HAWAIIAN GUIDE BOOK. 



117 



elude fowls, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea and pea 

 fowls, doves, &c, there are not many birds. Attempts 

 nave been made to introduce insectiverous and game 

 birds, but they are not abundant, if we except wild 

 ducks, plover, snipe and owls. 



10. — Have you a liberal government ? 



The government is a constitutional monarchy, and 

 may be considered as a very liberal one. The present 

 ruler, King Kalakaua, is a Hawaiian Chief, who was 

 elected by the Legislature in 1874, is gifted with wis- 

 dom. and moderation, and what is all-important, appears 

 to have the true interests of his people at heart. His 

 recent visit has caused him to be well and favorably 

 known abroad. The Legislature is composed of twenty 

 nobles appointed for life by the King, and twenty- 

 eight representatives elected biennially by the people. 

 These assemble every two years, and sit together, form- 

 ing one legislative body, on whose acts the King has a 

 veto. 



11. — Are taxes oppressive? 



By no means. Every male subject or resident for- 

 eigner is taxed five dollars per annum, of which two 

 dollars are for the support of public schools, two dol- 

 lars for the public roads and one dollar poll tax. Real 

 and personal property is taxed h of one per cent on the 

 assessed valuation, or five dollars on every thousand. 

 Every horse is taxed 62^- cents, every dog one dollar, 

 and every carriage five dollars. Passengers arriving 

 from a foreign country pay two dollars each towards 

 the support of the Queen's Hospital, which is open to 

 all alike. Foreign goods pay an import tax of ten per 

 cent, on their cost. Licenses have to be paid by all en- 



