The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-01-24
LIGHT ON TAXES.

EpIToE BULLETIN A commuui-
cation in your issue Of Jan. e, sign
ed "Non Nobis Solum,' relating TO
taxes, from tables, doubtless pub.
,ishcd in the Hawaiian Annual for
1890, was such an evident error
from uniamiliarity with the subject,
that | thought the writer would see
and acknowledge his mistake on a
second glance at the tables used.
Instead of this, however, find pc
litical capital is made out Of his
alleged discovery of - deficit to he
accounted for in some way of Sl3j,-
O00' by one who few days pre-
vious published the boast that 1.-THE
Workingmen's party proposed to
win by honorable tactics.' 1t there
fore becomes necessary to unravcl
Non Nobis Solum's figures for the
enlightenment of those whom he has
unintentionaly, ] trust, led astray.
If n. n. 5. has been resident of
these islands during the period he
has taken the tax figures for, (lSS6-
SS) he has forgotten the general
business depression experienced
throughout the islsnds, which fully
accounts for the shrinkage of values
OF real and personal property, as
shown in the assessment table (page
3O) of S3,027 ,4s7 in 1887, and S3,-
S72 ,SlS in 1888, from those of 1886.
The figures taken by your discov-
ercr as the taxes for 1886, viz.
SILL, JOB, (from Annual Internal
Taxes, page 3l), are the sum total
of all taxes including real and per-
sonal property, poll, school, road,
etc. Its proportion for real and per-
sonal property at the J Of per cent
rate that year would have been
S262, 1863 if collections had been
all made as per values assessed, but
this does not appear 70 be the case.
These errors, then, of n. n. S.
cXplodes his basis of Sl3j GOO de-
fcit in the taxes Of 1888. but what
are the facts?
The assessed value of real and
personal property in 1883, through
| out the islands WAS S3l ,0S2, 1919.
The ] per cent tax thereon, if all
collected, would have been S3lO,-
S22, but, rs in other years, appeals
from, and errors in, assessing same
properties to two and sometimes
three parties, we find shrinkage
again here: still, in the result, a
percepiible gain. If the biennial
term figures are taken they show rs
follows, more clearly:
| 1880, Assmnts. real and
| per, property. ...... .. TJJ y IL 81
1886, Assmnts. real and
per. property .......,. 81 ,955,0i7
Total assessed value 2yrs sos SOC, 80
| Against this value there
was collected .......y iS?, ?,5o2
Other taxes, viz poll,
school, road, dog, car
rage, etc. c......'...... 3a2 ,G6G
Total taxes for biennial o..
term, 1856. SG.,..........S Sl2 ,lGS
1887, Assmnts. real and
personal property .. $3l ,02T ,5'a
1888, Assmnts. real and
| personal property .... 3l,OS2, ,l9c
Toll assessed value, 2yrs. $63 ,OO9, 7j9
A shrnsage Of 1881, ,l6O from the
previous biennial term.
Against the assessed pro-
perty value there was
collected ........ ....S lJ2 ,33C
! "a gain Of $G2 ,S3I over
the former pcriod).
Other taxes, viz poll,
school, road, dog, ear
riage, etc. ...,...,..... 33,2@(
Total taxes for biennial
term, 1888. ..,.......x SS5 ,0Gt
Or A total gain over the former rc
giod OF S73,39S.
If Mr.. mot merely for ourselves
desires clearer facts, the Finance
Office will doubtless aid him in an,
honest search.
TmOs. G.. TnRUM,
pub. Hawaiian Annual.