The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-10-15
SIGNS Of CRAFT
ON BIG ISLAND

oderiferous in the extreme are the
scents that are curling out OF the
political byres in Hawaii county, and
charge and counter charge have been
put up to the board of supervisors al
leging the most startling information
regarding the payment and receipt Of
business licenses in that county.
The trouble seems TO have started
when G. +. Alfonso, license inspector
for the Big Island, turned in report
of his trip of inspection around Kau,
stating with Illuminating clearness the
apparent petty CRAFTS that he found.
Treasurer Lalakea, who is strongly
limited at in Atfonso's report as a
CRATER, communicated with the board
requesting them TO ratify his appoint
ment of d. X. Kaiakoili as license col
leetor. The board turned him down
but reappointed Alfonso as inspector
for another year.
Concerning Lnlakea's share in the
matter. Alfonso says:
~ have had these moneys in my
possession since receipt of same, hav-
ing been unable to find any one who
wanted the amount as the county treas
urer and his deputy refused to receive
the same from me or issue the licenses
they were to pay for. These officials
failed to give me any reason for their
refusal.
"The treasurer is rather inconsist-
ent in his last refusal as he has here
tofore received license fees from me,
Cd oil
has he received from hundreds upon
hundreds of persons in this county,
both citizens and aliens, license fees,
since July !, 1909"
Irregularities in the payment Of IL
censes, ammounting almost to deliberate
graft, form the substance of the greater
part of Alfonso 3 report. One license
issued japanese by native officer
does not state what license was being
paid for. One receipt issued by another
Hawaiian was marked "For Gambling
although the japanese says it was for
license and he had never even been
arrested for gambling, fined, let out on
bail, or anything else.
At Naalehu, the deputy sheriff issued
five receipts on the old blanks used
when the collection of licenses was a
territorial matter.
One officer is charged with withhold
ing from the county license fees col
lected in July. Probably the most con.
| demnatOry statements made were TO the
effect that n number of temporary re-
ceipts had been issued in Kau and the
payers had never received an official
license for their money. Reference to
the treasurer statement showed that
the money SO collected by the officers
had never been paid in, or was at least
not accounted for in the statements OF
the treasurer.
A copy of Affonso's report has beer
forwarded to the Sheriff OF Hawai-
county with orders to investigate strict
ly all charges of corruptions and Alton
so has been ordered to make thor
ough inspection of all the districts oil
the island. Another hidden charg,
against the treasurer, made by Alfonso
was as follows:
"In the last case, that Of It. Kimu
ra, it was only after two visits to hi
place Of business and after spending
several hours watching him, that wa
able to catch him doing business ant
when ] finally had him agree TO taxi
out license he was able to pay only
$1,000 on account. He then gave M
an order for $l4.0O on II. Machida, Esq.
of this city which I presented on my
return TO Hilo, being then informed
by Mr.. Machida that the deputy county
treasurer Mr.. Lyman has been to hi
place of business and instructed hin
not to pay me the amount; that Mr.
Lalakea, the county treasurer, alone
could receive the money. Notwithstand
ing this obtained the balance"
Statements from the attorney.gen
eral g office would seem to indicate tina
it will not take hand in the Hawai-
scandals but will leave them to settl
their own differences and charges