The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-02-07

final adoption, to refer the general sub
iect of taxation back again to it, with
suggestion for it also to consider the
"aggregate value" idea, ms embodied
under the Enterprise for Profit
Property Tax Lawf How would it do
to invite the Chamber of Commerce and
Planters Association to join in the
study, and arrive at mutually agreed
upon basis to submit before the session
of Legislaturei Yours truly,
CASTLE & COOKE, Ltd.
By its Treasurer,
w. A. BOWEN.
Immediately upon the conclusion Of
the reading Mr.. Wakefield, for the COM
mittee, said that no attempt had been
made in the report to draft tax law.
1t was, in fact, no part of the bust
moss of the committee to frame law.
What had been done was merely to af-
ford the members of the Association
some suggestions in the line of securing
better conditions, and he would now
suggest that the report be taken up and
the sense Of the meeting had upon it by
sections.
President Smith said the report would
be so taken up, and read Section One Of
the report as follows:
/. Real Property. except as herein
provided all real property within the
Territory of Hawaii, shall be subject to
tax of l per cent on the cash value
of the same.
Mr.. Bowen, upon the conclusion of the
reading, said that if his suggestion to
refer the whole taxation problem to a
joint committee should be favorably
considered, then it might be well to re-
fer this section to joint committee.
If the idea of aggregate Values"
were done away with in the tax law, it
might then be found that one per cent
tax would not be enough to run the gov
eminent. Still, we should all strive for
the one per cent rate. In fact, if we
should recommend anything else, we
would be apt to find that we had raised
considerable storm. If the matter
were referred to larger committee of
the joint bodies, it might be that they
would find that larger rate was nee.
essary.
President Smith remarked that the
remarks of Mr.. Bowen were pertinent
but in his view, il the government
found that it needed more than one per
cent to run upon, then it should reduce
its expenses, as the businesses were
sometimes compelled to do.
Mr.. Bowen raised the point here that
if the matter was to be referred to 9
joint committee, then it might not be
wise to discuss this report at all, as
having a tendency to bind the commit
tee of the Merchants Association t.
adherence to this declaration.
Mr.. Wakefield thought that discus
sion would be valuable as guide to thu
r committee, while binding the associa
tion to nothing.
0 Mr.. Hooking said that the Tax As
5 SCISSOR had told him he wanted to rails,
l.. the tax rate to one and one-half PEI
n cent. He thought that the report shoult
! be considered by joint committee, n
]. proposed by Mr.. Bowen.
J.. Mr.. Lewis approved of Bowen Is sug
!, gestion, and W. W. Harris said that h,
8 thought it was valuable one, ant
. would save time. If one per cent woult
K not give revenue enough, then certainl,
y the people would have to stand anothe
i tax. He asked Bowen what differenc,
: it would make in the amount receive,
t if the tax were made higher ON rea
r property.
o Mr.. Bowen answered that he did no
J. know certainly. He added that it nigh
:, be found that one per cent would b
enough. At least, we should all striv
l. for one per cent.
It The discussion continued along thes
= llueS, duu dJ ldSI SecllOu JWO VI buc It
f port, upon the determination of tn
g. value of real estate, was taken up.
e was the opinion of Mr.. Trent that thi
/ was a matter that could be bette
l. reached by Board of Equalization
" and President Smith said that it ha
Il been stated informally that the Go,
r. ernor would recommend the creation @
IS Board of Valuation to be compose
D. of citizens not taxassessors, and tina
l. this board would probably fix value
& before assessments were made.
IS Paragraph three was passed, definin
real property, and paragraph four wa
: taken up in connection with paragrap
It nine, as was recommended in Mr.. Bow
It en- S letter. This is paragraph nine:
% SO. Definition of Personal Propert!
n The term Personal Property for til