The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-08-12

marks are not personal TO the present
Minister at all, except as to the state
ment that the tax assessor is regarded as
an enemy | will add that the appoint
ment OF the over tax assessors has led to
eXaction | knew OF man who had to
pay a tax on 500 because he had hun
bred bags OF paddy. That was because
he was Chinaman. 1t is mistake for
any Minister of Finance to think he
serves Tue country 10y scratching OFT I'll
the taxes possible. In other Countries
they put the taxes lower than the value.
On Kauai they tried to put them sky
high.
Noble J. VI. Horner-It is not to get
out OF paving taxes that | would abolish
these offices, as the Minister OF Finance
would have you believe, but to save the
country the $25, 900 which is paid them
don't shirk the payment of my legal
taxes and don't think any other planter
in Hamakua does. l scorn the imputa-
ton against the planters of Hamakua
The Finance Minister knows the taxes
are assessed and paid according to law
and he is the law. He has no right to
say We have shirked our taxes in Hama
kua.
Rep. Brown-If We do away with all
these tax assessors and the tax law, how
are we going to collect our taxes? The
deputies are responsible to the assessors
in chief who forward the funds to the
Government. We have got to have some
responsible man on each island 10 receive
and send to the Government.
Noble Horner-How was it done be-
fore?
Rep. Brown-That was done by the
governors. Somebody has got to collect
the money. Until someone brings III
law creating a better system, we must
pay these salaries and not clog the action
of the Government.
Noble Walker am at a loss to know
what the House are at. There is a law
passed which must be carried out The
tax law is not before the House. No
thing is before the House except these
items of salary
Noble Isenberg-I agree with the hon.
Mr.. Brown. don't see how we can re-
fuse to appropriate this money. These
officers are all at work. If We could have
the governors back would have them.
We got along very well with the COVER
nor on Kauai. But we haven't them
now and the taxes must be collected.
shall vote for the item.
Noble J. NJ Horner-This subject was
taking pretty wide course before lunch.
| thought it was "off its base then. |
shall vote for the item of course.
Rep. K. Wilcox am in favor of post
poning consideration. agree with much
that has been said by Noble Horner and
Rep. Knudsen. The tax assessors 90
round insulting people. How is it in
Oahu? The Assessor General on the
Both OF July, without any orders, went
into the Music Hall and went to shooting
people. The tax assessor on Maui rides
around putting on airs as though he
was king
Minister Brown-It has already been
explained that no law which can be
made now can have any effect until
July, 1891. The remarks on the per-
sonal character of the tax assessors have
also nothing to do with the matter. L
am surprised at the remarks as to the
assessor of Maui, he is a young Ha-
waiian who has been regarded as a
model. The member from Waimea was
wrongly assessed it is true, but he APP
pealed to the Supreme Court and got
justice. Now the proof of the pudding
is in the eating. There have been fewer
appeals than heretofore showing that
the assessments have been more salts
factory.
Noble Baldwin-Judging from the re-
marks made here l think many men,
bers have been led by their personal
feelings. We are here to discuss sys-
tenn, not persons. Is the system better
than the old one? like the present law
because there is system in it. Under
the old law there was none A tax as
SCISSOR was frequently appointed to as
sess in another district, a district OF
which he knew nothing How could a
district be properly assessed or the
assessments properly equalized, under
such system? | know it to be fact
that the assessments in our districts
varied very much from one year to
another, because the assessors did not
understand the districts. Under the
present system there is beard OF asses
sors in chief, one for each island, and
they come to Honolulu and have
Board of Equalization. 1t stands to
reason that this is better system and
will give better satisfaction. notwith-
standing there is an increase in the
taxes. Another important point is that
the total expense of raising the taxes is
less than under the old law. l do not
say the present law is the best which
might be had, but it is better than the
old law. L do not wish to shirk my
taxes, but what we want is to get fair
and equal taxation, and | think we have
had fair and more equal taxation under
this law. The tax assessor of each dis
trict is appointed for several years and
makes study of the whole island. I'm
der the old system property was omit
ted, whereas now it is not. Perhaps the
tax assessors may have been overbear-
ing, that is the fault not of the system
but OF the men. | am not upholding or
attacking the men but defending what l
consider the best system we have had
The governor question is another ques-
ton. Let each stand on its own basis.
| don't remember what the governors
had to do under the old law, but it was
nothing [ believe beyond transmitting
the funds to Honolulu. Practically they
did not have much to do with it. If any