The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-09-17


have to go and take $50 out of the Inte-
rior Department. As to Mr.. Townsend
that is all right. He has been paid extra
for night and other work which he was
not bound To do.
Rep. Brown said the representative
from the 4th ward and the Finance Com
mittee have shown a lamentable igno-
rance of the law, or they would not have
made the report they have. Section 5
gives the head OF the department leave 10
make disbursements out of the approp-
ration with the consent OF the Minister
OF the Interior. Rep. Lucas does not
agree with the committee in regard TO
Geo. Townsend. He believes, then, the
committee were wrong. The communi-
cation is not from Mr.. Wilson personally,
but from him as head of the Fire De-
partment. 1t is q communication from
the Fire Department to the committee
The Fire Department is not, as has been
stated, bureau of the Interior Depart
ment. 1t is controlled by its own by
laws, and is under its own control. The
Minister OF the Interior has only a super
vision. The committee charge the Fire
Department by inference with making a
false statement in order to support the
payIAent of paltry $50. What evidence
have the Finance Committee for their
statement that it was an afterthought,
and that it was trumped up afterwards?
| say this conduct alone OF the committee
bears up the charge l made yesterday
that this report bears on its face the I'M
press of spite. | therefore recommend
that the committee recommend this por-
ton of the report to be laid on the table.
Rep. Lucas said it might be the ex-
penditure of $50 made regularly, with the
consent of the Minister of the Interior,
but that didn't make it right. Might
did not make right. Who paid MIR.
Thomas expenses? Not the Govern
ment
Noble Mccarthy agreed with what the
report said as to this retainer. He had
been a member of the department for
six years. Ii Government funds were
to be used to keep officers in power, they
would be there forever. am opposed
to such use of government money. The
committee may be wrong, but do not
think SO. This would establish very
bad precedent.
Rep. Brown said the suit brought by
Thomas was the suit of defeated candi-
date trying to make out that the Fire
Department had no right to pass finally
on its own elections. The Fire Depart
ment in order to defend its own power
and privileges had to defend that suit,
and the court decided in its favor.
Noble McCarthy-The Board of Re-
representatives. of the department had no.
thing whatever to do'with the expendi-
ture of any moneys. Now it is claimed
that the chief of the department wrote
this letter by the authority of the Board.
Rep. Kapaehaole moved this part of
the report be adopted. The committee
make no recommendation. The ques-
ton is whether we have this transaction
repeated or not
Noble Kauhane thought the report
ought not to be adopted because it was
spent in having point of law settled by
the Supreme Court. Adopting the report
is saying that we don't wish to have
points settled in that way.
Noble Widemann said if this was a
department matter why did not the At
torney-General defend the case?
Noble Cornwell said If the House did
not make more progress the country
members would have to take their
Christmas in Honolulu. The member
from Honolulu says the committee have
shown spite. Probably they have. But
what good does it do to say so. The
Ministers are out and that ends it..
l move we take recess. Lost.
The motion to adopt the entire report
of the Finance Committee was carried.
The committee rose and recommended
the adoption OF the report.
Rep. Brown moved the report be laid
on the table.
Rep Lucas moved to adopt the report.
Noble Widemann admired the brass
OF some people.
The motion to lay on the table was
lost.
The report of the committee was
adopted
Rep. Nawahi moved to reconsider.
Rep. Kapaehaole wished the ayes and
noes called so that it might be known
who favored fair play and free discus
sion and who don't.
Noble Cornwell changed his vote. He
meant to vote, no.
The motion to reconsider was lost the
vote being as follows:
Ayes--Minister Spencer; Mobiles Kau-
hane, j. Nj. Horner, Marsden, Bald
win, w. Y. Horner, Walbridge, Ander-
son, Won Tempsky, G. N. Wilcox, Ka-
noa and Isenberg; Reps. Brown, A.
Horner, Waipuilani, Apiki, Paehaole,
Halstead, Rice and A. s. Wilcox-20.
Noes-Minister Brown; Mobiles Wide
mann, Berger, Macfarlane, Muller, Pua,
Mccarthy, Phillips, Crabbe, Hind, Bur
chardt and Cornwell; Reps. Cummings,
Lucas, r. w. Wilcox, Bush, Kauhi,
Nawahi. Baker, Kahookano, White,
Kanealii and Knudsen-23.
The House took a recess at II 10.