The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-08-25
A QUESTION.

Should a government accept private
assistance to carry on work the appro-
priation for which has run out The
question is one which will bear argu-
ment. For a government to accept
private funds to carry on work which
has not been authorized and then go to
a Legislature to pay for it afterwards,
is decidedly wrong and would establish
a most evil precedent, for by doing so
it would be practically tying up the leg
islature as to the lines money should be
spent. The political history of the mon
archy on these Islands will show in
stances of such action, but such meth
DDS could never be followed out in a
Territory.
However there might be case where
money has been authorized, but the
amount from which the authorized sum
was to be taken falls short and neces-
sary work has to stop, not because there
is not enough appropriation, but be-
cause there are not enough funds avail
able to carry on to completion. Would
this be a justifiable position in which
to accept of assistance from private
funds Even under such circumstances
1t is quite questionable, though the case
is somewhat different from the one
placed first
OF course the subject is brought up
by the obligation to stop work on the
sewer system. The sewer system as
originally planned was to be completed
piece meal Then there was a demand
for extension and for speed. The work
was to be paid for out of the loan fund.
The minister in charge apparently
never enquired whether the loan fund
was sufficient for the purpose, or not.
The Council of State when voting for
this and other improvements under the
loan fund evidently never considered
whether they We're voting more money
than was left of that overburdened ac-
count or not. The fact remains that
more money was voted out of that fund,
than remained in it.
Under the impression that the loan
fund would bear the whole burden east
ly, the Minister of Interior instead of
starting on the most necessary work
at first, and leaving the outlying parts
for future development, started out on
comprehensive instead of a piece meal
plan. The result is that the source of
supply is exhausted, though the most
necessary work is not done, though the
appropriation is not exhausted. Now
the question is whether under these cir
cumstances the government, should the
money for finishing the work be offered
to it, be justified in accepting the offer,
or ought it to stop work and wait for
the legislature.
OF course in such matter, the gov
eminent could give no guarantee. The
Legislature would have a perfect right
TO refuse a cent of compensation. The
impression of The Star is that no such
offer of assistance in finishing the sewer
work will come in spite of the opinion
of the Board of Health. But even if it
were rendered, it is very doubtful in
the writer's mind whether it is a legiti-
mate proceeding and whether it would
not furnish a precedent for fraud and
corruption at some future time.
The question is an eminently inter-
esting one and should call forth the
opinions of some of our deepest political
thinkers. Under one form the present
writer has no doubt about the impro-
priety and illegality of the proceeding
under the second form there appears
to be some reason for doubt.