The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-04-14
THE HOUSE
FORTY-SEVESTH DAY.
Afternoon Session.

Toward the end of yesterdays after
Moons session of the House, Kaleiopu
drew attention to publication in the
Evening Bulletin of that afternoon of
an article which stated that there was
said to be graft among some of the
members of the House in that they
were alleged to be translating bills in
to Hawaiian and getting paid for the
work under assumed names.
Kaleiopu PUT the matter before the
House by the introduction of a reso-
luton to the effect that the chairman
of various committees be appointed by
the Speaker as special committee to
investigate the charges and to report
to the House not later than Friday of
this week.
Rice moved to amend 70 make it read
three members to be appointed by the
! Speaker The trouble wit the steno-
grapher had originated all this talk,
he said, and he wanted to see the mat
ter investigated and wanted to know
the names of the guilty.
Castro declared, that if there was any
graft of any sort and member had
known of its going on, and yet had not
revealed it to the House, he was a
rascal. He knew nothing to be wrong
and did not believe anything was
wrong; he did not believe the Bulletin
story to be true. He did not want to
be on the committee.
Long thought it strange that the
Bulletin should attribute to him any
knowledge Of the alleged graft. The
atmosphere had been full of the talk
OF graft ever since the Speaker had
suggested the word in connection with
the defeated resolution to add to the
income of the stenographer. He had
heard talk go so far as to mention at
tempted bribery and stuffing bills Of
expenses. He didn't know where the
Bulletin had received its information.
Like was surprised and did not think
the members would do any such thing
as had been alleged
Rice said newspapers sometimes
wanted to play up sensational stories
with big headlines, but the article had
blackened every member of the House,
for all would be suspected until more
was known. The man responsible for
getting the allegations printed, if they
were not true, should be censured.
Sheldon thought Long should be one
of the investigating committee since
his name had been mentioned as one
knowing what was going on.
On behalf of the Island of Hawaii,
Kawewehi declared the members be
innocent of wrongdoing.
Castro moved to strike out the word
Honorable" before the word mem
bers' in the resolution which referred
to having alleged guilty members in
vestigated.
There was some confusion in regard
to the proper wording of the resolution
and it was referred to the judiciary
committee to be whipped into shape,
the Speaker remarking that ingram
NAUTICAL phrases should have no place
in the journal.
NO MORE PURCHASING AGENT.
In the afternoon session Senate Bill
1913 was amended by the insertion of a
section which repeats Section of Act
60 of this session, which section pro-
vided for purchasing agent to wise all
purchases, big and little, of the govern
ment.
Single had, during the noon recess
consulted the Governor and heads OF
departments and it seemed to be their
wish to have Section of Act 60 re-
pealed. In order to bring the matter
up he, Single, moved to amend the
bill by inserting a new section re-
pealing Section s of Act 62.
IF this amendment goes through,
said Kaleiopu, "the bill will be MADE
worthless. The bill is all right the
way it is He stated that, since
morning, he had noticed employees OF
various departments tryini to per.
suade members to change the bill. Why
should the Governor want to repea
Section of Act 62 when he had sign.
ed Act 62?
DO WHAT THEY LIKE.
Heretofore, said Kaleiopu, the heads
of departments had been in the haDi
of doing what they liked with inciden
tai appropriations and then coming t.
each legislature with requests to make
good Cefic;ecy Nv they re3a ted thu
idea of being kept tab on by pur
chasing agent, Something should b,
done to cure the evil of indiscriminat
incidental expenditures, and this bill
was the cure.
HOW ABOUT VACANCY?
] Single noticed that the bid made n,
: provision for the appointment to tn
office Of nurchasinp apent during tb