The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-06-24
REPORT CT THE AUDlruR-GENERAL

report Is that = no statement made
by me in this report is intended
directly or indirectly to reflect
upon or impugn the honest inten-
tons of the Ministry TO administer
their public duties as honest serv-
ants Of His Majesty the King and
the people, or their personal integ-
rity. The report thereafter pro-
ceeds 10 1mpugn the conduct of the
Minister of the Interior very
sharply We might make the
same remark of the Auditor-G Gen
eral, for no doubt Mr.. George J.
Ross Is an honest man and intends
10 perform his duty in a strict
manner, but we believe now, as we
have done for q number of years
past, that he is mistaken as to the
scope Of his powers and the inten-
tion Of the Audit Act. There can
be no question that the claim of the
Auditor-General to an absolute
control over the matter of expendi-
lures is directly opposed to the
principle of responsibility which
the Ministers assume toward the
people If the principles for which
the Auditor contends were carried
out and were strictly lawful, then
the Auditor might well make all
payments from the Government
Treasury and draw all drafts, leav-
ing nothing whatever for the Min
listers 10 do except to recommend.
The structures made by him upon
the use made by the Interior De-
partment Of the sO-called contin-
gent funds voted by the LegisIa-
Iure Of 1883 we cannot agree with.
The letter of the Minister of the
Interior published in the supple
ment upon page SO to 80 explains,
without any question, the object of
the Legislature IN passing certain
amounts Is contingent funds. The
explanation made by the Minister
Of the Interior Is correct. The
amounts inserted in the Appropria-
ton Bill of 1888 and marked con-
tingent were put there for the ex-
press purpose of experimenting
the various appropriations made in
case they should not be sufficient
for the requirements proposed and
also for the purpose Of providing
for unforeseen accidents, etc. One
Of the principles of construction of
laws is that the intention of the
Legislature is to be ascertained,
and Il, by any possibility, it can be
made to accord with the words
used in the law such construction
must be given to it by the Court
The Minister of the Interior is
correct with regard to the use of
the appropriations which are mark
ed contingent.
Nor can we agree with him IN
his views upon public works. The |
same IS true with regard to the |
appropriation for expenses of for
eign agents in the Foreign Depart |
ment. 1t was expressly under
stood by the Legislature at the
time the appropriation was passed |
that that appropriation was to
cover any. expense incurred on be-
half Of the Hawaiian Government |
IN 3 number of matters, and the |
possibility of expositions or worlds
fairs was taken into consideration
by the Legislature, and it is diff |
cult 10 see how the contention of |
the Auditor can be sustained. But
the Audit Act itself expressly pro-
vides in Section that " every
account shall be considered duly
authorized that is in accordance
with any existing law, or regula-
ton or has been directly sanctioned
by any one or other of the respon-
sible Ministers of the Grown, and
covered by an appropriation act in
force at the time of payment" The
report shows that there has been
very little difficulty excepting be-
tween the Auditor-General and the
Interior Department, and the Min
ister of the Interior seems to have
been q veritable "bete noir" to the
Auditor. There is nothing in the
report or in the facts connected
with the controversy between the
Minister and Auditor which does
not show that the Minister may
have been correct as well as the
Auditor, yet the latter assumes
that he is correct. The feeling of
evident hostility to the Minister of
the Interior is in one instance car
red TO an extraordinary extent, in
which the utterly absurd charge is
made that the Minister of the In
terror exceeded his authority as the ]
guardian and safe keeper of Gov ]
eminent property in having the !
Palace wall pulled down. Probably :
no man of ordinary common sense
Of business experience will coincide +;
with the Auditor in his views upon 5
hat matter. The result has been t
L / .