The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-04-19
Executive Chamber.

To the Council of State: The EXecu
tive Council reports upon the resolu-
ton referred to it by the Council of
State, dated April II, as follows:
The Executive Council agrees with
the preamble of the resolution of the
Council of State of April IL, and with
the first paragraph of the resolution,
which is as follows
THAT it is the sense of the Council
of State that the Hawaiian Govern
ment should pay just claims for losses
caused by the action taken by the
Board of Health in connection with the
suppression of the bubonic plague"
ut is, however, probable, judging from
the discussions which have taken place
in the Council of State on the Court of
| Claims matter that the understanding
of the Executive Council as to the
meaning of the words Just claims,
differs from that of the majority of the
Council of State.
"Our view is that an authoritative rec
ognition of the claim as just must be in
accordance with Hawaiian law. A leg
islature has the authority to extend
the law Neither the Executive nor the
Council of State has this discretion.
I'm regard to the second paragraph of
the resolution, no reasons are set forth
why the present commissioners of the
Court of Claims should be dismissed,
and a new court be appointed of which
a majority shall consist of impartial
men acquainted with the values of
property and merchandise"
1.-THE Executive Council requires that
all the members of the Court shall be
impartial AS to their being acquaint-
ed with values of property, there seems
| to be no good reason for changing the
practice and precedents of all Hawaii
an courts especially as nearly all the
| property in question has been destroy
| ed, and estimates of losses must be
made from testimony of witnesses and
not from the examination of goods and
! buildings.
eff the Court of Claims was merely a
board of appraisers to estimate the
value of property by inspection, it
would be desirable to have experts on
! the board but as that is not the case,
the greatest possible usefulness of eX-
| perts is reached by using them as wit
nesses."
When line GA was called by the sec
| rotary, covering an item of $500 for
! travelling expenses of the Inspector
| General of the Schools Councillor Isen-
berg opposed the item. Once before
when the same item was up for consid-
| Grafton, the councillor attacked 1t, and
yesterday he handled it without gloves
1.-THE Inspector General does mighty
little travelling" said Mr. Isenberg, al
| express speed, and l would IKE TO ash
! the Minister of Public instruction
where the inspector does his travelling
1t is my opinion that when he does
travel he does mighty poor inspection
know on hearsay, and it is pretty goot
hearsay too, that when he travels
around, he pops suddenly into a schoO
where the schoolteacher is not in hi:
favor, and with his notebook in hi:
hand, asks all sort of questions and
scares the teacher nearly to death, anC
then he renders a report that goe'
against the teacher
What kind of an inspection do yol
call that. l want to go on record n
making these remarks against the ap
preparation of this item. If the teache
is not a favored one, you may be SUR
there will be a mighty poor report sen
in to headquarters"
Minister Mott-Smith explained that i
was the office, not the man, which va
voted for. The item passed as in tn
bill.