The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-08-07

pointed by the Government, which the
speaker objected TO. After the revolution
the people seemed to have q new lease of
life in the Government. here and there
was an enterprise which would never
have existed under the old regime. Ii
was this which had caused the increase
in taxes collected. II is no wonder the
Government is satisfied with the law
since all the tax-ofiicers are appointed
by the general Government.
Minister Brown am not at all sur
prised at the desire of the hon. member
to abolish tax assessors. 1t is notorious
that the taxes have been increased by
the new law. The trouble seems TO be
that the tax assessors are very intelli-
gent. They find too much property. |
There are plantations which don't pay /
taxes on the amount of their annual /
dividends. | think the gentleman has |
said enough 10 show where the shoe /
pinches. 1t is we'll known what hap
pened in Hilo a year ago An honest |
tax assessor had made a correct assess |
ment. Planters who had influence got |
it throug h the Tax Appeal Boards very |
much reduced. Nothing of that kind is |
going to happen while this Ministry is in
office.
~.
thing all over the islands the chief tax
assessor has called out good deal of ILL |
feeling. 1t is not true that in this coun-
try people look upon the tax assessor as
an enemy. 1t is mistake to say SO.
am instructed by the owners of five
plantations to say that they wish to pay
their taxes, they are willing to pay
higher taxes, but they wish them to be
fol ~ ha
Lately in Kauai there has been much
payment of taxes under protest. My re-
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 tax on $500 because he had hun
dred bags of paddy. That was because
he was Chinaman. 1t is mistake for
any Minister of Finance to think he
serves the country by scratching out all
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. NJ. Horner-It is not to get
out of paying 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.
l don't shirk the payment of my legal
taxes and | don't think any other planter
| in Hamakua does. | scorn the imputa-
ton against the planters of Hamakua.
| The Finance Minister knows the taxes
are assessed and paid according 10 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 TO 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 in a
law creating better system, we mus,
pay these-salaries and not clog the action
of the Government.
Noble Walker am at loss to know
what the House are at. There is Law
passed which must be carried out. The
tax law is not before the House. No
thing is before tile House except thes,
items of salary.
Noble Isenberg-I agree with the hon
. Mr. Brown. don't see how we can re
! fuse to appropriate this money. Thes
officers are all at work. If we could hav
J the governors back would have them
We got along very well with the COVER
! nor on Kauai. But we haven't then
now and the taxes must be collected.
shall vote for the item.
! Noble j. NJ. Horner-This subject wa
taking a pretty wide course before lunch
l thought it was "otf its base then.
shall vote for the item of course.
! Rep. X. Wilcox-I am in favor of post
poning consideration. l agree with mucl
that has been said by Noble Horner an,
Rep. Knudsen. The tax assessors x
8 round insulting people. How is it il
Oahu? The Assessor General on tn
Both of July, without any orders, wen
|. into the Music Hall and went to shootin,
!, people. The tax assessor on Maui rides
, around putting on airs as though b.
, was king.
!, Minister Brown-It has already beer
+ explained that no law which can b.
,, made now can have any effect unit
l July, 1891. The remarks on the per
sonal character of the tax assessors hav
/. also nothing to do with the matter.
am surprised at the remarks as to tn,
assessor OF Maui, he is young Ha
waiian who has been regarded as
model. The member from Waimea wa
wrongly assessed it is true, but he ap
pealed to the Supreme Court and 60
justice. Now the proof of the puddin
is in the eating. There have been fewe
appeals than heretofore showing tina
the assessments have been more salts
factory.
Noble Baldwin-Judging from the re
marks made here / think many mem
: bers have been led by their persona
feelings. We are here to discuss sys
i, tenn, not persons. Is the system bette
= than the old one? / like the present la,
!, because there is system in it. Unde
, the old law there was none A tax az
:. SCISSOR was frequently appointed to as
. sess in another district, district {
which he knew nothing. How could
j.. district be properly assessed or tn
- assessments properly equalized, unde
such system? know it to be fac
. that the assessments in our district
u varied very much from one year t
. another, because the assessors did nc
!. understand the districts Under tn
- present system there is a board of asse.
. sors in chief, one for each island, an
>. they come to Honolulu and have
3 Board of Equalization. 1t stands [
= reason that this is better system an
q will give better satisfaction, notwitt
. standing there is an increase in tn
q taxes. Another important point is thu
t.So rs 81.