The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-24

so passed, whereupon, under suspen-
sion of rules, the bill was taken up on |
third reading.
CIVIL LIST.
Her Majesty's Privy Purse, $4,000.
Minister Jones explained that owing |
to the fact that Her Majesty had been |
drawing her salary at the old rate,
this item would have to be raised to
S33,332.
Rep. Ashford said that was not cor
rect at all. If an officer had drawn at
the old rate he would simply have to
disgorge, that was all. For instance,
he presumed the Ministers had drawn
at the old rate. Minister Jones: We
have not drawn anything If some
of your predecessors had done the
same thing they would have been
we'll paid.
Minister Jones moved the item pass
at 5000 from November Both, and
S13,332 up to that date.
Noble Marsden desired to know,
before going any further, what
revenue the Minister expected. He
believed the revenue would not equal
the appropriation. 1t was against all
principles of good government to bOr-
row anything for running expenses.
Minister Jones said that as the
House had voted to pay at the old
rate until November 30th, he had
figured out just what changes would
be necessary. He had taken the
amount actually expended up to No
vember 30th, aud added twO-thirds OF
the amounts in Section l to get the
figures required. 1t was proposed
further to transfer about $4,000
roads and bridges and some other
sums, making about $4,000, to
Section ., which would leave $685.
O6O. 40 as the footing of Section l; but,
with certain additions, the final total
revenue on the basis of the receipts of
the first six months of the present
year, and the revenue bills brought
in by the Ministers would be 81, 1922,
205.74. This did not include any
revenue from opium license or from
increased duties on liquor. This would
leave deficit of about $4,000.
Rep. Ashford protested against this
Interpretation of the law. Each offi-
cial drawing under the schedule of an
old bill had simply been drawing in
advance on what the House should
see fit to vote, and he, for one, would
not vote one cent more than the item
in the bill. That had always been
the practice in previous years.
Rep. Smith agreed most heartily
with the Minister of Finance. The
salaries had been paid at the old rates
and that could not now be disturbed.
| 1t would be manifestly unjust and un-
fair to make these officials refund.
Minister Jones said they had not
| transferred to Section all of the road
expenses, but had retained the item
for road damages and repairs, $72, 900.
Rep. Ashford said what he objected
to was the attempt to increase salaries
over the basis of the Appropriation
bill for the current period. The men,
Der from Lihue spoke as though he
had never heard of such proposition
as the speakers, but it had always
been the practice to do as he pro-
posed. He knew that positively, and
had been in office long enough to
know it, The speaker referred to the
case of z. X. Myers, which came up
at the session of 1890. 1t was settled
exactly on the ground that he con-
tended for now.
Rep. Smith said that was case
where there had been no appropriate IN
previously.
Rep. Ashford said that made no diff
ference. AS to the various acts extend
i ing payment, they were not contracts
: but simply provisions that the officers
| might draw at that rate until the bill
was passed. 1t was poor rule that
would not work both ways. When ar
officers salary was raised he fastened
to draw his arrears.
Noble Baldwin said the Legislature
had the power to make such appro.
priations as they thought wise. Sea
ling down salaries should not bt
; carried too far or the Government
would get inferior material. To fol
, low the plan laid down by Rep. Ash
ford would cut them down too mucl
and would work an injustice, because
in cases where an official had died his
successor would not get his fair salary
because his predecessor had over
/ drawn. We could not expect to ge
. salaries down all at once as low a
| they should be. If that were at
tempted we would have to conside
{ whether we would be able to keep tn
officers whom we have.
Minister Jones said the Ministr,
had figured the bill in this way be
cause it had understood that to be tn
intention of the House in passing tn
enabling Acts. 1t had made grea
= deal of extra work, but it had bee
7 necessary. 1t would be unjust t
! many employees of the Government
l to adopt Rep. Ashford's plan.
!, Noble Marsden said he was mucI
. inclined to favor the opinion of tn
member from the Third District
though a great many exception
/ would have to be made, as in the case {
the Cabinet, for their predecessors ha
t undoubtedly drawn at the old rate
e The bill would have to be cut dowr
r 1t must not be speculative. The Min
Y lister had based his estimates on til
b receipts of the last six month:
r That was not correct. The receipt
s were coming down all the time
q Moreover, they had transferred road
;. and bridges to Section 2. There wa
e no hope in this way. There was n
|. need of any fear of losing the employ
e ees. If they went their places coul
d be filled easily enough. There WEI
O plenty who would be thankful for til
d job. Without casting any refiectio
e on the Minister of Finance he wOul
recall the fact that the late Mil
d lister claimed TO have prepare
d reductions to the amount
s 100000. 1t was right to pay off
is Gals enough to live on, but unless r,
d auctions were made, the expenditure
% would not be within the revenu