The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-05

! ment on the 31st day Of December,
| 1903, opened bids for a road in Hawaii
that viii cost S4S00, and this when the
County Act takes over all roads and
highways. and must keep them in re-
pair and good condition. Consistency,
thou art a jewel. What explanation
| can be made of this matter. If the
government is not TO award this work
to the lowest bidder or did not intend
TO spend the money then it should not
have called for bids. If we are to
have economy there is a matter Of
$4,000 that should be saved. 1t does
not come out of the loan fund, but out
OF. current expenses, and if the County
law goes into effect, on the 4th of jan
uary. 1904, it would seem that there
was some object in calling for bids on
this particular piece of work on the
31st day of December, 1903.
If the retrenchment plan of the Gov
ernor is to be carried to the appropria-
tions under the loan bill, as well as to
the general appropriations Of current
expense, and salaries and pay rolls,
think it is time that a protest should
be entered ard in face of the depres-
sion which exists now. a strong one
should be made. School houses are
being given a preference, in the ten
ders that are being called for, and no
doubt this will mean new teachers. and
new expenses for the Territory to bear,
and in the recent discussion that has
come up in connection with expenses
for maintenance of our schools, it has
been shown that it costs the Territory
now S425,0 per year or one-sixth of
our income. How much VIII it be af-
ter the $324,00 provided in the Loan
Act for new school houses is spent in
the erection of same, and new teachers
and other expenses are added? And 4
here are items under the Loan Act
which I understand the Governor is of
the opinion should not be spent as they
are purely county improvements, and
should not come out of Territorial
loan, and yet. are in my judgment /
equally as important as school houses:
Garbage crematory .......S 10000 |
Sewerage - so 900 /
Outfau sewer - 10000 |
Storm sewers and drains 49,. 10000 /
Fire stations and hydrants :. $4,000 /
Nuuanu reservoir ..... .... $4,000 !
Purchase Pahoa water works. $1,000 1
Kalihi reservoir ..... $500. $4,000 /
High lift pump, Kalihi 1900. $4,000 .
Cast Iron pipe for Water works
Department - $3.50. :. 140, 600 l
Electric light plant -. ........ 10000 Il
When the Legislature had under con-
sideration the Loan appropriation bill. II
it was decided to pro-rate the amount II
borrowed according to the assessed
value Of each county, so that each
island or county would receive its
proper share. and it was done so.
Suppose that the Territorial Govern
ment was at the end Of the term Of the
bond issue compelled to meet them,
how would it pay the Indebtedness
off? It would have to assess each
county or island its pro-rata IN the
nature of a Territorial tax for that
purpose. and what then would be the
position OF the Governor. Would not
the assets OF this county be liable for
their pro-rata. and with an Improved
water system, sewer system, electric
light works, fire department, etc, be
n a better position TO meet such obi
cations than they are at present?
Another side TO this question is that OF
he lettering Of the condition OF the
people. Take the item OF $50, 600 ap-
1ropriated for the KaIini reservoir. this
5 an absolute necessity. Let any
9ne so out KaIihi way and see the
number Of new houses out there and
the universal cry IS water. Is not