, rdraw all the prisoners from the
49, I'd keep them confined in Jail, a
tha sud;,ow has refused 10 audit the bills
;rcu,reJ for ~laries Of the deputy-jailos
.,sd a,s,.is an, for feeding the prisoners
drv; =. The mon. b Of February, and the
ssI.r;es Of the q. ,srds for the first two
raeks IN March. he has also refused "a
audit the bills for the February expenses
of the Maui and Kauai prisons, and Ill
this without the slightest warning that
he proposed to change the precedent Of
years standing. The result has been t.
cause great confusion and much trouble
and dissatisfaction on the part OF the
guards. There is the order which have
issued to the Marshal which speaks FOL
itself 80
"DEPARTMENr OF INTgRIoR,
Honolulu, March %, lS90.}
J. II. SoPER, ESQ.,, Marshal.
SIR:-The Supreme Court having de-
cided that no prisoners can be employed
on any public work for which appropria.
tons have been made unless the expense
of feeding and guarding them is charged
to such appropriations. and there being
no appropriations for public works avail
able for supporting prisoners in accord
ance with such decision, you are hereby
directed to Immediately stop all prisoners
from working on public works and con-
fine them in the several jails until further
orders
You will also discharge forthwith all
outside guards, retaining only such guards
as are necessary to guard the prisoners
in the jails.
The Supreme Court has decided that
the Auditor General has the sole discre-
ton to decide whether q bill should be
audited and paid or not.
The Auditor in the exercise of the dis
erection thus conferred upon him by the
Court has refused to audit the bills pre-
scented by you this week for food supplies
for the prisoners at the Oahu Jail and for
salaries of the Deputy Tailor and guards,
both in the Jail and those guarding the
prisoners at work. am therefore unable
to pay the same, and you are hereby di-
rected to 90 inform the persons holding
such claims, and also to say that unless
the Auditor General changes his mind,
nothing can be done for them until the
Legislature meets, when will ask for an
appropriation to pay their claims"
AS to the future pay Of the guards at
jails, If understand the position taken
by the Court and the Auditor, the latter
will audit bills for guarding and feeding
prisoners drawn against the appropria.
ton for Support Of Prisoners" if they
are idle, but will not do so if they are
working on the public works
II my understanding is correct he will
probably audit the bills hereafter inctrred
while the prisoners are idle, but as he
has the sole discresion to audit or not ae
he chooses, / cannot be sure that he will
do 30. You will therefore please present
bills to him at the end Of the coming
week for the services of guards and ma
terial furnished during the week, in order
that we may ascertain what course he
proposes to pursue.
have the honor to be,
Your obedient servant,
l.. A. THURsToN,
Minister of Interior. !"