The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-01-14
MERRIAM s BLOW
IS WARDED OFF
tFrom Saturdays Advertiser.)

(From Saturdays Advertiser.)
There was great stir in National
Guard higher circles yesterday morn
ing, which had no relation to the
scheme for doubling the strength of
the Territorial militia. 1t was instead
caused by the seeming necessity of
warding OFF a blow at the vitals of the
existing organization of the National
Guard of Hawaii
Charles H. Merriam, Registrar of
Conveyances, delivered the blow. or.
at all events. made a strong feint at
the deadly stroke.
1t came this way. When the Acting
Governor made a call, the day before,
for man of the hospital corps of the
Guard to go to Molokai, in connection
with the accident to Mr.. Hartwell,
Sergeant Barry requisitioned Regis
trar Merriam for William Ewaliko of
his staff as being the man most suit
able for the service. Mr.. Merriam's
response may here be given in his own
words to an Advertiser reporter yes
! terday:
ST did not give an ultimatum. What
L said was that if it was the Acting
Governors orders he could go. but on
his return he should either resign from
the National Guard or from this de-
partment. 1t would be easier to serve
one master than two"
Col. j. w. Jones, adjutant general,
and Col. Sam. Johnson, commanding,
of the N. G. H, on hearing of the at
titude taken by Mr.. Merriam saw that
tofficial about it yesterday morning and
received from him reply of practic-
ally the same tenor as the one he had
given the ambulance sergeant on
Thursday.
Colonies Jones and Johnson then
took the matter to Acting Governor
| Mott-Smith. In the meantime the n.
G. H. membership in town, particularly
| in the government departments, had
become much worked up in feeling
over the edict proclaimed in the Bu-
reau of Conveyances. Many of the
most valued members of the militia
! forces are in public employ. 1t is said,
indeed, that if all the mihtiamen who
derive their livelihood from the salary
and pay rolls of Territory and county
quilted the ranks there would be little
more than a corporaIs guard in any
of the companies or auxiliary
branches.
The Acting Governor forthwith had
Registrar Merriam along with the
militia heads in conference with him,
when the whole matter was threshed
out and an understanding reached
whereby any clashing in future be-
tween the respective interests of the
National Guard and the various pub
lie services will be avoided.
THE SETTLEMENT REACHED.
Acting Governor Mott-Smith. after
the conference, gave out the following
statement:
In connection with the service on
the National Guard, the Acting Gov
ernor this morning took up the ques- |
ton as to whether or not the require |
ments of such service decreased or in |
terfered with the efficiency of the sew
eral departments of the government,
by reason of withdrawing men en-
ployed in such departments for the |
time required for such service.
1.-The particular question arose by |
reason of the fact that four men of
the office of the Registrar of Convey |
ances are National Guardsmen. The |
Registrar submitted to the Acting Gov
ernor that the withdrawal of these ,
men for service on the National Guard |
would interfere with the efficiency of |
his department.
After the conference, however, the /
Acting Governor stated that the Ma
tional Guard, as well as other depart
ments of the government, was a de- !
partment in the efficiency of which ]
the Executive was equally concerned. 4
For this reason, the Guard was called /
out for service only very occasionally, /
for such times as the reception of the /
Governor or other such occasions. The
National Guard is required to drill /
twenty-four times a year and these /
drills, in order not to Interfere with /
the efficiency of any department of (
the government or with any business
concern, are held at night. The Guard
is also required to undergo a yearly |
inspection by the United States mill
tary authorities in order to ascertain /
the conformity of the Guard with the .
rules and regulations of the United
States Army. This generally requires
one day.
Occasionally the National Guard is
called out for parade and inspection
by the Executive and this, for the rea-
sons above stated, is usually done on
holidays. In order to promote the eff
ficiency of the Guard and TO insure its
with the rules and reguls-
tons of the United States Army. the
Guard is yearly called out for about
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