The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-01-19
ON THE
COUNTY BILL
WHAT CHANGES IN PRESENT
PROPOSES-F1VE COUNTIES.

PROPOSES-FIVE COUNTIES.
The commission selected on behalf of
the Republican party to draft a county
bill presented its draft of such a meas
ure at meeting of Republicans held
at Republican headquarters Saturday
evening. The draft of the BILL which is
very long one, was accompanied by
report of the commission setting out
what 1t had attempted to accomplish
The report of the commission gives a
very clear idea of the. scope and char
acter of the bill. Much interest was
displayed at the meeting Saturday
evening in the report. one thousand
copies of it are to be printej for cir
culation. The report is signed by Will
liam O. Smith, h. d. Tenney A. L. G..
Atkinson, A. G.. NJ. Robertson and
George w. Smith, and is as follows:
Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan. L., 1903.
The Republican Territorial Committee,
Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gentlemen:-Some time since, at the
request of your Committee. we agreed
| to act as a Commission to prepare a
| bill providing for county government
| in the Territory for presentation to
and consideration by the next legis-
lature.
We beg leave to hand you herewith
the bill prepared by us in compliance
with your direction. In presenting you
| the draft prepared, it will perhaps not
be amiss to state in a general way the
! plan of county government INTENDED to
be established by it,
! We first wish to say that, in the pre-
paration of the bill, it has been our
aim to adapt the present laws of the
! Territory to the new system, in order
! gn a
elected and the people generally shall
have for their guide provisions of law
with which all are more or less fam!-
! liar, and many of which have been
| construed by the courts. In all instan-
ces, however, where a complete system
of county government necessitated
changes, no matter how radical, such
changes have been made.
DIVISION INTO COUNTIES.
BY the bill prepared the Territory is
divided into five Counties as follows:
The County of oahu, being the ISL
and of Oahu, with the County seat at
Honolulu.
The County of Maui, being the ISL
ands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and IA
hoolawe, with the County seat at Nai-
luku.
The County of West Hawaii being
the part of the Island of Hawaii com
prised within the districts of Kau,
North Kohala, South Kohala, North
Kona and South Koua, and all other
islands within a limit of three nautical
miles of the shores thereof; with the
! County seat at Kailua.
The County of East Hawaii, being
that part of the Island of Hawaii COM
prised within the districts of Hilo, Pu-
ma and Hamakua, and all other islands
within a limit of three nautical miles
of the shores thereof, with the County
seat at Hilo.
The County of Kauai being the ISL
ands of Kauai and Niihau, with the
County seat at Lihue.
Provision is made for changing coun'
ty seats.
This division conforms exactly to the
division of the Territory by the Or
ganic Act into judicial circuits
| These counties are divided into dis
tricts for road purposes and jurisdic-
ton of magistrates, the districts and
| their boundaries being the same as IL
present.
OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES.
The bill provides for the following
county officers:
A Board of Supervisors, consistins OF
five members, county clerk, sheriff,
treasurer tax collector, who is also IL
/ CenSe cOlleClOI,
sor, surveyor, district attorney, coro-
ner, members of the road board, road
supervisor and district magistrates.
All, save members of the road board,
the road supervisor and district magis-
| trates, are to be elected; the bill pro-
viding for the appointment of mem
bers of the road board by the Board OF
Supervisors, of the road supervisor by
the road board, and of the magistrates
by the governor.
All officers first elected or appointed
continue in office until January second
1905, being succeeded by officers elected
at the general election in November,
1904 or by appointments made in jan
uary 1905, as the case may be. After
that period all officers hold for two
years. except members of the Board OF
Supervisors. AS to this board, it is
Nrovided that the term of part only
expires each two years, thus insurinS
a board which always has some Mem
bers with experience
The Board of Supervisors is vested
with general supervisory powers over
all the affairs of the County. The eN
ercise of their powers particularly With
relation to the issuance of bonds, eX-
penditures of moneys, allowance OF
claims, and creation of debts is care
fully limited, the limitations being of
such nature that any taxpayer mas
a ready remedy for their abuse. The
county clerk is clerk of this board, and
keeps all it's records; he also performs
certain specified duties relative to taG-
es. The sheriff performs practically the
| same duties and has the same powers
in his county as the high sheriff now
has. He has the power to appoint po-
lice, whose duties are as now provlG'
ed. The treasurer IL custodian of tht
funds of the county, and can pay them
out only on warrants issued by the
county auditor by order of the board.
The tax collector collects all taxes
shown to be due the county, and also
all licenses. The recorder performs al
duties within his county now perform
ed by the register of conveyances. The
auditor audits the accounts of all ofii-
GERS, draws all warrants, and advises
the board from time to time as to the
financial condition of the county The
surveyor performs all duties usually
performed by such officer, and acts al