The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-02-04
LEGISLATIVE
EXPENSE MONEY
Continued from Page One. :


Under the present understanding of
the law, the matter of payment for ex-
ira sessions of the Legislature is set
ted by an amendment to the Organic
Act, the proviso of the appropriation
having that effect. Hereafter. then,
there ism t any extra session pay.
The Congressional appropriation made
this year differs from that made in
1906, inasmuch as three items covered
in this appropriation were not included
last session. The three items are to
provide for typewriters. electric light
and janitors. This last will be
pleasant surprise for some, because last
session the extra corps of janltors
engaged had to be about wiped out
Being janitor during the session is one
of the plums assiduously worked after
by quite number of citizens, and now
the way is open for them to get on the
Federal payroll and keep some money
in Hawaii.
81 do not intend to ask the Legisla-
ture for any assurances that they will
complete their appropriation measures
during the life of the regular sixty
day session. says Secretary Mott
Smith. "That is something that is en-
tirely in their own hands. 1t is up to
them to get through with the business
or not. If they don't, however, there
is no extra pay coming. There is no
provision for their pay in the thirty
thousand appropriated at Washington,
while the amendment TO the Organic
Act, attached to the appropriation
item, makes it illegal to allow any ex-
ira session pay from the Territorial
treasury.
'The appropriation will probably be
apportioned as it was at the last ses-
sion-twenty thousand for the House,
ten thousand for the Senate. It is up
TO the members to carry out the policy
of economy they may determine on. -
The matter of no pay for extra ses-
sions was recommendation made to
the Treasury Department by Governor
George r. Carter, who wrote when sub
hitting his yearly estimates III 1905
that by doing away with extra session
pay there would be no excuse on the
part of the Legislature for having any
extra sessions. The recommendation
was adopted, the appropriation being
| followed by a 'Provided clause, this
| being that there should be no payment
for services for legislators under sec
| ton 81 of the Organic Act. The same
| proviso goes in with the present APP
| preparation, but it is taken now as hav-
| ing no reference to the appropriation
itself, which is not intended to cover
| any payment to legislators, but is ruled
| to apply directly as an amendment to
| the section of the Organic Act referred
to. The right of Congress to amend in
| this or any other way desired is con
ceded, although the Territorial Legis-
| lature could not tack an amendment of
this nature, applying to other statutes,
on its appropriation bill.
The Congressional appropriation, this
session, is to cover the expenses of fur
niture, files, telephone, stationery
record castings and files, printing and
binding, index records, postage, ice,
water, clerk hire, mileage of members,
ineidentals, pay of chaplain, clerk, ser
geant-at-arms, stenographer, typewrit-
ers, janitors and messengers.
1t was in view of the fact that extra
session pay was a thing of the past,
| partly, that Governor Frear has recon-
mended the increase in the seasonal in
| demnity to $780, This is what each
member would draw if he attended the
regular and one extra session. If the
| Governor s recommended amendment to
| the Organic Act passes, the members
will get their extra money and earn it
| easier, if they are industrious.