The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-09
MUCH DISCUSSION
Both Senate and House Have
Long Sessions Yesterday.
APPROPRIATION BILLS AGAIN
Constitutional Amendment Indefi-
nitely Postponed BY Vote of
Ten to Five.
BILLS AGAIN
SENATE.
Seventeenth Day, March s.

Seventeenth Day, March 8.
The appropriation bills for current
account and for salaries were under
discussion all day. These were TAX
en- up on reports from Senator Lyman
on Public Lands, Senator Brown on
the Attorney-GeneraPs Department,
Senator Wilcox ON Public Health. Sen
ator Lyman also reported on the bill
providing for widening the streets in
Honolulu. Senator Schmidt's report on
current accounts, showing an expendi-
ture of S503.30 to date, was adopted.
were appointed special committee to
consider the bill to enlarge Kapio-
lani Park and the bill to issue royal
patents to the present leaseholders.
Appropriation bill 5, was then taken
up. All the items in the Bureau of
Survey, amounting to $26,760, were
passed. On the recommendation of the
Military Committee, as reported by
Senator McCandless, the appropriation
of $4,000 for military pay roll was
passed, as we'll as the item of 100000
for support of the military in bill 4.
In the Department of the Attorney
General the committee recommended
the passage of the $4,000 item for
support of prisoners. On this Island
there has been spent out of a total
appropriation of $4,000 for the whole
group, $40 ,53037. From the report of
the committee it developed that out
of the item of $4,000 for incidentals
Civil and Criminal expenses, which was
finally passed. variety of commodl-
ties for the use of the department
came. This included fees and supplies
to police as uniforms, firearms, badges,
etc., horse and hack hire for Maui and
Hawaii One of the items was for
hack hire in Honolulu amounting to
$97S.65. The committee thought that
this item was altogether too large to
be spent in that manner. Several Sem
ators spoke on the subject.
The Attorney-General said that much
of this hack hire had been to bring in
prisoners from the outside where it
was too far to walk, in transferring
prisoners from the Jail to the Court
House when they were asked for in a
hurry, and in various other legitimate
ways.
Senator Brown stated that one of the
items which the committee recommend
ed was $1,000 for a patrol wagon. This
would cut down the hack hire bills
considerably.
Senator McCandless suggested that
rider be put on the incidentals item,
then, that none of the money be ex-
pended for hack hire He could see no
reason for it if the patrol wagon was
to be put on, and hacks were hired
only to transport prisoners. He said
there was a feeling on the streets that
some of the officials were riding at
public expense. This should not be
allowed.
Attorney General Smith replied that
there was no official riding for pleasure
at public expense. Some riding was
necessary. A hurry up' call in the
night in the case of a person being
| found dead, or other extraordinary
cases. If it was thought worth while
to examine into the details of the hack
| hire, vouchers were in the possession
of the Marshal giving the name OF the
driver of the hack, the length of time
used, the name of the officer using il
| and the nature of the errand. The
item was passed.
The appropriation of $4,000 for coro.
ners inquests was passed, as was that
of 81 900 for expenses of witnesses il
Criminal cases. The Attorney-Gen
erals explanation of the latter item
developed the fact that on some o
the other Islands attendance at Cour
was often a great personal hardship Il
many witnesses. There is no emolu
ment in being a witness. The onl.
money received is for actual travelin;
expenses and for board and lodging
The means of communication are pri
mitive and the witnesses are in attend
ance sometimes for three weeks, to b
ready for case when it is called. Thi
is a great hardship to a workingmal
!: as he loses his pay usually from hi
employers because of his absence an
receives nothing in return. For thi
reason it is sometimes extremely dif
ficult to secure witness. Formerl