The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-01
TAX OFFICE INVESTIGATION
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
Secretary Mott-Smith Conducts the inquiry
Governor Frear Not Yet Ready to
Make Statement

Governor Frear, on being asked
about the Tax Office investigation
yesterday, had practically the same
answer as he gave to an Advertiser
reporter nine days ago, as well as on
other days in the meantime. The
matter was progressing. but he was
not yet prepared to make a statement
for publication.
Treasurer A. J. Campbell, who nine
days ago, as reported in the Adver-
tiser of January g. denied that the
taken two days, was caused by any
thing wrong, yesterday said that the
afternoon papers just issued were
making much out of nothing. While
declining to talk for publication on
the particular matter spread upon the
pages of the afternoon press, Mr..
statements that the trouble was due
to a desire on his part to have AS
SCISSOR j. L. Holt removed from office.
Attorney General Hemenway, who,
as stated nine days ago, was in the
conferences on financial matters in the
Governors office, still refused, as he
had done all along, to discuss the bust
ness.
Secretary Mott-Sr1ith was the only
official who would make a definite
statement yesterday and, although it
was highly guarded one, taken in
conjunction with the Governors init
nation that an investigation was in
progress from which the public would
learn something later, it makes it clear
that all the trouble is not merely a
question of veEacity between the asses
sor and deputy over an item of com
missions.
81 am making an investigation into
both the efficiency and the system of
the Tax office" Secretary Mott-smith |
said.
vestigation of the workings of all de-
partments.
They are trying new system of |
keeping the polls this year in the Tax
office" the Secretary went on to say. /
Previously the polls of those paying |
taxes were kept in the prop |
erty tax books. This was for conve
nience of reference.
1.-The other system is to keep three !
sets of books, respectively for
income. property and pcll taxes. with
card indexes to correspond. Under this
system when man comes to the win
dow the clerk win have to go to three
different places in order to wait on the
taxpayer. There is liability here of
keeping a long line of people waiting,
and in the hurry of business the clerk
might not go to all the books.
II aSn investigating the Tax office
from top to botton1." the Secretary
concluded. I'm other words, am
clearing out the underbrush to enable
the Governor fully to consider all the
points that have been submitted to
him relative to that bureau"
Treasurer Campbell is following up a
against Assessor Holt made
by 1. H. Harbottle. This was that Holt
had paid Elm commissions twice in
November for one particular collection
Of taxes. and referring to this double
payment. as he patted Harbottle on
the back. said: That's be all right.
I'll let you draw commission on this
again, just to show that there is no
ll-feeling''
This very friendly overture relates
10 the fact that Harbottle. the previous
month, was given his walking ticket
" Holt for returning an insulting re-
mark to him when he asked the col
ector to remain after hours for the
purpose of giving some desired inform
ltion on poll taxes. BY the interven-
ion of Elder @. ]. Waller of the Re-
organized church, who said that Har- c
bottle had joined that body and re- '