The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-05-15
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

into five classes, viz: Federal subjects,
state or territorial subjects, county sub
jects, township subjects, and munich
pal subjects.
Federal subjects include the collection
of customs and internal revenue, navi-
cation, postal matters, sea coast and
harbor lights, and the ultimate control
of harbors. This takes from the Ter
ritorial government a large number of
the functions and duties which it's pre-
decessor, the government of the Repub-
lie of Hawaii, possessed.
The Territorial form of government
has been given to us by the Congress
of the United States, and will become
ours on June 10. The internal govern
ment is subject to modification by the
Legislature which in section Sc of the
bill, may create counties, and town and
city municipalities, which give that
form of local self-government in which
true Americanism lies, and which is the
root of popular liberty, at the same
time that it affords the individual that
healthy interest in his local affairs
which teaches him his political respon
sibilities, and brings the results of his
own political acts to his own door.
County division, and subjects con-
nected with counties, which will bring
our local affairs into assimilation with
the local government of the Mainland,
will be one of the main issues before
the next legislature, and will be a plank
in the campaign. 1t is well then to
consider what county governmental
duties are.
What governmental duties fall to
counties can perhaps be more clearly
expressed by considering what would
be suitable county divisions. Oahu
would naturally be one county, Kauai
together with Niihau, another; Maui,
Lanai, and possibly Molokai, another,
and Hawaii one and possibly two coun-
ties For county should embrace
such territory as the people therein
have common interests, and are sur
rounded by similar conditions, and is
of convenient extent for the easy adj
ministration of those affairs which are
constantly arising, without those delays
incident to long Journeys or expensive
travelling.
Each county ought to have it's courts
of original and general jurisdiction, so
that all matters of litigation arising IN
the county may be tried and deter
mined without compelling suitors to
make long journeys with their wit
nesses to distant places to be kept away
i IL.
time. There should therefore be as
many counties as there are needed
courts of original general jurisdiction.
The record of conveyances should be
localized as far as possible, and the
county furnishes a convenient unit FOR
this purpose. Taxes on property ought
to be levied and collected where the
property is situated. For the purpose
of assessing, Ievying and collecting
taxes the county forms a convenient
division. Within a county the interests
in roads and public improvements are
usually common and equal These,
therefore, should be a matter for county
governments.
From this it follows that the conve-
nient officers and government for II
county include a circuit court for the
county-that is, court of original and
general Jurisdiction, holding terms of
court often enough for the convenience
and dispatch of all business arising in
the county-probate, civil and criminal.
1t might be that if the Island of Ha-
wall were divided into two counties,
one judge of such court would be suffi-
cient for both counties. But each
county should have it's own court. Each
court would require clerk to keep and
preserve its records, and a deputy of
the high sheriff to execute it's processes.
The deputy sheriff would be the chief
peace officer for the county. There
would be needed recorder of convey
ances, and county treasurer to collect
and disburse the taxes, and a usual
county officer is coroner. For the
local legislative government of the
county there should be a county board.
In each county should be a public
prosecutor, separate and distinct from
the sheriff, who should prosecute all
crimes committed in his county, and
should be the legal adviser of the coun-
~ officers. Prosecutions in the circuit
courts are now carried on by the at
torney general, whose deputy attends
the various terms Of the several cir
cult courts for this purpose. But his
duties will only permit him to come at
the beginning of the term and remain
until the cases in which the territory is
the prosecutor have been disposed of.
a case without having had time to
study 1t, to know the witnesses; to
know the conditions which existed;
whore and when the crime was commit