The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-03-07
SCHOOL FUND BILL
WAS UNDER FIRE
COMMISSION BEFORE SENATE
COMMITTEE TO TELL
ABOUT IT.
(From saturday,s Advertiser.l


The committee of the whole in the
senate yesterday took up the whole dis
cussiOn of the school bill, numbered in
the senate is, which was prepared by
the school fund commission, and with
the members of the commission Itself,
as we'll as officials of the board of pub
lie instruction to answer inquiries.
There proved to be a number Of the
latter, and continual running FIRE of
queries was directed at the heads os
those responsible for the drafting Of
the act. At times during the discus
sion the remarks became warm, ana a
shade of criticism appeared in the atti-
tude of the senators.
The chairman presiding was A. S.
Kaleipou, giving President Knudsen a
chance to rise occasionally, which he
did once to hand out a roast to the
commission. Fairchild, Cecil Brown
and Judd were all lined up for battle
and directed the battery.
Each had his pet objection to the
bill which he wanted explained away.
Brown thought that the most serious
objection to the bill was the fact that
if the legislature passed it it would
not know how much money it was ap'
propriating for the schools.
The salaries for teachers, as provided
by the bill, are to be appropriated as
general item in the school budget
adjusting itself by a semimechanical
action. The measure provides for a
continuing fund, which shall be a first
lien ON the revenues, out of which
fund salaries shall be provided.
This feature gave rise to the objec
ton noted, but w. R. Harrington, q
member of the commission, pointed out
that the number Of teachers was limited
to one to every twenty-five pupils as q
maximum. This did not quell the sus
picions of the senators, who still want.
ed to know why they should pass o
measure with an uncertain appropria
ton.
Harrington, rather heated, then stat.
ed that the bill provided for the teach
ers, which had never been done before
in this Territory.
Judd's objection was that the clause
making the fund a first lien ON the
revenue would impair the standing OF
territorial bonds, which are given first
lien by clauses in the bonding laws
lW. A. Bowen, another member of the
commission, didn t believe, as a bushes;
man, that it would.
"We have gone on the basis that tht
schools are the first charge on the
revenues, stated Harrington. "Tht
first thing the American pioneer did
after he cut down the trees in his clear
ing was to build schoolhouses. The frs
thing the missionary did when he came
to these Islands was to build schools
HWe don t spend as much on schools
as the city of New York does. They
spend one dollar out of every four OF
schools and we only spend one dollar
out of every six and New York ism u 9
bouquet for good government either
Knudsen rose as the hearing drew
j to a close and stated that he thought
the meaning Of the school fund com
mission was to devise a source of rev
enue. Harrington arose on the jumI
and made hot reply to the effect tina
the children were a source of revenue
Eyes, know said Knudsen, "bu
we re talking in terms of dollars ant
1 sense"
The committee finally decided to refe
the bill to the education committee, th,
members of which could call upon Thu
department of public instruction when
ever they wanted information.