The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-01-01

REPUBLICANS
FOR ECONOMY

The Republican members of the new
Board of Supervisors have held various
informal caucuses during the past few
days and have practically resolved upon
their line of conduct when they will
have to put their ideas into practise
after Inauguration day on Monday next.
For one thing they have made up their
minds that they will have some say re.
garding appointments and for another
thing they intend to adopt policy of
economy in administration.
Since election the various supervisors.
elect have been observing things and
as result of their observations they
have come to the conclusion that al.
together too much money is being spent
in this county for frills at the expense
of actual public works. To eliminating
part of the frills will be their first
efforts made.
At the present time it is costing the
county of Oahu over twenty per cent
of its income for office work, $4,000 go
ing in salaries to elected office holders,
their office stats, to superintendent,
clerks and lunas. The various offices
have the following regular appropria-
ton per month, which do not include
the salaries of elected men:
County Clerk, $40; Auditor, $175;
Attorney, 1855; Treasurer, $3.50; Engi.
neer, $525; police, office force not in
GLIDING turnkeys, police captains, etc.,
5000; garbage department, Office staff,
$G65; Hawaiian band, $1425; road de.
partment, office staff. 1920; and outside
road districts lunas and overseers,
1870.
The regular appropriations, exclusive
of the road department payrolls and
the cost of materials, feed, etc, now are
$2S,S66.50. The estimated income of
the county each month until July l
next is $4,000 month, which will
leave less than $4,000 month to 90
into actual road work, considerably less
than has been spent during the past
period. The coming year will find the
expense of government considerably in
creased, there having been new salary.
carrying offices created and bigger fixed
salaries named.
There are some spots on the present
county payroll that will stand pruning,
the supervisors think. In the first
place it is felt that the County Attor.
ney has too much of crew on his
hands and could very easily dispense
with his official telephone answerer at
least. 1t may be necessary for the
official to have man to hunt up wit
nesses and evidence in his private
cases, but it is thought that he could
also pay for them out of his private
receipts. This would knock hundred
dollars month off the biggest office
account of any department, the County
Attorneys office now costing the pub
lie 1855 month in addition to the
County Attorneys own salary.
The County Clerk s office is attract
ing attention. In addition to the clerk
there are four salaried men there who
draw 1910 a month between them and
have lots of time to do plenty of
things besides working.
The Office force of the Deputy Sheriff
seems to be overdone in the way of
men and UNDERGONE in the amount of
work to be accomplished and there
may be a looping off there. Otherwise
the police force cannot be cut down.
the disposition being rather to save in
the office and put more men on the
street.
The Office force of the Road Super
visor and the necessity for the employ.
ment of all the various clerks will be
considered.
Economy where possible and liberal
expenditures on the roads and streets
is to be the policy of the Republican
Supervisors, while care is to be taken
that for every dollar expended dol
lars worth of work will have to be