The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-13

OF HOLT FILED
Continued from Page one,

10 questions. gave some details OF the
matter investigated.
What led MP to the whole thing"
Mr. Campbell said. lis the fact Of the
county paying commissions on delin-
quent tax collections. Along back in
September there was some talk be-
tween Holt and members OF the Board
Of Supervisors with reference to the
county paying ten per cent. commits
sion on all personal taxes-or the coun-
tvs share of $3.50 in the $ of such
taxes. Mr.. Holt wrote letter TO the
Board dated Sept 4. 1907. in which he
said:
CT wish to say that the proposition
submitted to me by your worthy chair
man as to the eounty's willingness to
pay a commission of ten per cent. on
all delinquent personal taxes collected
by extra deputies appointed by me
from each voting precinct, said dep
uties to ascertain the names, occupa-
tons and residences of those who have
failed and neglected to pay said tax
and to collect same. meets my hearty
approval and would suggest that 1t be
Immediately carried out.
My present office force being in
sufficient and also owing to the limited
time in which TO complete our assess
ments and the collections in general
that follow, we are therefore unable
to accomplish much Of this work.
81 again beg to call the attention
of your honorable Board to the nom
payment of this tax by some of the
employees OF the police. road and fire
departments, and believe that a little
stirring up of the heads of these de-
partments by your Board would be
beneficial to the revenues OF both the
Territory and county
I'm regards to the above depart
ments am having the list checked as
to who have settled and then viii en-
close you list of those who have not
paid.
Trusting that your honorable
Board will approve of this matter at
your meeting this evening, for the
county has nothing to lose but every
thing to gain. etc.
"The Board referred this letter to
County Attorney Cathcart. who rem
dered an opinion at the Boards meet
ing of Sept. 10. He held that the Board
had the right finder its general powers
to pay such per cent. on the taxes
collected. but as to the advisability
of doing so respectfully left the Board
to decide. 1T would seem the Coun-
ty Attorney wrote, that the Territory
should collect all taxes and pay to
the county its proportion. free of any
expenses of assessment of collection:
but ii also seems that unless the coun-
ty assists in collecting these delinquent
personal taxes they cannot be collect
ed, owing to the insufficient force and
money at the disposal of the Terrific
rial officers.
THE Board unanimously adopted the
proposition that the county pay to pre-
cinct tax collectors ten per centum
commission, to be allowed out OF the
portion of the delinquent tax with
which the county might be credited.
Since then. beginning with october.
collectors working on commission have
been allowed this ten per cent. from
the county and the balance Of FIVE per
cent. from the Territory.
when / heard Of this arrangement
while away. 1 did not like it. as
considered the Territory should collect
all the taxes. Accordingly wrote to
Mr.. Holt from New York on Oct. 3,
saying in part:
/ notice in the papers something
about the County of oahu paying the
cost of collecting certain delinGuent
personal taxes I wish you would in
form the County Board Of Supervisors
that the only assistance the Territory
wants from them in this matter Is
that they insist that III county en-
ployes pay their taxes promptly As
long as the Territory is collecting the
taxes. the acceptance from the county
Of any assistance other than that
stated above would not be advisable
You ought 10 BE- able 10 collect
those delinquent taxes without the
county's assistance. and between now
sand the end Of the year expect you
To collect them also expect that all
delfnquents as Of November - shah be
promptly attended 10. If YOU find II
necessary to employ additional assist
ance TO accomplish the desired results,
do so. but exercise good Judgment In
the selection Of such assistance.
That coWr1ission arrangement
brought aboY a strange state Of af-
fairs in thS collection Of taxes for
instance: Taxes had 10 be segregated
10 ascertain the portions Of the county
and the Territory respectively paying
10 per cent. and per cent. commits
sions. If they were not properly seq
regated the county would pay too
much