The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-04-16
HOUSE

Il there graft In The Legislature of
1907 There afe direct drninls and
challenges fuf proof, while ~ the same
time statements were made un the floor
of the House yesterday that there are
matters that require investigation.
Graft and attempted bribery are talked
about and today a committee 10 iuves
tgate will be named.
The newspapers for the past few days
I have been rejecting the opinions Of
some Of the members that all be not
/ right. From the day when the speaker
| intimated that he regarded certain
vouchers presented for payment as evil.
| dence that there are some ready 10
| graft IL the occasion offers there has
been an ugly feeling in the air and
more or less guarded charges have been
made on the floor Of the House in de.
bate and more openly in the lobby and
this feeling came to point yesterday
a story. which Is denied very emphat
isally by those in the best position TO
know the facts, appeared yesterday in
the Bulletin to the effect that some
of the Hawaiian members have been
introducing irrelevant bills for the sim
pie reason that they, through dummy
voucher signers, could get rake oil
by translating these bills into Hawai-
ian.
Kaleiopu took up the matter at once
and presented resolution yesterday
afternoon calling for an investigation
of the charges made. The various mem
bers agreed that such an investigation
was needed if the House was to clear
itself of the charges made, while Long,
who is credited with being the member
most pressing in the charges of graft,
practically repeated the charges and
went further in stating that there was
some talk of attempted bribery that
likewise required investigation.
Those in charge of the matter of
translating state that they desire and
will welcome any investigation. Chair
man Castro, of the Committee of Pub
lie Expenditure, states that since the
opening of the session there have been
employed as translators only men
known TO be competent. These are
Sheldon (not the member), Boyd, Testa,
Poepoe, and Kaleo. Some work early
in the session was done by the messen-
ger of the House, by John Wise and
one or two others, but the payment to
these territorial employees was made
only on the understanding that no more
vouchers in favor of those otherwise
under salary would be allowed.
The whole affair arises out of the
fuss kicked up on Saturday over the
affair of the stenOgrapher, which is the
same trouble which has come up in the
past two Legisla tures-that of extras
for stenOgrapher and translation.
Stenographer Lloyd, as result of
the trouble, is today out of a job, his
resignation thrice made being accepted
yesterday by the Speaker. a further
result of the trouble will probably be
that the rules will be amended before
the session is finished doing away al
together with an official stenographer
and possibly also cutting out the COM
mittee clerks. 1t is the opinion of
those in the House who desire to see
business methods introduced into the
business of the House that next session
the House should employ three or four
stenographers at salary of $50 a
month for the session and to have these
stenographers at the services of any of
the committees and kept at the House
during regular hours to do whatever
work they may be called upon to ID.
BY such system the Territory would
be saved some thousand of dollars.
The charges made against some of
the House members unnamed, are ugly
ones, but it is not thought that an
investigation of them will result in the
uncovering of any great graft or even
much petty graft. 1t will result in the
exercise of more care in public expen'
ditures for the balance of this session
and in succeeding sessions, however
and will possibly bring about change
in the system of having unnecessary
officials and paying them salaries three
and four times greater than the same
men could earn otherwise in any oceu'
patton.
Order of the Day.
Only one report, that of the Health
and Police Committee tabling one OF
Kaniho IS MOlokai petitions, was re
ceived yesterday morning prior to the
taking up of work on the order of the
day.
The first bill read a third time
Rice's House Bill 202, to release So,
2 775.1s from special treasury FUND
and appropriate it to pay the claims
a against it on account of the specia
r gold certificate deposit, the special sill
. yer certificate deposit and special pos
t tai money order deposit. This bill
Y passed unanimously.
7 House Bill 2O9, Rice, supplying al
omitted clause in the bill passed turn
ing over to the counties all license
n fees, also passed third reading withou
l debate or opposition.
Nearing Fatal Date.
House Bill 129, Kawewehi's IS two
county bill, was put over again, oil
: motion of the introducer, who ha
' some more fixing-up he wants done
! This is the fourth time this bill hn
been deferred on third reading, an
= the fatal nineteenth of April, afte
!. which time the pocket veto will com
+ into effect, is fast approaching.
IS Governors Veto.
Secretary Mcbride appeared in ful
= regalia to deliver a veto message froI
a the Governor during the time tina
!. Vice Speaker Rice was in the ehail
~ Brau Il