Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-14
SHOWS
NEGLIGENCE IN
YEARS GONE BY
ReCite Incidents Uncovered in
Recent Personal 0bServa-
tons on Hawaii and Oahu
Continued from page oneJ

NibOiSs Itl US lOh GDilpdit Ilt COL
cluslons OF 1912 with the actual loss
10 the county Of Hawaii, as shown by
my more detailed investigation Of the
finances in 1914. The sum Of $76,-
500 was found to have been stolen
from the general funds of the coun-
~, and so lar as the road fuads were
concerned, il was impossible TO even
estimate the shortages The meth
eds in vogue OF handling the public
disbursements, together with the
most reprehensible banking proce.
dure, unquestionably placed premi-
um on crime. The road luna's time
books, with few exceptions, had been
destroyed, making ii impossible to
check the actual time of the laborers
working on the roads with the pay
rolls turned in by the road superyis-
ors, the totals of which were paid 10
these officials for distribution among
the men. The time books, however,
which were secured proved conclu-
siyely that the pay rolls had been sys-
tematically padded. One road super
visor was able to place to his credit
in local bank the sum of $500 in
is months on a salary of 800 per
month. During the month of Novem-
Der, 1912, in the district of South
Hilo, the amount of the pay rolls was
four times as large as any previous
month during that year, and the
names of road lunas appeared on
these pay rolls without working
gangs. In order to meet the exces-
sive road labor charges, transfers
tod 10 &c
aside for special appropriations to the
road fund account
Causes Of Waste in Road Work.
The estimate which | made in 1912
of the waste in the road work on. Ha-
wall was, TO large extent, the re-
suit OF fraudulent practices, rather
than loafing by the laborers on the
jobs. A considerable portion OF the
money intended for road maintenance
never reached the roads az all On
another occasion, even after ii was
known by the county officials thar
road warrants were issued for labor
charges exceeding the actual work
done, the warrants were nevertheless
turned over TO the men, despite their
circumstances that they were receiv-
ing too much pay. Such petty prac-
tice as the following may be cited
to show the resourcefulness for OBJ
tanning the unearned increment In
one district the supervisor arbitrarily
deducted from road laborers' weekly
pay from one to two dollars, which
IL was claimed went towards an en-
tertainment fund, or some such vague
purpose. Laborers informed me that
they were compelled to submit to this
extortion for fear of losing their jobs.
One Hawaiian, in particular, with a
large family, who walked nearly six
miles daily to and from his work,
stated to me that the holding out of
the sum from his weekly wages work
ed a great hardship on those depend
ent on him for livelihood.
No Check on Public Property.
The free use of Hawaii county ma
chinery, equipment and horses, and
the charging of material and sup
plies, freight and other expenses to
the county for account Of private con-
tracts by an official we're found to
have been made. No record was kept
in the offices of machinery and other
property belonging to the county, and
many orders for equipment and mate
rial were placed without going
through the apparently useless for
mality of calling for bids; failure TO
do SO was always explained away on
the score OF emergency. Warrants,
TO the number OF 3,095, and aggregat-
ing $4,000. had been issued prior to
the date of authorization by the board
OF supervisors, the amount Of the
claims covered by these warrants, in
many cases, being considerably re-
duced when finally passed by the
board, but the warrants having preyi-
ously been turned over to the claim
ants and paid; the county, of course,
was made the loser.
Waste and Extravagance Rampant.
On Hawaii waste and extravaganza
was found to be rampant, with no
of accounting control over
any of the public finances 1t was
the case OF the supervisor with the
strongest persuasive power getting |
the lion share of county revenue,
with no check on disbursements |
these and other dis !
closures in the conduct of govern
mental affairs on Hawaii, nave |
been quoted as an alarmist, with a |
penchant for sensationahsni. ~ |
s94. 900 Annually Saved 20 City and
County. ,sElE1 Al a
In March, 1912, | was instructed BY
the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce
to investigate the administrative and I
financial methods of the City and /
County of Honolulu. In my report |
made recommendations whereby the
local government could obtain eff
cheney in management, and control |
over finances by defined modern ac-
counting system; ] also pointed out
aggregating $4,000 annu-
ally. So far as | am able to learn
no attempt has been made to carry i
out any of my recommendations.
Present Day Excessive Operating
Charges.r
Now let us again take up the finan-
cial problem which eonfronts US at
his time on this island. The cost TO
operate the various departments of
The City and County of Honolulu, in
dependent of road work, from July !
lst. 1905 1.-THE commencement of /