Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-04-20
House Report on Chinese Fund

And with this view submit herewith
an Act appointing Board to super.
vice and facilitate the disbursement of
this Chinese Fund" and as soon as
possible placing the amount in the
hands of tho parties to whom 1t prop.
erly belongs.
The fact that the Auditor General
did not discharge his duty in the super.
vision of the accounts of the several
departments Is no excuse for the negli.
gence Of the several heads thereof,
negligence which gave opportunity for
Wholesale embezzlement, and amount
ed in our opinion to criminal careless.
ness.
Old Embezzlement.
In Mr.. Cooper's evidence will be
found the statement that w. II.
Wright informed him that the alb.
straction Thy him. Wright of Govern.
ment funds had been going on for two
years and half.
If such statement Is true, as to the
period OF time. then II would go to
show that the abstraction Of money
from the general funds of the Terri.
tory was made good by a taking from
the Chinese Fund" of sufficient mon.
ey TO meet the shortage and would &C.
count for the uneven amount covered
by the |. o. u.
Peculiar |. o. U.
That MACMILLAN
features. II Is written in three shades
o. ink--date In one shade-body of doc.
ument | nanOther-and signature in
another. But further investigation is
barred by the absence Of w. II. Wright
and we have to accept the |. o. U. as
Il confession of guilt
Finding the Key.
With regard to Locker No. ., the
key was found In the bookkeeper's
safe. Mr.. Cooper testifes that Mr..
Hapai informed that he CHapaD could
find the key-and proceeded to do so
Mr.. Hapai admits the finding of the
key, but asserts that It was purely &C
cidental and without prior knowledge
on his part.
Section 1913 of the Organic Act pro
the Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank
that shall remain unpaid to the per
sons entitled thereto ON the first day
of July, 1901, and any assets of sait
bank shall be turned over by the Gov
eminent of Hawaii to the Treasurer Of
the United States, and the Secretary
OF the Treasury shall cause an account
to be started. as Of said date. between
such Government of Hawaii and the
United States in respect to said Ha
walian Postal Savings Bank"
illegal Advice.
II is clearly evident, by the provi.
sions of the foregoing section of the
Organic Act. that all money remaining
unpaid to the person thereto entitled
on July LIST, 1901. in the Hawaiian
Postal Savings Bank shall be turned
over by the government of Hawaii tC
the Treasurer of the United States
and how the same slipped from tn,
mind Of the then Attorney General Sc
that he illegally advised the executive
OF the Territory TO withdraw the money
from the First National Bank of Ha
wall, its rightful place, is a mystery Il
your committee.
And your committee, therefore, Is o
the opinion that the First Nationa
Bank of Hawaii was remiss In paying
the money on drafts endorsed by Henry
. rnnnnp nnEgnnal1,F nd ~ nj oil al kT
Procrastination and Delay.
We present herewith large mass o
testimony. much of It contradictory
but all Of II showing strong tendenc!
/ to shift the blame from one to another
giving however undeniable proof o
prOcrastination and delay. resulting IL
the escape of the person claimed to b.
guilty. We believe that the passag,
of the Act, hereinbefore referred TO ant
which we present herewith. is the bes
solution of the question relating to thi
Chinese Fund" and can but hope tina
the exposure Of this whole matter vii
prevent a recurrence of the disgracefu
carelessness on the part of Govern
ment officers, and prove the imperative
necessity Of demanding sufficient bondi
from all government employees hay
ing charge of public funds.
Officials Responsible.
Under all the circumstances you
committee cannot recommend the in
sertion In the Appropriation Bill o
any amount to cover w. H. Wright
shortage, and lays the responsible!
for the loss of the money upon tn,
shoulders of those who participated il
withdrawing the same from its right
full place of,deposit.
There WIN undoubtedly be an un
claimed balance OF the Chinese Fund
and we suggest that an appropriation
to cover said shortage Is unnecessary
Facts may develop at future tim
throwing more light on this shortag
and proper Legislation may then be ha,
for the purpose of making good tn
money lost in the manipulation of thi
trust fund.
(SignedJ
JONAH KUMALAE,'