The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-07-17
MONEY FOR
Ne v CHURCH
KaumakapiIi Gets
$4,000 From
Court.
CHINESE GODS ON
A LOW SCHEDULE
Fire Commission Makes Known
More Awards-A Attorneys Find
Cause for Complaint.

THE largest award made by the
Court of Fire Claims was to the
D trustees of Kaumakapih church.
who receive but a little less than
$50, 900. The amount so awarded for the
destruction of the imposing edifice on
Beretania street. which caught fire from
a stray spark during the progress of
the sanitary fire, will enable the con-
struction of the handsome church build
ing already planned at Palama. The
members of the old church are now
worshiping in a chapel in Palama, an
extensive area having been obtained in
exchange for the lot upon which the
old building was situated
The claim of the Kaumakapin church
was for $50. ESQ for the building and
$40, o4.5o for the furniture and organ.
The commission allowed $4,000 because
of the destruction of the building and
s6s22 .25 for the contents. or total OF
SAG, S2225. This was the largest award
made, though there were severai
claims of larger amount.
Lahapa Mauliawa, the native woman
who at the session of the court pro-
duced a list of wearing apparel which
a princess might envy. was not paio
for all the silk holokus, jewels and otn-
er finery she claimed had been destroy
ed. She was also said to have buried
some of her property during the fire
and unearthed it afterwards. She ask
ed for the modest sum of SIS, S02.5o, and
the court considered her lost finery 10
be worth S31203O. There were num-
Der of similar claims made by Ha-
waiians which were treated in like
manner.
The commission evidently did not put
very high value on Chinese gods and
idols, for the claims of the joss houses
were slashed right and left. The ket
On Fui Kon, which estimated the value
of the gods destroyed in the fire at $21,-
537. IS, was awarded $1934.05 by the COM
mission. The awards to other joss,
houses were on similar basis.
Attorneys who have received their
certificates are beginning TO give vent
TO their feelings over the reductions
made by the commission. One promi-
nent attorney said yesterday that the!
court seemed to think that it was in
cumbent upon it to come within the
appropriation of $500, 900 made by the
legislature, without regard to the just
ness of the claims presented. Even
when the claims were proven by in
voices and statements from the Col
lector of Customs, the commissioners
cut the figures in half, paying no at
tention to the evidence. 1t was charg-
ed also that che commissioners were
empowered under the terms of the act
to consider the evidence and fix the
amount of less, and If any pro rata
was to be made, ii should have been
done by the Auditor. The objectionl
was made also that by the findings of
the commission every claimant isl
charged with having made fraudulent
claim, as the figures were not accept |
ed and big reduction made, indicating |
that the court accepted none of the
statements made to it
Whiting & Robinson and Magoon & !
Peters both paid their fees under pro-
test. and the question of legality will |
have to be decided by the courts. 1t is |
claimed that the Fire Commission was |
not authorized by the act of the Legis-
lature to make such charges, and both |
the Auditor and Treasurer disclaiIn re-
sponsibility for it. 1t is argued that ,
the charge of fees was simply an ex-
pedient to raise money on the appro-
priation and was without legal merit.
There were a number of claims in ad-
ditlon 20 InoSe OF the Ire insurance
companies in which no award was
made These were of tenants who get
a lien on the certificate of the owner of
the land upon which they had erected
buildings. There are but one or two
claims which were allowed to the full
]. NJ, Riggs. the clerk. was busy all
day yesterday in giving out certificates
Of award, and another day or two will
see the close of his work. The records
are in fine shape, and are classified, so
that any one OF the goo claims may be
picked out at once. The bookkeeping
involved IN the work was one of the