The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-02-20

school, lots without first securing ade-
quate descriptions of them. The pre-
sent superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton found only an incomplete list of the
real property under his Department in
the possession of the Board of Educa-
ton.
No large tract of land can be intel
ligently handled by the Commissioner
of Public lands in the common interest
of all until he has been furnished with
detailed survey, classifying the area
as well as furnishing the boundaries.
The Comm .ssioner of Public Lands has
for some time insisted upon this course,
and it is satisfactory to note that the
report to the President of a late Land
Commission for the United States of
America insists that similar plan
should be adopted by the Federal Land
Office.
Retrenchment in the appropriations
for this Office simply means the cur
failing of the usefulness of almost every
other branch of our government.
FINANCES.
The financial condition of the Ter
ritory has not been better during its
existence than at present.
The change in the mode of payment
Of taxes, making one-half of the taxes
on real property payable i'm May, and
the remainder in November, the for
mer time for the payment of the whole,
has prevented large accommodations of
money lying idle in the Treasury, has
reduced the disturbance heretofore
circulation, and has increased the cash
on hand In the Territorial Treasury
during the months from June to No
Yember.
Care must be taken not to be nisled
in your calculations by the large
amount available during the past year,
for i'm November 1905, there went into
the Treasury the usual taxes, presum-
ably furnishing the cash for a years
operations. In May, 1906 due to the
change provided by Acts 81 and SO of
the Session Laws of 1905, there went
into the Treasury all of the specific
taxes for the year and one-half of the
property and income taxes, the remain
ing one-half being paid in November
of that year In May of 1907 we will
again have all Of the specific taxes
and one-half of the property and in
come taxes So that taking the two
years June 30, 1907, there will have been
collected the equivalent of two and one
half years property and income taxes.
A SUGGESTION.
Those interested in an enterprs Sc for
profit expect at the close of certain
periods to enjoy the excess of receipts
over expenditures. This excess is
usually divided-part paid out in divi-
dends and part set aside into accounts
variously designated as capital, reserve,
surplus or undivided profits, The sum
of these accounts represents additional
permanent improvements or assets.
government is not run for profit.
It's accounts do not,distinguish between
operating expenses ana permanent i'm
provements. This gives to certain tax
payers the idea that no matter how
much they may contribute, all is found
to be absorbed i'm sa aries and expenses.
They do not give credit for the addi-
tional improvements or assets, as they
are not accounted for separately.
This method of government account
ing is defective in that it does not en-
courage saving in operating expenses,
which in private enterprises is stimu-
lated by comparison with previous
results. Often an unexpended balance
in an appropriation, which is purely for
operating expenses, is taken by the
Legislature to mean that the limit set
was evidently ITO high, and the sue
ceeding appropriation is made cores
pondingly smaller. One such experience
inclines those who operate your De-