The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-05-31

manufacture IN exchange. aIude 10 British ColuH.-
ba, which, from the discovery Of gold within it, bor-
ders, began NJ TO afford market for cur cattle
I and the products Of our soil.
IL IS TO the agricultural and planting interests that
we must chiefly look for getting rid this excess Of
imports No policy should therefore be adopted 10
fetter them;-On the contrary, they should receive
every encouragement within the limits Of legislative
discretion
The tariff established by the Civil Code Will 70
fully into effect on the 2th Of June But little
addition will for time be male 70 the. revenue
from the increased II duties which il provides
owing to the large impOrtations which have lately
been made doubtless, a ALREADY iutimated with re-
ference 10 the change The last quarters Of the fiscal
year will however be likely demonstrate its prUba-
bic bearings upon the trade Of the country.
The provisions in regard 70 transit or trauship-
ment and re-exportatiOn duties which must 20 into
effect in June unless modified by the legislature are
IN my opinion OF such character require seri
Gus consideration The natural position Of the Ha-
waIiIu Islands tends make them the depot Of COM
merce in the Northern Pacific; but the necessary
effect Of large port exactons will be TO
this policy and drive trade from shores. Such
result il ought be our policy 10 avoid We should
hold out Inducements To vessels harbOrs
and not repel them from us-tO trnnshp their goods
IN our ports; to place their cargOesn warehouses
for re-expOrtatiOn-in short, 10 make these islands
the central point Of their voyages in this ocean.
submit It to the Legislature whether, ia view Of
these suggestions, 1t would not be wise drop this
description Of duties altogether from the list, else
II that Is not deemed advisable fix them 1T only
small degree above a nominal rate.
There Is still a stronger objection urged against the
drawback" re-expOrtatiOn duties on foreign
goods consigned to our ports stored in our ware.
houses, and exported in their original packages 10
other countries. Merchandise with invoice cost of
two hundred and fifty dollars or less, does not fall
within the rule Of drawback; goods inyoiced above
that amount must pay per cent Gd 5GiOTela IL
quOrs are entitled to drawback Of three-fourths Of
all the duties to which they liable Thus every
gallon of spirits entered the Custom House would
have to pay duty of seventy five cents for the priv
iege Of re-exportatiou though its invoice may
have been the same even less amount. The
policy Of such discrimination cannot, evidently be
sustained upon any princip pie Of sound policy pO-
cal economy, and therefore suggest that all bonded
goods without distinction, should be placed upon the
same footing, with small charge only say of one
per cent for the privilege OF withdrawal for exporta
ton.
The amount of liquors consumed can in no man
ner, depend upon the rate OF drawback expor-
tatiOn duties If such duties are onerous we shall
not be troubled with importatons beyond the demands
Of domestic consumption if reasonable and liberal,
ports may become the depOts of invoices destined for
the settlements Of America and ASIA receiving more
than equivalent for duties of drawback, in fees for
storage charges for Custom House service. and the
creased prosperity of industry and trade L have
used the terms transit and drawback in the
sense of the Code, thou gh tEeir strict commercial
Specification may be somewhat different, and in case
legislation in regard the duties thus designated,
should be deemed necessary, recommend such a
vision of these and other terms, will make
Custom House nomenclature conform to the general 1
usage of commerce in other parts of the world.
The expense of the guards required to be placed on
board of vessels by Sections j52 and 557 of the Code
being no longer a Custom House charge, in cOnse-
quence of the effect of the French treaty of Oct %
1857 IL viii be necessary TO provide for the cOmpen
sItion Of such guards by appropriation from the
Treasury. In connection with this subject, take
occasion suggest careful revision of the language
of such sections of the Code liable to bear
struction contrary treaty stipuations While 1t
that the courts in their decisions will, in of
conflict, always give treaties consideration para
mount to the munic pal laws, it is highly important
to harmonic the one with the other 10 avoid
FAR possible all necessity for judicial controversy
The fees Of pilots constitute part of the port
charges. and must be paid 10 the Collector and
counted for by him to the parties entitled by their
services to receive them. This duty the part Of
the Custom House is unusual in other countries and
| necessity Of its continuance here. Pilots
should be the collectors of their fees; and re
spectfuly urge that the Cusomhouses be relieved from
any further responsibility in connection Herewith
Under the provisions Of Section 54l Of the Code,
Deputy Collector the port of Honolulu has been
appointed, and his salary fixed at the rate specified
in the table Of estimates The appointment was re-
GuireI by the exigences of public service, and
the salary j. beyond fair compensation for the
duties required to be performed The effect Of the
tariff will be TO increase considerably the Custom
House expenses, Tor which legislative provision must
be made
1t is the opinion Of the Chief Justice. in which his
Mlje>ty's Government concuTs, that there Is no ne
cessity for making the compensation Of District jus
tees a charge upon the public Treasury. For this
estimate for the salaries Of such Justices Is
submitted, and II i recommended that they shall
hereafter be paid for their services by fees. TO be pre-
scribed by the Judges of the Supreme Court. This .
will relieve the treasury from large item of expeud
ture which easily be borne by those who are dis
posed engage in petty legal controversies. re-
specfuly refer to the reasons assigned by the Chief
Justice in his report for the proposed change, which
think ought be regarded entirely satisfactory
IL is worthy of consideration whether the tariff may
not properly be amended protect in some de-
gree the interests of domestic labor and enterprise, 10y
a fair discrimination between raw materials and such
manufactured articles come in competition with .
the industry Of the country. The artisan, the me- .
chanic, the abOrer, have under existing cIrcumstan
ces but little chance of when the country Is
deugei with cheap articles ''sops, made for sale
and not for use-hne in appearance, but without IN
trinsic value
The imported manufactures of wood, of cloth, of
leather and various other materials, come in direct
competition with domestic industry, and shut out
from employment n large class OF men and women
who would otherwise be industrious and producing
members Of the community.
\ duty Of fifteen or twenty per cent. such arti-
cle Of trade If il made no addition the public
uues would at least protect the industrial portion of
the community and encourage enterprise among the
people.
Ii it be desirable introduce habits of labor econ
omy and foresight among the Hawaiian people,
know of better means than 10 shape our legislation
10 enable them to engage prohtably IN the usual
trades and avOcations CT other countries
| suggest the enactment of some provision IN re-
gard the of ntestate foreigners the proceeds
Of which, in default of heirs, 90 into the Treasury
limiting the time Of escheGi, avoid the neces-
sity of long in the Treasury books In the
present state OF rapid intercourse between different
parts of the world il is needless 10 make the Depart
ment of Finance a trustee for decedent property for
so long a time as ten years, the time specified by the
former law, and left open by the Civil Code. After
the expiration of three years all such property,
think should be considered escheated and passed TO
the credit of the Government. In Of hardship
there would be 10 difficulty in obtaining relief from
the Legislature, upon meriorOus statement OF facts
on the part of the claimant
There are other suggestions which might be made .
in regard to certain provisions of the Civil Code but
as they will be likely 10 before the Legislature