The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-11
Contained In the
Public Works
Report.
MANY SOURCES OF
REVENUE REMOVED
Seventy.Five Miles of Road and
Thirty-Three Miles of Sewer
Completed.

The first annual report of the Superin-
tendent of Public Works to the Governor
of the Territory of Hawaii for the pc
riod ending December 81, 1900, contains
much information which will be of in
terest to the taxpayer. The report also
includes the transactions of the former
ly existing Department of the Interior
of the Republic of Hawaii for the period
included between January / and June IA,
1900
Attention is directed to the transfer of
the control to the Treasury Department
of many subordinate divisions which
were sources of revenue to the Govern
ment through the former Department of
the Interior, but which, by the Organic
Act, were removed from the supervision
and control of the newly created De
partment of Public Works, and were
merged with matters under the control
OF the Treasury Department; the chief
of these subordinate sources of revenue
included the fees collectable from Ii
censes, corporations, companies, part
Inerships, newspapers, registry of convey
dnCeS. copyrights anu IIldIlS OhiiSlS'
The change in the duties and response
bilities of the department, aside from
the withdrawal of former sources OF
revenue, was further marked by the alb
sence of regular legislative appropria-
tons. The statement of the appropria-
tions for the Department of Public
Works for the two years ending Decem-
! Der 81 1900 shows the amounts drawn
| from January l to December 81, 1900, as
| follows: Under Act 60, Salaries and Pay
Rolls re-appropriated the sum of $121,
! PA. 40 was used; Act 3, Salaries and Pay
Rolls, Council of State, S9,64S.53; Act IS,
Current re-appropriated, $3.50, $50 .46; Act
! 3. Current, Council of State, $131 72S.77;
Act 4, Loan Fund, Council of State, $685.
917.72; total sum expended $1,013, 1880.
! The road tax fund, which approaches
the nature of an appropriation, being a
special deposited income, to be used for
special purpose, viz: repairing, main
| tanning and other road purposes in the
various designated road districts of the
Territory, and drafts on which fund are
disbursed in the various districts, under
the supervision of the road boards, the
members of which receive their appoint
ment from this department, the total OF
this fund for the period shows an in
| crease of $25, 600 over the amounts placed
to it's credit in 1899.
|
ances relating TO the road tax is as fol-
| lows: Theiroad tax balance on Deem
Der 81, 1899 amounted to S26,61S20; credit
receipts for $1,000 to December 31st, S119,-
1856; amount drawn by the several boards,
$1O5, 12S.4 As; credit balance December 81,
1900, SAL ,225.75.
The total receipts for licenses received
by the Department of the Interior to
June a. 1900 amounted to $65, 1858 The
merchandise item proves to be the larg-
est. with $3S, 420.14 to it's credit; $1,000 was
received from the retail dealers In spir-
it's and the sum of s4,35o was obtained
from the hotels
From January l to June IA 1900, TWEEN
ty-one corporations filed articles of as
sociation for mercantile, shipping, man
ufacturing or agricultural purposes, and
one for church and benevolent purposes;
nine corporations also amended then
charters during the same period. The
sum of s4934 900 is represented in the
capital stock of all corporations applying
for charters, and this is divided among
500, $50 shares.
The report of the Superintendent of the
Water Works shows that the revenue OF
the Bureau is falling off, but the cause
Is ascribed to the confiagration in the
Chinese district, January 20, 1900, anC
which compelled the discontinuance OF
331 rate-payerS.
The clerk OF the Honolulu market re
| ports that the institution Is having III
creased patronage, the advance in the
number of stalls rented during the pas
period showing that, the public visited
the market for trade purposes int greater
numbers during the period than former
ly. The receipts for 1899 show SO, 756 t.
have been collected, while the returns
from the same source for 1900 amount t.
81, SSS.75, an increase of 1912 over the
previous year.
The road supervisor says, 1.-THE condi
tons of the streets in Honolulu, thei
construction and repair presents a prob
lem that requires careful thought and
study" There are seventy-five miles o
streets, extending from Maunalua t,
Moanalua, under his charge, and con
slant attention is necessary to maintain
the trafficable condition of these roads.
Over thirty-three miles of sewer pipe
of different dimensions have been lait
since the commencement of this work
in March, 1899, and a large reservoir ha
been constructed of cement ma ston
with a capacity of 100000 gallons. 1t j
estimated that further appropriation o
500 will be necessary to complete III
work in hand and fulfil the existing con
tracts.
The fire report shows that during tn
period there has been a total of onl
:, twenty-SX fire alarms, caused as fol
lows: Spontaneous combustion 4, defect
i've smokestack 4 gasoline explosion
candle 2, matches L, kerosene oil lamp
saltpetre /, fumigating l. smoking
sparks from engine 1, rubbish 1, and IN
known cause g.
The total loss by fire has amounted t
s42,S35; the insurance on property at ris
amounted to s316,S50; and the losses PAL
by insurance companies amounted t
SIS, 40
The purchase of a hook and ladder I
urged on the grounds that with IN
present modern buildings in the City
; and under course of construction,
would be impossible, with the presen
! equipment to combat a fire which ha
i. gained much Roadway, nor would 1t b