Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-01-16

ed for the purpose of considering eX-
pCnditures. In Other. words. the Au-
ditor is bound practically by this res
olution to issue variants whenever
confronted with certificate of the
City and County Clerk that the
claims represented by such warrants
have been duly passed by the Board .
of Supervisors. at any regular meet
ing or any special meeting called for
the purpose of considering oXpendi- |
lures, disregarding the right and !
duty cast upon the Auditor to decide |
for himself whether warrant can !
lawfully issue Or not upon all the I
facts involved. II seems to me that |
the Auditor can not be shOrn of his |
powers and duties in this way, even |,
The Municipal Act expressly provides
when the Auditor shall issue war
rants. and casts upon him the obllga-
ton to determine for himself the le-
gality of the claims and demands GOV
eI ed by such warrants. Section "a of
the Municipal Act provides:
The Auditor shall issue warrants
on the City and County Treasurer in
favor of persons entitled thereto IN
payment of claims and demands
chargeable against the city and coun-
~. which have been legally examin
ed. allowed. and ordered paid by the
Board of Supervisors.
INNS provision is in direct con-
nict with the provision in the reso-
luton requiring the Auditor to draw
warrants upon the mere certificate of
the Clerk. whether in fact correct or
| not, that the claim covered by the
warrant has been duly passed by the
Board of Supervisors. The Auditor
can only issue warrants in favor of
persons entitled thereto, and. under
the law, he issues warrants at his
peril to persons who are not entitled
thereto, even though Issued In good
faith, and neither the Board of STU
pervisors nor any clerk can relieve
the Auditor from the responsibility
directly and expressly imposed upon
him by law. And II seems to me that
any resolution appropriating money
should either contain the express pro-
vision of Section 81, controlling the
Issuing of warrants, or, at least,
should not contain any provision In
derogatiOn of that provision Of law.
81 further object to the lack Of de-
tail in the items of expenditure pro-
vided for under the resolution in
question am privileged under the
Municipal Act. to veto certain items
and approve others; this resolution
has been drawn so as practically. to
, lump all salaries in one item under
each department head, thus prevent
3 ing me from exercising the right spe.
: officially conferred upon me by the
Municipal Act of approving certain
items Of an appropriation and disap
= proving others. lSee Section IS
5 Chapter A. The salaries should b'
s separately stated and otherwise tn,
a Items of general expense should b,
{ fairly segregated and identified, so "a
= to allow me to act intelligently II
{ carrying out the duty which the Law
! imposes upon me, to consider nc
! merely the appropriation as whole
. but to consider the same item b!
. item. and upon the merits and de
T. merits OF each individual item.
. THE second provision of the res
= Olution In question above quoted. go'
erning the withdrawal of money from
= the treasury under this resolution. i
! equally Objectionable. II | read tn,
l. provision in question Alright, 1t ar
{ ranges that the salary lists and othe
= items of expenditure in the first In
= stance be presented to committees o
= the Board of Supervisors, eyidentl,
e with the power TO recommend approx
AZ or disapprOval; these committee
= are to report the claims back to III,
. lOard OF Supervisors, whereupon tn
q Board, ut large. votes whether or no
q t. pay the same, on call of ayes ant
o noes The foregoing provision seem
I t. assume and provide for a program
I whereby almost unlimited obligation
s can be created and thereafter paiC
q without allowing either the Mayor o
- Auditor any voice whatsoever there
in from start to finish, The Munlci
= pal Act expressly provides, In Chap
= ter I, Section II, that every bill o
. resolution involving the expenditure
o OF public money, except sums les
+ than two hundred dollars shall. afte
g It's Introduction, be published II
Il newspapers for five successive day
d before final action is taken thereon
and Section 30 of said Chapter pro
: vides for the submission of every sucl
4 resolution to the Mayor for his ap
= prevail or veto.
S THE procedure inaugurated b.
i this Board of Supervisors, ending II
@ this resolution. Is a clear, elaborat
o and unwise attempt to pullify tn
power of the Mayor to check by vet
q the mourning OF obligations in tn
! first instance, and If was to approx
the resolution in question the net rc
k suit would unQuestionably be tina
e ovar n quarter of million dollar
n will have been appropriated and wi
: be paid out with practically no rcG
check thereon by myself as Mayor.
a, mot g., ranI tho Mnnirinal 40