The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-01-15
SUPERVISORS
STANDING PAT
lFrOm wednesday, Advertlserl


six months city and county blanket
appropriation bill which has been ad.
vertised in the newspapers during the
past week, and the Board of Supervis.
ors took the matter in hand and pass.
ed it on motion of Supervisor Logan.
This was one of the most important
items of interest Mt the meeting, and
lengthy argument was maintained be-
tween the Mayor. on the one hand, and
Supervisors Logan, Aylett and Quinn,
on the other, as to the legality of the
expenditures named in the bill. The
argument, simmered down, was upon
the question of the expenditures for
the six months, overrunning revenues,
in view of the fact, as stated by,Mayor
Fern and Mr.. Mcclellan, that the leg
acy of the last board. instead Of be
ing $4,000. would actually be closer
to Sll 900, and the estimates of the
Logan faction had been based on $lS,-
900 as the amount of the holdover.
The Six Months Bill.
When Mr.. Logan asked that the six
months bill be passed and presented to
the Mayor for approval, Mr.. Mcclellan
arose and stated that the bill carried
appropriations for about a quarter of
a million dollars. He questioned the
advisability OF passing it finally with
out further consideration. He said the
last board, which was supposed to have
turned over $4,000, would leave only
about 900. The six months bill
was figured on the $4,000 basis. He
suggested the bill be passed to a COM
mittee for consideration.
Mr.. Quinn said that although the
board had appropriated that much
money, it might use only one-half or
three. quarters of the amount named.
If the city and county did not have
that much money coming in, expenses
could be curtailed. This, however, did
not affect the purpose of the bill.
Mr. Logan said the bill was more
bill for a working basis. He argued
that even if the bill were signed by
the Mayor now, there would not be
any too much time left in which to
prepare for the payment of salaries,
etc, on the 18th. There were certain
road taxes to be taken into considera-
tion for outside road work. Anyhow,
the board would cut its cloth according
to monthly expenses. He referred to
large expenditures by the Territorial
Government. However, in that matter
he did not approve of the power given
one man to make the expenditures as
appropriated by the Legislature. The
Board of Supervisors was a legislative
body meeting often, and always had
its hand on the purse strings. He
stated that he intended shortly to
bring in a financial scheme that may
save lot of money in certain depart
ments. The roads are the safety valve
on city and county expenditures. The
bill was purely a rough estimate. lie
therefore moved its passage for the
period named.
Mayor Objects Again, u
Mayor Fern referred to statement
in the Advertiser that the legacy of
the old board would be much less than
they thought. He stated that only es-
Inmates for this one month should be
passed on now. "But the board has
taken the matter into their own hands
and passed six months appropriations
at time," said the Mayor, "passing
quarter of million of dollars, and
yet we don't know exactly if we are
the old board. | see during the month
Ol DecemDer the pllis oNerIan dpouI
! $4,000.
81 myself think that the bill ought
| to be put in the hands of a commit
tee to look over it before it passes,
but if the majority doesn't see fit to
do this, then l will rule the bill out
of order
Mr.. Logan said that he had been
informed just before coming into the
board room that the statement in the
Advertiser was incorrect as to the over
running of last month IS bills, and that
the overrun for December proper was
not $1,000, but closer to $32. How
ever, he had not time to look the mat
ter up. He expected that every stand
ing committee by the end of the month
would be able to put in estimates well
within the pro rata per month out OF
the six. He was of the opinion that
there might be strain during the
first month owing to the change of sys-
tom. But as to advertising the bills
each month, he felt it was in the in
terest of economy to advertise but
once, for few days, every six months,
thus saving big advertising bills. lie
, was newspaper man himself and
wanted to see the newspapers flourish
but here was chance to curtail ex'
penses.
Said Form Was Incorrect.
Mr.. Aylett did not see how the bill
, could be referred back to a committee
: and read from the City and County
Act to show that what had been don'
was valid. He considered the motion
in order.
"That may be so" replied th'
Mayor, "but, as / say, the bill is no
in proper form and therefore OBJ
iect. If the board sees fit to pass /
over my head, they may do so."
"What is the matter with the form
of the binin answered Mr.. Logan
"We have had legal advice astto tn
form"
G "The workings of the board fror
i the beginning are out of order, and
!. so say today that the bill is out o
v order. The law directs that the Mayo
4. shall appoint the city and county Of
a fcers. but when the board goes owe
O. the head of the Mayor to do as
(. pleases, / say that everything the
7 have done is out of ORDER