The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-05-01


Adopting the report Of a special com.
mittee by r. 4. Reitlford, the Oahu Cen
trail Improvement Committee went on
record last night at well attended
meeting as being strongly in favor of
putting the frontage tax laws, enacted
by the last legislature, into eifest i'm.
mediately The subcommittee report
was gone over in detail and with a few
slight changes was adopted unanimous-
w. Chairman G. W. Ashford called for
a general discussion and debate on the
report from the members present.
Would Regulate Repairs
Capt. John Kidwell spoke strongly in
favor Of the findings but added that
.lause should be inserted in the recon.
mendations prohibiting public utility
companies tearing up the streets and
not putting them back in their original
condition. He favored the building OF
al roads by private contractors, as he
believed that owing to the composition
between the bidders the property own
irs would be benefited by lower cost
Of construction.
Thomas Church pointed out that IL
effect as soon as the law was enacted
hat even with the depleted condition
Of the county Treasury that Hopolum
would have sevenfy-fve per cent more
road work completed, during this pres
ent term Of the board OF supervisors
than il has, owing TO the fact that
where the county has been paying
full hundred per cent for road work
lone in the past fifteen months IL would
ave paid but twenty-five per cent; tbs
balance being borne by the property
holders.
w. C.. Achi addressed the board at
length and said that although the inn
preston had been given out that he
opposed the frontage tax this was not
80 as he was strongly in favor Of the
measure. He did, however, doubt the
legality Of the act as it is at present
irawn and felt that the clause relat.
ing to the county giving bonds for tho
payment Of a contract, then not guar
intesing this bond but held the right
IF the county to dispose Of the property
y not sound law as Il gives neither
he property holder nor the contractor
1qual rights,
Capt. William Foster, Albion +. Clark,
r. X. Reidford, Daniel Logan, James 4.
Taylor, Marston Campbell and Others
addressed the meeting at length on the
various points of the report @. w.
Ashford was appointed committee Of
me to call upon Mayor Fern ana to
arrange for general meeting TO be
called in which the several more i'm.
portant points Of this special report will
be explained to the board'of supervisors.
At the close of the meeting, W. IL.
Sellender addressed the board and gave
a detailed description Of his new pa.
tented process of road making.
The following is the report in detail
which was unanimously adopted by the
Oahu Central Improvement Committee
last night:
F. Honolulu, April "a, 1914.
TO the President and Members Of the
Oahu Central Improvement Commit
tee, Honolulu.
Gentlemen:--Yo four committee ap.
pointed to gather data relative to ex.
penditures on roads made by the present
board of supervisors of the City and
County of Honolulu, during their term
of Office, begs to report as follows;
Source Of Revenue.
Act las of 1911, provides that in Jan.
Gary Of each year the board of super,
visors shall submit to the assessor esti
mates of the amount that will be re.
quired from general property taxes for
city and county purposes that year.
The Treasurer of the Territory also sub
mits an estimate Of territorial needs for
GAP maintenance of school buildings
and grounds and (b) school salaries ami
expenses; interest sinking fund and tax
collection expenses. Upon these esti-
mates the rate of taxation is fixed. In
estimating the rate tho assessed valu.
alton of the preceding year Is taken as
a basis. IL the estimate Of the board
OF supervisors for current expenses ex-
eeeds one. half of one per cent OF tbs
previous year ) valuation it is reduced
co one-half of one per cent. If their
estimate for current expenses and per.
manent improvements combined exceeds
two thirds of one per cent il is reduced
70 twothirds of one per cent. Ii the
supervisors submit no estimates tho
rates are fixed as above. The county
receives no share of the taxes paid ~
the wireless telegraph companies and
the Inter Island Steam Navigation Com,
pany. ".+
Act So of 1911, provides that the
funds needed for schools (salaries)
shall be first charge on the taxes col.
lected from real. and personal property.
Phe effect. of this is that if the as
'fssod valuation for any one year should
be less than the preceding year (Which
5 the basis upon which the rate IS
iXed), or tax collections should fall
short of the estimated amount, the
3ounty ana not the Territory suffers.
Dut of the first taxes collected the ter.
'ttorial treasurer retains the amount OF
the school budget, together with the
amount required to meet interest, sink
'ng fund, and cost of assessing and col.
Getting taxes, the balance, whatever It
may be, being turned over TO the super.
,IgDTS for city nnI sarrnIN