The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-01-09
WILL
PROBE THE
PROBERS
Part of Auditor Fields New Work
Will Be TO Audit Graft Commits
sion Accounts - Audit Will Be
Carried Through, Whether Su-
pervisors Vote Sum Wanted or
Not. ..... =
lMaiI speeiaI 10 The Adverttser.l

(Mail Special TO The Advertser.)
HILO, January 5.---Ever since the
Meeting Of the board Of trade last
week, a strenuous game has been going
on amongst those who are Interested
for and against the graft commission
and for and against the audit. Some
want to soak the commission, but want
"a clean audit, thus favoring Field. 9th.
ers want neither the commission Eor
Field, among them being several county
officials and, il is stated, Sam Kauhane.
Various cabals have been made, plots
and eounter.plots have been Matched
out, schemes laid and conferences held
among the parties interested Those
who voted against granting the com.
mission s request for $4,000, with which
il might pay Field to finish the audit,
claim that they have won over one OF
the three who voted for the request at
the last meeting. As Pritehard told
Doctor Elliot that he would at the
meeting Wednesday vote for the com
mission request, this would make il
either Lyman or Yates who would have
switched. However, both of these men
would probably scorn to turn about, and
the claim is probably cnnard.
In view Of the complicated situation,
1t would seem foolhardy TO make pre-
dictions. Still, IL is probable that the
supervisors will agree to pass the $4,000
appropriation for an audit, but that
they will insist on having the county
control the audit, and not the commits
sion. They base this stand on the de.
velopments which took place at the
board of trade meeting, claiming that
It has been shown that the commission
has mis-spent funds, and that IL cannot
be trusted in money matters The draw
ing by the commissioners Of their sal
aries for Sundays and holidays, which
has been admitted, is one point on
which this contention is based. The
claim is made that under the Sunday
law the commissioners could not legally
4. form any work and consequently
they could not charge for such work
The Brcckons salary and work is also
mentioned
4 May Make Contract.
II While some Of the supervisors do not
want Field, II Is likely that Field will
be engaged, but, il this is done. il will
be done by having the county make a
contract with Field, whereby he agrees
to finish the audit for $4,000.
The supervisors will also, in that
case, insist that Field pay particular
attention to the dealings Of the county
H with several large corporations, as some
OF the supervisors accuse the commits
sion Of having prosecuted the Hawaii
ans and Of having let the haoIes 90 UNI
scathed. Atat
4 Investigate Investigators.
The main point Of the plan involving
the employment Of Field, will be that
he must agree to furnish an audit and
Investigation Of the graft commission.
Great joy is anticipated from this pro
vision. '..
! Another point is that the auditor
shall make his report TO the county at
torney. In view Of the fact that the at
torney general has placed the prosecu-
ton of the graft cases in the hands OF
the county attorney, this seems reason.
able, b.. "t lf
| Another Guess Coming.
| In the meantime the supervisors.
when they believe that they have the
game in their own hands, so they can
prevent the Field audit being eontin-
ned II they choose, have another guess
coming. 81 ,,f s
II is certain that Field will finish his
audit, no matter what the supervisors
do, but, of course, for the sake Of the
good name Of the county, Il is 10 be
hoped that the supervisors will have
the work done through their act and
not through other agencies, the identity
OF which IL would be impolitic to dis
close at the present.
: Beers Objects to Job.
The attorney general has asked the
county attorneys department to take
: over the prosecution Of the graft cases
and all the legal work connected there
with Beers and Heen are willing TO
take over the burden, but do not think
i fair to impose it on them. Thayer 5
letter explains the matter on the
, grounds that as the supervisors failed
! to appropriate funds for the pommission
there is no money in sight with which
to pay Breckons.
#''I do not think il is fair 10 us to
ask us Mt this time to handle a lot Of
+, cases, which have been barely start
cd, -. said Beers. H'We think these
= cases should be handled by the attor-
= ney general or one Of his deputies. He
: has two already, so there should be no
T need of the employment of private
u counsel, anyway. II the attorney gem
t eral handles the eases we shall be glad
70 to extend every assistance. However.
while | do not think IL fair TO ASK us
0 to take over these eases, | will not
e refuse to do SO, If the request Is in.
! sisted upon. -
y .. .... 49,, Failures Feared.
Beers and Heen went over the legacy
which It is proposed TO hand them. and
4 the nature thereof justifes their relue.
tanec as most Of the cases, which have
been started, seem predestined TO end
> N failure, There is. for instance, the
impeachment proceedings against Ike.
? aloha, misbegottcn TO begin with, which
have been existing miserably ON me
supreme court docket, apparently await
ing he moment when they could ~
y = !
l. Continued ION page. sever