The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-10-30

lmore money on road labor in the city
alone than II spent for six months ia
1913!
This enormous increase in labor Is
charged directly to politica. Very lit.
tie road work Is going on now, and
under normal conditions IL would re-
quire about one-fourth Of the men now
employed.
With delightful cooperation, Charles
y. Mccarthy, city treasurer, - working
with the board TO the end that the cam
paign may be as successful az possible.
and the squandered fortune bring tho
supervisors enough votes for reelection
purposes. He is saving all the money
in the general fund TO pay these labor
ers. He doesn L make any bones about
II whatever. He instructed the city
auditor TO hold up the warrants for
/ the big material bills so that they
would not be presented. in which event
he would have enough money to pay the
i laborersi
Laborers here, Il may be explained.
do not understand the registered war
rant scheme, and feel offended when
they are not paid cash, or when they
are put to extra trouble or delay IN
getting their money. This is especial
~ so when pay day falls on Saturday.
A slight delay might make IL impos-
sible for them TO get their money until
Monday.
This being the ease, Treasurer Ne
Carthy Is exerting himself to see that
they get their cash. The next pay day
is Saturday. He has $4,000 on hand
now with which 70 meet IL. And he
wants to meet It. It's good policies 70
meet i'll
Consequently Colonel Mccarthy re.
qnested the city auiitor to withhold
i these warrants for material claims, de.
spite the mandates Of the law to the
lcOntfary. Thousands Of dollars have
been held up in this way. and scores OF
\ firms supplying materials to the city,
who should by this time have had their
warrants, have had 10 20 without
i Though plainly illegal, this scheme
has made il possible for all money in
) the general fund 10 be diverted 70 meet
The swollen labor payroils.
Treasurer Has No Discretion
| Under the law the treasurer has no
discretion. He must either pay war
rant or register it. This same matter
was the subject Of an attack upon
Treasurer Mccarthy early in the year
BY George r. Carter, who pointed out
Il in strong terms the law in the case. He
was successful in his attack and forced
the treasurer TO register every warrant
that was presented TO him, according to
the strict letter of the law
~ viii take Office as territorial treas
urer by the first of November can
!, then get the auditor to advance the
county part Of its tax money. Tpfo
sumo he wilt Il has been done before, =
said Colonel Mccarthy, Yesterday.
This throws rather amusing light
on the sitnation--7an official making
promises, TO help the supervisors out Of
a hole, upon the strength Of his being
Iipdpeted into another office-an event
(which may not come to pass. The coun-
try has approximately $275,0O0 Of tax
money which should be paid over to
lit bv the Territory some time after No.
vember Is. II is from this fund that
Colonel Mccarthy says he plans to get
Announcements
Banks Advance Immense sum
The Bank OF Hawaii and the Bishop
Bank have advanced the county,
through the registered warrant plan.
ss3,00n, which have been charged
against the school fund. general fund
and permanent Improvement fund. This
Iregistraiion Of warrants has been 20,
ing on for two months, the banks cash
ing the warrants, TO collect from the
county when the taxes come in.
A slf these merchants holding claims
against the city win wait for awhile
they win get their money and the mum.
cipality will not be put to the extra ex-
pense Of paying interest, = said Treas.
ursr Mccarthy, yesterday.
supervision In Serious Tangle
The seriousness Of the present situa-
ton lies in this. the supervisors have
speut within $4,000 all the money they
may hope Ia get during their term Of
office. OF this, $780,, 900 has been spent
In anticipation Of revenue so far I'M
realized should something happen to
reduce this sum, say $50, 600, the board
members would find themselves answer.
able TO a charge Of violating Act Sew
erty.two OF the Session Laws Of 1919.
This law makes II illegal and punish
able by fine or imprisonment for an o.
fetal or public board to contract obi.
cations Gin excess Of the amount Of
money available. Z"
1t is with this statnte ia mind, that
the. eity auditor informed the board
that II must not make any more appro
Ipriations until the second installment Of
y taN mDuay ID raaaiVpd