The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-12-26
OBJECTIONS To THE
THREE COUNTY PLAN
Argument Is That Running Ex.
penSe in Kona-Kau Would
Eat Up All the Income.

The Hilo Tribune does not think
much of the suggested three-county
| division Of the Big Island, voicing its
own objections and those of others edi-
| torialIy, as follows:
The assertion made in the Honolulu
| press to the effect that the Governor
is IN favor of the plan to divide the
present County of Hawaii into three
separate counties, has been the cause Of
considerable surprise here. In spite of
the arguments which the Governor is
quoted as having made in favor Of the
proposition, it still seems that the effect
of the plan, if it is carried into opera
, ton, Will be detrimental to the island
as whole. 1t is quite possible. even
probable, that one or two of the new
| counties might do quite well under the
| changed order of things, but the coun-
ty left which would be deprived of a
corresponding sum would suffer in the
same proportion. 1t would be case of
robblng Peter to pay Paul, and the
credit of the entire island and of local
county government in general would
suffer
Furthermore, the Governor argues
from mistaken premises when he makes
little of the duplication of county of
fees which would of necessity follow.
Three supervisors for each of the small
counties would mean two supervisors
more than we have now. and then the
electorate of the Hilo-Puna Hamakua
county would have less representation
than it now has, where these districts
have four supervisors. In Kohala the
situation might be quite satisfactory,
but in the Kona- kau county KOna
would, by virtue of her large popuIa-
ton. have two supervisors and Kau
but one The result would be that kau
would pay twice as much in taxes as
Kona while Kona would spend most
of the money.
Gas matter Of fact, the three
county plan is impossible of execution,
if for no other reason. at least because
of the fact that the Kona Kau county
would be doomed to die, at birth from
malnutrition. A calculation, based on
the revenue and expenses of these two
districts during the past year. will give
an approximate idea of how the finances
of that county would pan out. The in
come of the two districts would be
about as follows: Share of general
taxes, $22 900; total taxes, $1,000; Ii
censes. $4,000: and fines and costs, prob
ably about $500; making a total of
about $32 800 The salaries of police,
jailers, district magistrates and deputy
sheriifs are about $4,000. those of
three supervisors would be $500. and
the sala ries of the county attorney,
auditor. clerk and treasurer. even if
they were reduced to say 1925 a month,
expense of salaries alone amount to
about sol 800
''Tn other words the KonaKau
county would have about $4,000 a
year with which TO meet all expenses
outside of the salaries mentioned
above. OIt of this amount it would
have to pay all its incidental expendi-
lures and for the maintenance of jails,
eourthouses. school buildings and for
road and other public work. 1t would
also have to rent or build a county
building. and when the expense of in
stalling the new government, the pur-
chase of furniture. fixtures. books, etc,
is taken into consideration. it will
readily be seen that it would be i'm
possible to even start, at least. one
of the little counties.
''On the whole the three county idea
seems to be open to just the same OBJ
ieetions as the old two-county plan,
only it is even worse.