The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-15

2
most important. A permanent organi-
cation was perfected 10 discuss the sub
ject OF leprosy and the reason for its
appearance in so many parts OF the
world. In view Of all the money that
has been spent in this country and
all the study that has been given to
the subject in all parts of the world
there being so much doubt and dis
agreement as TO its proper treatment;
no positive cure having Yet been dis
covered; We deemed IL important TO
have him go.
In regard TO the amount CT work
done by the Board. it has TO deal with
quarantine matters; leprosy. with its
r2mlficauons, with the serious rela-
tons it has TO the homes and people
of this country, especially the Hawai-
Ians. That alone involves a tremen-
dous responsibility. Those 1 100 people
at the Leper Settlement and their
friends, are world by themselves
shut off from the rest OF mankind: de-
pendent for everything furnished them
from pin TO a house; with all their
social and religious difficulties. and bu-
siness matters. All this involves a
great deal of work in the Board of
Health. | look upon the work of the
last five years with a great deal of
satisfaction. From time 10 time i'm
provements have been made in the sys-
tenn; and the indiposition TO go there,
on the part Of the people, has been to
great extent reduced. LeprOsy seems
20 be under greater control. Although
there are still LOO people there, the
doctors report leprosy disappearing
all over the Islands. This is explained
by the fact that the mortality rate is
not as great now. In former times
most Of those brought in were in the
advanced stage, and their life after
reaching Molokai was short. Most of
those brought in now have it in the
earlier stages and do not die so soon
and the number remains about the
same, although it is decreasing
throughout the Islands.
There is the Baldwin Home for boys
the Bishop Home for girls; the Kapio-
lani Home for non-leprous children at
Kalihi: the Hospitals; the Insane ASy-
lum; the matters under the Act to Mlti-
gate; the Inspection of Slaughter
Houses; the Market; the matter OF the
removal of Garbage and Sewerage; OF
Tuberculosis in Cattle; the Port Physi-
clan; the City Dispensary; besides the
ordinary matters which come up for
settlement. All these matters involve
an amount of work upon those disin-
terested, public spirited men which
very few understand. Their work has
not been altogether what they wished,
and they have not accomplished as
much as they desired; but they have
accomplished an amount of work which
speaks for itself.
I would ask you specifically to ex-
anime the accounts that have been
kept, to verify what l have said.
1t seems to me in view of these
| facts that the structures that have
| been made were SO unjust and so I'M
fair, and Intentionally so untrue,
| that they should be answered. | first
| thought of calling a special meeting of
| the Board of Health; but believing the
charges were made through misappre-
| hension, I thought it better to make
! this statement.
Senator Waterhouse said on behalf of
| the committee of Finance that they
considered the Board was made up of
men well qualified to fill their posi-
! tons. The committee had made nc
! charges against them, but they did cri-
ticise the book keeping of the Depart
ment.
He wished to say that it was made
to appear that the committee had made
false statements. He quoted from the
investigation of the committee that
they had found one account wrong by
one cent showing that the bookkeep-
ing was not in a business manner; an
other account was footed up incorrect
! ly. There were three bills not in re-
gular form and the committee consid-
cred they were justified in making such
report. The committees report haC
certainly been received by the Senate
Senator Baldwin said that the re
marks of Friday had placed the BoarC
in false light. 1t seemed from the
remarks made this morning that it wa
not the books Of the Department tina,
were in a bad condition, as he had I'M
dersto0d that they were, but the item!
of the Secretary's report to the Fin
ance Committee. He did not wish tt
be unjust to the Board and if thu
books of the Department had not beer
examined by the committee, the com
mittee should be empowered to do 81
in order that there might be no unjus
CRITICISM. Inc senator was Informed
that the committee had been empower
ed to make such examination.
Senator Brown explained his re
marks of last week at which time h
had said that bills Of last year were
remaining unpaid while bills Of Janu
airy were being paid and that he coulC
not understand this method. He haC
been reminded, after leaving the Senat
Chamber that outstanding bills Of No
vember and December were of last pc
riOd and that Of course they could no
be paid without special authority.
Senator McCandless said that OF
Friday he made his statements backet
up by documentary evidence. "Thi
morning" he said, there appeared il
the morning newspaper a scurrilous ar
ticle Safeguarding me and attemptin;
to intimidate me from making cri
ticisms of the members Of the Govern
ment.
"One Senator told me this mornin:
that he would hesitate before maxim:
any criticism of member Of the Gov
eminent as he did not want TO lay him
self open to be attacked with sucl