The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-08-01
FINANCIAL.

That there is considerable sum "
money IN the Treasury is fact To-
which attention has been called. and to-
which II h. right and proper that public
attention should be called. There were,
at the close Of the six months ending
June &c. 1899, sS76.Olj % In the Treasury.
At the close of the six months ending
December 81 lSas. there were S7i0,2SO 2i,
therefore the increase has been $780,
72i SO. But the Customs duties for the
first six months of 1899 exceed those for
the first six months of 1898 by S17S, 59S.
Which would amply account for sur
plus held i'm the Treasury increasing by
the amount given above.
In point Of fact there has been an
enormous increase in the revenue dur
ing the last year. The revenue for the
first six months of 1899 exceeds the rev.
enue of the first six months of 1898, by
very close upon $250,0OO. 1t is interest
ing to look back and see the growth of
the territorial income. Taking for each
year for the first six months only, the
figures are as follows 1894, 1857 $50 81
1895, $500, $3.50 40; 1885, $62S, 1923 AZ; 1897
$780,, 1872 81; 1898, $1,O35,O96 40; and in 1899
the first six months yielded the hand
some sum of $1,2S3, SO7 3S. This is the
current income and has nothing to do
with the money which comes into the
Treasury from loan fund.
The reasons for having a large bal
ance in the Treasury are two-fold. One
Is hot Cd Of In,
come causes it, and the other is that the
appropriations do not call upon all the
funds in the Treasury. The money could
not be spent without appropriation
This is the first time in six years where
the current receipts for the first six
months have exceeded the expenditures.
The receipts as already stated, amount
to s1,2SS, SO7 80 while the expenditures
only amounted to 81, 14S,O72 Sc, this is a
gain of over $135,0O0, which curiously
enough approximates the sum of $685.
600, the gain in Treasury reserve during
the same period.
The expenditures in the last six
years have also grown as the receipts
have grown. Comparing the first six
months expenditures of each year, they
run as follows: 1894, $677 ,915 99 1895,
1896 900 OF; 1896, $500, 553 SO; 1897, $780,
$50 81; 1898, $1,O51, 1877 30; and 1899, ST.
14S,072 Sc. The present expenditure of
the past six months is close upon double
what it was six years ago.
Enquiry at the Finance Office shows
that the monthly expenditures from
current funds are as large as can be
made with proper economy of the funds
appropriated. There will be a surplus
ut the end of the period because
though the various appropriations may
be spent up to the handle, there is no
authority to exceed the appropriations
made by the last Leg Stature. Thus
though there are funds in the Treasury
and the school appropriation for ev-
ample is extremely short, so that it is
impossible to increase salaries of teach
ers, which should by right be increased
it is Impossible to do so because such
increase would be in excess of the APP
preparation allowed by the Legisla-
ture. The same holds true of other de-
partments of the Government.
When the fundamental change comes
and the territory loses the revenue from
the Customs and the Postoffice, there
will be a considerable deficit, and it will
take the territory some little time to
adjust itself to it's new financial condi-
tions by reapportioning the taxation
to meet fresh exigencies. At that time
which is now only few months off, we
shall need all the surplus we may have
in hand to carry us along, and it is
very fortunate that we shall reach thai
period with full Treasury instead OF
with an empty one.