The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-10-29
40 - ~ 4 -
superintendent of Public Works.
Honolulu. October 2S. 1902.

Honolulu, October 2S, 1902.
Mr.. ]. II. Boyd, superintendent of Pub
lie Works, Honolulu T. II.
Sir:-Your letter of October 9th in re-
ply to mine of October 25th has been
received, and is l regret to say entire
ly unsatisfactory
You have failed to answer the speCi-
fic questions l put to you in my letter,
on the ground that they in your view
were highly improper and lead to the
belief that they were formulated in
haste and not with due regard to my
(your) official position and powers and
as an associate cabinet officer"
Permit me to remind you that unuer
the government of the Territory of Ha-
wall, there is no such body as a cab
met and consequently no cabinet Off
GERS.
AS Governor of the Territory and
| responsible for the faithful execution
of the laws of the United States and of
the Territory of Hawaii within said
Territory" l feel that l must use my
own judgment as to the form OF ques-
lions to be asked for the purpose of OBJ
tanning information in regard to the
state of public accounts and the con-
duct of my subordinates.
In relation to the three thousand
dollars received by yoI from Messrs.
I. H. Davies & Co. your verbal state
ment made after the receipt of your
letter, that two thousand five hundred
dollars of this amount was deposited
with Messrs. Spreckels & Co, aud that
the balance of five hundred dollars,
was placed in the safe under your per-
sonal control in the Public Works Of
flee with tag explaining the status Of
this fund and referring to the balance
deposited with Spreckels q Co. sub
stantially covers my specific questions
relating to the same. Your statement
however that the cons truction of the
work and deposit by Messrs. T. H.
Davies d Co. found it's incipiency and
approval at a cabinet meeting the min
utes whereof / respectfully refer to
you" is not borne out by the minutes
referred to, which are as follows: Mr..
j. II. Boyd read a communication from
I. H. Davies & Co. asking to be all
lowed to give up their lease of lots Nos.
522 and 523 in Hilo and Offering as COM
pensation, to do $4,000 worth of street
work in Hilo or give this amount of
money. The meeting recommended
/ that the street work proposition be ac-
cepted."
| take pleasure in making acknowl-
edgement that this three thousand dol
lars has since been paid in to the Pub
lie Works office at about the same time
from you of two thousand, nine hum
dred and ninety-nine dollars on account
of land sales, which had not been pre-
viously entered in the books of the Of
flee, and three hundred and twelve dol
lars and thirty cents as interest on de-
ferred payments.
1t is still necessary that detailed
account be furnished by you of this
money paid in on account of land sales,
While your action in the payment of
! these accounts was the best thing pos
| sible for you to do under the circum-
stances and will go far to produce a
| sentiment of leniency toward you in
| the public mind, l do not feel that it
! is in any sense an eXtenuation of your
conduct in Withholding public funds
collected by you as an officer of the
government, and failing to enter them
in the public accounts.
| | take note of your explanation in
| regard to the moneys received by you
| from T. H. Davies & Co. and allow all
/ reasonable consideration in your favoT
in this case, but the deposit of a por-
| ton of these funds in your private bank
account with Messrs. Spreckels & Co.
was, from my point of view, a matter
/ of grave improperly under the circum-
| stances
The matter of the retention of the
funds received from land sa-es and the
/ failure to enter the same in the books
of your office, is a still more serious
breach of public trust, and was wholly
inconsistent with any reasonable the
, Dry of your duties and responsibilities
as a public officer.
While therefore I appreciate your
action in facing the situation and do
ing what remained for you to do in the
matter, my own responsibility to the
| Government of the United States and
the public interests of this Territory,
for the faithful execution of the laws
and the strict administration of the
public funds, makes it impossible for
me to overlook your official conduct
and further recognize your official
authority. l therefore with sincere
regret ask for your immediate resign
alton of the office of Superintendent of
/ Public Works.
Very respectfully,
SANFORD b. DOLE.
| PRINCE KTTHTO