The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-04-14
GOVERNORS VETO.
1t ran thus:

/ 1t ran thus:
To the Legislature of the Territory
of Hawaii:
Herewith, | return House Bill No. l,
| entitled IAN Act creating counties
| within the Territory of Hawaii, and
providing for the government there
of, which 1 am unable to approve.
The plan of county government pre-
sented is simple, and has many excel
lent features. 1t is, however, incom-
plete in that it contains no provision
for the revenues of the counties. 1t is
unfortunate that the taxation measure
which this bill shows to be contem-
plated is not vet submitted.
The approval of this bill, while not
making it absolutely certain, yet would
obligate the administration to accept
a financial plan under which it's rev.
enues would De beyond the control of
its officials, its credit seriously affect
ed, and its finances involved to such
an extent that the harm could never
be repaired.
The plan of allowing each county tax
assessor to assess property In any man
ner he might see fit has been tried Dv
many communities, found Impractical
BILE, and has resulted in the adoption
of State and Territorial Boards of
Equalization, with centralized power
and authority, under which alone uni
form assessments have been brought
about.
l recognize the wide demand for a
more representative form of govern
ment / believe that TO develop our
people, responsibility must be placed
upon them. Experience cannot be
passed from one community to another
any more readily than it can be passed
from one Individual to another 1t
must be developed. | can, however,
see no reason why our Territorial
finances should be involved in the ex-
periences our people are anxious to go
through in the development of the
county system.
There are a few minor objections
that it might be well to point out:
First. While certain county officials
are provided under this bill and their
salaries fixed, yet wide discretion is
allowed each board of supervisors to
appoint such subordinates, create such
positions and pay such salaries as they
deem necessary or expedient. Thus
the taxpayers must recognize that the
present salary list does not limit the
expenses in that direction.
Second. There is an evident desire
and attempt to safeguard public inter
ests by requiring surety bonds from
all public officials, yet any surety COM
pany which has the stated amount of
its capital can be authorized to issue
surety bonds even for the board of SUI
pervisors themselves, who have author
lied its acceptance. While it is true
that the suticiencv of the surety, in
the case of supervisors, has to be pass
ed upon by circuit judge, yet this
divides the responsibility between the
board of supervisors and the circuit
Judge (and it is extremely doubtful if
any Judge Will have the temerity to re-
fuse to accept any surety company
which the board of supervisors has al
ready approved.) Thus between Jne
two the taxpayers interests would be
Third. The blA provides that all
county officials, with the exception of
the sheriff of Kaiawao, can be i'm
oeached. anI Cor this purpose the board
D supervisors becomes a tribunal be-
fore which impeachment proceedings
IAN be heard. Thus we have tie
anomaly of a member of the board of
supervisors permitted to influence ana
7ote IN proceedings for his own i'm
Fourth. There is some confusion as
o the payment of election expenses of
he Territorial Board of Inspectors.
Fifth. careful analysis of the bill
ails to show any remedy in case a
July elected official fails for any rea-
on to qualify. With county govern
lent once in operation, his predecessor
you'd probably hold office, but this
mission may seriously hamper the In
tituting of the system.
Sixth No board of supervisors can
ass an ordinance in contravention of '
r in conflict with the general laws of g