The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-05-22
Are TURNED DOWN
Government Was Denied
An Appropriation.
Ouarntine Expenses Cannot Be
Paid - Council Of State
Declines.

The members of the Council of State
were called together yesterday to con-
slider a request of the Executive for
an appropriation for s5,84S.4S, to cover
the expenses of the recent quaran-
tine of the S. S. Kinai Maru and her
passengers. According to the law,
this Indebtedness must be borne by
the owners of the steamship, but as
the Kinai Maru, her agents, or the
immigration companies, to whom
were consigned the passengers had no
money, it was impossible to collect it.
Nor could the master of the steamer
secure any one as bondsmen, and, rath
er than keep the steamer here for an
indefinite period, bottomry bond, un-
endorsed, was taken.
There has not been time enough 70
get a return from Japan since the yes
sells departure and the guards and
persons who furnished supplies are
clamoring for their money. The ap-
preparation asked for is TO satisfy the
demands of these people. If the bond
is raised, the money asked for would
go back into the Treasury as a reali-
cation; if not, it would be charged to
experience. Sifted down, the Govern
ment asks for money with which to
assume the obligations of a foreign
steamship company, though the Gov
eminent stands responsible TO the men
for the debt incurred.
There were present at the meeting
yesterday: President Dole, Ministers
Cooper and Smith, and Messrs. Robert
son, Robinson, Kennedy, Kane, Men
donca, Naone, Jones, Wilder and G. w.
Smith secretary. On behalf OF the
Government, it was stated that the APP
preparation for quarantine purposes
for the biennial period ending Decem-
Der 81, 1897, was $4,000, but that only
S212423 of this amount was uneX-
pended. Under extraordinary circum-
stances. or in cases of great emergency
the Council had the power to make
appropriations.
The president of the Board of
Health submitted resolution, asking
that an appropriation be made to cover
the expense. The matter had been con-
sidered by the Executive in the morn
ing. and it was thought advisable to
ask for the money. A statement in de-
tail as to how the money had been eX-
pended was submitted by Mr.. Smith
Mr.. Wilder wanted to know whether
the appropria ton was asked for on
account of a pestilence or an emer-
gency.
Mr.. Smith said he thought on the
plea of pestilence as one had been
threatened, and the engaging of extra
guards was deemed necessary to pre-
vent the disease extending.
In reply to question by Mr.. Wilder
as to whether the money would not
have been spent if the smallpox had
not broken out, Mr.. Smith said:
1.-The expense would not have been
so great Steps have been taken to
collect the amount of the bond from
the steamship company"
Mr.. Robertson did not believe half
a dozen cases of variloid could be call
ed a pestilence, and questioned the au-
thority of the Council, under the cir
cumstances, to appropriate the money
Mr.. Smith thought it was short
sighted not to do so. 1t had been Sug-
gested that it would be better to use
the balance of the appropriation to
the credit of the Board, but there was
an objection to this Before the money
could be recovered from the owners
of the Kinai Maru another and similar
case might arise, and it would be i'm
possible to secure guards. The Gov
eminent owed the money, and it
should be paid.
Mr.. Kennedy did not believe the
Constitution permitted the Council to
appropriate the money under the cir
cumstances connected with this case
If the bottomry bond was good for
the money. it would be we'll enough to
wait. If not. it should not have been
taken.
p. C.. Jones said. as a councillor, he
could not vote for the appropriation,
but he wanted to commend the Board
of Health for it's prompt and effective
action in stopping the spread OF the
disease. AS a private citizen, he would
assist in furnishing the Government
with the amount asked for: he would
he one of six men to loan the money
without interest. and would wait until
the Legislature met to reimburse him.
Minister Cooper said thought oc-
Cured TO him that it was the manner,
rather than the result, that was OBJ
iected to. If the steamer had been en-
route, and left the passengers here and
nassed on. and then the disease had
broken out. the Government could not
saw TO the guards and those who had
furnished supplies. that they must wait
until the steamer returned before they
could receive the amount due. 1t was
true enough, the men had been under
no expense for their board; 1T was also
true. they had not been paid for their
services In the cases OF the Shlnshlu
Maru and the Sakura Maru. the in
debtedness was promptly paid by the
agents or captains, but in this case 9th
er arrangements had to be made, and
IL did not seem proper that the Gov
eminent did not promptly meet its OBJ
legations.
Minister Smith related portions of
his experience while in Japan, look
ing TO the matter of epidemics, and
what is being done by the Government
to prevent its spread TO these Islands
He also stated that the United states
had sent a man TO Japan with DR.. Day
to look still further into it. This debt
had been incurred and the appropria-
ton was a matter of great public ne
cessity. according to law.