Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-08

etdtS On HaNaH were IN the employ
q corporations doing business with
the county and. that this should be
stopped. Speciac instances are given.
Story of Maauire's Fail. ( -.<
The story Of the Irregularities of
Charles X. Mcguire. former auditor.
afterwards sentenced to FIVE years
Imprisonment. is told fully. as we'll as
that of the other Hawaii county graft.
ers run down by the commission. its
special attorney. Robert W. Breckons,
and its auditor. H. Gooding Field.
During the course of this statement
the county treasurer comes in for Sc
/ we're blame. 1t being maintained that
he could have stopped the cashing OF
bogus warrants, the basis of most OF
+ the graft.
Bank Not censured.
| A special section takes up the con.
necticn of the First Bank of Hilo with
the eashfng of warrants and ether ar.
fairs with the county. The commits.
sion emphasizes that It attaches no
blame to the bank. SAYS that county
monies entrusted to the banks care
have been we'll looked after and adds
that the criticism should be directed
against the county treasurer instead
OF the bank officials 1t states that a
more complete supervision by the
bank might have detected the fraudu-
lent operations of the county auditor.
but says that the banks method of
handling its own affairs was outside
the scope OF the commissions report.
In its conclusion the report says:
| IN conducting an investigation of
this sort You are aware that the great
majority of transactions and of the
acts of public officials are found to be
/ beyond criticism. They are therefore
not mentioned in this report Another
class OF cases deserves mention be
cause OF the notoriety that they have
gained by rumor and mention in the
press. For example: Ii was intimated
to your commission that the Hflo
Building and Loan Association was in
some way connected with the misuse
{ of county fnuds. This association was
formed in the early days of county
government for the express purpose of
disceunting the pay OF county employ
es. Tie rate of interest charged va.
fied, but was never less than / per
cent per month. The officers of the
association were Chas. e King, school
inspector; w. H. Beers, county attor.
ney; g. X. Mcguire, county auditor;
John *. Kai. county clerk and r.. X.
Laiakea, county treasurer. Our inyes-
tlgation Of its affairs failed to subatan.
tate the charse. j; ID, Lewis, chair.
man Of the board of supervisors, and
GhaS. f. King, school inspector, vera
reported to have imported disappear
ing beds and to have installed them in
teachers cottages throughout the ISL
and, anu to have charged them to the
county at an exorhitant figure Ten
! were imported, two installed and the
remaining eight are still stored under
j Lewis house in Hilo The bank ex-
aminers have been criticised for care
lessness in examining the Hilo banks,
but in Our opinion these examinations
have been competent.
No statement 10 this report is In.
tended TO convey the impression that
the Hawaiian is not capable Of self.
government. Nothing discovered by
this commissions warrants such a con.
ciusion. The fact that all offenders
exposed have .been of this race is ex-
planned by the fact that practically all
county offices since the establishment
OF county government have been filled
by HaWaiians.
Calls on Citizens to Cooperate.
This commission recommends-an
although this recommendation is not
contained in the list of their formal
recommendations there is net one
upon which fhey..would wish to place
stronger emphasis to the public-spirit.
ed citizens of the island of Hawaii that
they shall get together in conference,
lay aside minor differences of opin-
ion, and unite in demand for changes
in their system OF county government.
We do not say that the proposals
contained In this report are necessari-
~ the best, or that the light of wiser
counsel may not suggest many benefi.
cial amendments and additions. but we
do believe that they offer broad and
reasonable basis for discussion and
consideratiesl. and it Is ia this belief
that We place them before the public.
It is or. suggestion that the civil or.
carnations OF that island shall meet
IN 2 convention attended by represen.
tatiyes from each district. and that
they shall en6eayer to. come to some
common agreement in regard to these
reforms and pledge themselves tt5 sup.
port the resulting bills in the legisla.
tnre of 1915. This commission will be
glad to cooperate with any body of
citizens united in this purpose. and II
il our hone to be able at later date
to submit a supplementary report
which will contain complete draft
Of two or more bills which will COM
pietely cover this subject,
The report concludes with suc-
clnct summary of the recommends
items for q new form of county gov
eminent for the county of Hawaii. Its
essential points are as follows:
Sec. Relating to the unit Of dis.
trict government.
~. That the island Of Hawaii be
divided into seven districts.
~. That the boundaries Of these