The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-12-18
Plans 70 Attack Former Attorney
Generals Opinion Exemptinp
officers From Taxation
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
DEVELOPS A BIG MESS
Owners Of Many Machines Re-
sort TO Juggling Tags To
Dodge Revenue
tFrom ThnrsdAy AdvertIser.l


tFrcm Thursday Advertiser)
several hundred army officers station
cd here, who have enjoyed the luxury
81 automobiles without paying the ter
iitoriai taxes on such machines, ma.
wake up cne morning after the FIRST Of
the year TO find their autos seized for
taxes
An opinion OF former attorney-gen-
eral, which for wears has shielded the
i..achfnes of army officers from taxa
ti0n, is 70 be put to the test, according
70 declaration made by James 4.
Wilder, district tax assessor. It's legn.
lity Is TO be passed unon by the court.
y Under this opinion, the tax assessor
was Informed that all machines on the
military reservation, the first Of the
year were not liable for taxation, pre-
samaldv upon the theory that as the
jurisdiction Of the territory does not
extend TO such reservations, Il has no
right 10 tax property upon it,
Assessor Declares Himself
Mr.. Wilder declared his intention "a
saize these machines during a speech
before the chamber Of commerce yes
torday afternoon. when he took up the
report Of II. Goodhg Field on delinquent
automobile taxes.Nto show reasons why
percentage Of machines escaped taA-
alton.
lie showed many reasons, He declar.
ed the police had utterly failed to assist
him; that In many cases II was almost
impossible 10. trace the ownership OF
an auto. Md then he came, at length,
TO the mac hines owned by army officers.
Several years ago. he said, the
attorney general gave an opinion that
all machines on the army reservation
On the FIRST day Of year could not be
taxed. At the time that opinion was
handed down, the-e were only a few
ears there, so it did not mean mucn
III revenue, but since that time their
number has grown until now there are
few hund cd il Nj.
1sI may a. well s~y now that pro-
pose to put iais qlinioa to test, ana
win, there "a ,a1tze machines on the
2 reservation and hold them for taxes.
We can fight hereinafter out IN court. =
Shertf Wi.hhoids Assistance
In the last few days the tax Office
hau taken over the work the sheriff neg.
leeted TO, DO, and jas a result has several
rachinea being heidi for taxes. Mr..
Wilder said yesterday. that while the
sheriff had not refused to assist him,
lc had neglected. 20, though Emporium
al several times, and that the tax Of.
Zee was now rounding up the machines
which had not paidtheir taxes, thus do
irg what should be done by the sheriff
Auto taxes are looked upon as q
charge against machine for its wear
upon the road, and the chamber mem.
hers seemed TO feel that the officers
should contribute to this road revenue
as civilians, the machines doing an
equal amount Of damage TO the high
way.
~ don I know whether the opinion
Is correct in its law Or not, said Mr..
Wilder. 'fBpt ! do know i am going
60 give It n test. =
Mr.. Fields report, which went into
the matter of automobile taxation
stated that about forty per cent of the
taxes were unpaid. AT the meeting yes.
terday MIR. Wilder explained the large
delinquent percentage, saying that he
believed only 900 Of the registered 1900
machines are IN cpcration here.
Many Strange Things
All sorts Of strange things have been
! discovered in the past few. days by Off.
cials Of the city assessors Office in go.
ing over the records to determine how
lunch Is due IN delinquent tax payments,
Some Of the automobiles have changed
hands 80 many times that difficulty is
encountered in determining the liabil-
ity. One ear has been located for
which two years tax payments are
due, and the present owner will have
TO pay them, according to the deputy
assessor.
A Premier ear bearing the metal tag
number 6sl was seized yesterday for
payment of taxes, The tag originally
was issued for a Kissel Kar and was
switched to avoid payment of the tax
on the Premier.
Reckoning First Of Year
The provisions of the new municipal
aqtomobile ordinance, which requires
the Reorganization Of an machines on
January L, will greatly simplify the
work of the tax assessor, especially as
the last legislature enacted a law re-
curing the payment OF the automobile
tax annually. BY checking up with
the municipal officials, the tax assessor
< win be able to determine whether all
licensed cars have had their taxes paid.
Assessor Wilder proposes to ask for
an amendment to the statutes so that
his Office win be given the authority
10 handle the licenses, thus simplify
ing the work. Under this arrange
pent different colored number tag
would be issued each year, showing
az glanee whether the tax had been
paid.
Welsh,s Car seized
Having been delinquent in the pay.
ment Of some of his taxes since 1907,
William Il. Welsh was placed IN an
embarrassing position when the tax as
SCISSOR seized his seven'passenger rent
car and placed II in hook. The pay
mnnt of $500 will secure the return
,of the ear. according to Deputy As
SCISSOR A. W. Neeley. According 10
the stories current yesterday, Welsh
had. foolishly made public statements
that he mover intended TO pay bis taxes,