Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-03-31

ing this custom. I refer you to Mr..
Fishers letter, herewith transmitted.
No law was violated by this method
Of procedure. but it would seem that
there was only one step further neces-
say to have a complete example of the
use Of public Office for private ends;
the situation may perhaps be describ-
cd as culture, ready for the bacillus Of
graft.
From January 1. 1904, to January 81,
1905, there has been expended In Miss
pavison's district under her superyi.
sion as school agent the sum Of 49,.
s36.s9 for repairs, and S1,762s4 for
furniture and fixtures. or altogether
e5,099.83. The vouchers show that
whenever, any contract was let, It was
the custom to have the voucher read
ito labor. 80 and SO, as per verbal
agreement" Mr.. Atkinson and Miss
Dawson both testified that they inva-
riably conferred together before any
work was let, but that no record was
kept Of these various agreements made
with the contractors. The authorize.
lions Of the Superintendent to the other
school agents in the Territory all ap.
pear Of record in the correspondence
MIR. Atkinson justifies the system by
saying that I'VE are not supposed to
keep books by the audit law" IL ap-
parently was not thought necessary in
the district Of Honolulu to keep mem.
oranda Of these verbal agreements, nor
any time books Of those laborers work.
Ing by the day. As these expenditures
amount yearly to such a sum, there is
no reason why the department should
not adopt ordinary business precau.
lions In keeping track Of these matters.
Mr.. Young clearly shows In his re.
port. already referred to. how the task
Of watching the appropriations for the
department available and unexpended
may be simplified by remodeling the
detail book.
Squeezing Out Money.
| do not think I put Il too strongly
when ] say that the idea In the de.
Iartment seems to have been "how
much we can spend or squeeze OUT"
and not how far can we make this
money Co." (See Miss Davison's
statement for instance.)
Men able to do carpentry and paint.
Ing were paid $3.50 day some months
and $3.50 per day other months, when
they worked for the department at
these trades. These same men at other
times apparently we're satisfied to fill
places as janitors for $4,000 or less per
month.
That the department has to deal In
school books, Mr.. Atkinson has oh.
Jected too often in the past, and states
that II the department were free from
this burden. II would result In greater
efficiency In other matters. He does
not consider that he is responsible for
the conduct Of the book business Of the
department. and says that he pre-
sumes the Secretary Is the, person re-
sponsible. He did not know whether
Wall. Nichols 4 Co. or the Hawaiian
News Company owed the department
anything for books. when one company
was indebted to the extent OF $167. so
and the other $500. Practically. he
has let the book business run itself.
without his supervision. Several hun
dred dollars are due the department,
according to the ledger kept by Miss
Daisy Smith, the book clerk. Credits
owing certain persons appear also
this. is explained In MIR. Young's re-
port.
Section 220 Of the Revised Laws ii.
lows the department to furnish books
to private schools and to other persons
tor educational purposes. construe
this to be for cash. Mr.. Atkinson
states that he has refused to sell books
to private schools and that the books
are kept for the pupils Of the public
schools only.
Sales Of Books.
That the book sales should be con.
Quoted. 10 long as this Is branch Of
the departments work, with the same
care and method employed In an or.
binary mercantile house seems, per.
hsps. too obvious to mention. What.
ever Mr.. Atkinson may have consider.
ed his relations to the book depart.
ment. 1t seems to me that the general
supervision Of that branch Of the de-
partment's work belongs to the Super
intendent. as "the chief administrs-
tive oficer Of the department"
Professor Alexander has kindly writ
ten mo n lattar giving n hrief hiatorv