Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-13
Legislation Committee Reports
to Chamber of Commerce
Upon Activities

In its report fled with the Chamber
of Commerce late yesterday. the joint
legislative committee of the Hawai-
ian Sugar Planters Association and
the chamber bestowed high praise on
the record of the 1915 legislature. The
report dealt with taxation, harbor inn
proyements, 4workmen's compensation,
laws In general and the water situa-
ton.
A warning, was sounded In the fol-
lowing section OF the report, urging
economy In the 1917 legislature, owing
to the probability of free sugar:
Two years hence there will be no
special funds tof the territory, and
the finance committee will be COM
PEELED to. look to unexpended legisla.
tive appropriations If they are to find
such funds as were found this SEES
sion In the special funds. Economy
in the disbursement of public funds
must be practised, or an increase in
the tax rate, both property and In
come, will most certainly appear on
or before 1917. High sugar prices
for 1915 will tend to carry the terri
tory through to 1917"
The joint committee was composed
of j, F. c. Hagens, ]. w, Waldron and
r. A. Cooke of the H. s. p. A. and r.
w. Single, S. s. Paxson and A. Lewis.
Jr, of the Chamber of Commerce.
Part of the report is as follows:
THE record of the Legislature of
1915 was a creditable one. The two
houses despatched work with little or
no friction or acrimonious debate. The
bills, as rule, were well considered.
More time was given to important
measures and less wasted on the usual
ehaff which appears at every session.
Be that as It may, men interested in
public welfare are striving for an eco
nomic, sane and sound treatment OF
public affairs. The vast amount OF
legislation, state, territorial and ma.
tional, appearing biennially or annual
~ upon the books, is causing genuine
concern. Too many laws on too many
subjects are becoming generally con.
sidered as a growing evil.
Funds for county purposes, as you
know, are obtained very largely from
taxes on real and personal property
With a given sum to be raised, the
date will vary according to the assess
ed value. With free sugar in May,
1916, and a possible ending OF the
European war (this is not intended
to be prophetic as to date OF closing,
but the war must end some day., as
sessed values of plantation and other
property will decline and the taxation
rate will rise. In which event the
raise will occur without increased de-
mand for funds for county purposes
With eyer increasing demands from
the counties, a greater sum must be
raised on lower assessed value,
which will result In very substantial
increase in the tax rate.
THE increase in the property tax
rate will be borne by every house:
holder or other property owner at a
time when his income is decreased.
Furthermore, to obtain revenue for
territorial purposes, If the plan is
adopted as proposed at the present
session, the income tax rate will also
be raised to produce the same revenue
as now, because Of q possible decrease
in taxes from income, or for the pur.
pose of obtaining more revenue on IN
come as COW existing.
Worknen's Compensation.
Pursuant to instructions from the
chamber, a workmen's compensation
act was favored. This act is the most
far-reaching and radical piece OF leg
islation passed by the 1915 legislature.
The working out of its. various provi-
sions will be watched with interest.
The only bill introduced on this sub
ject. being what is termed the di
rect, exclusive and compulsory form,
was the type favored by the commit