The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-05-28
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY, MAY %.
LEGISLATIVE
SESSION OF 1870.
TUESDAY, May oath.

PETITIONS.
From Honolulu, praying that a sufficient sum be
appropriated for an Aims House in Honolulu. Re-
ferred.
From Lanai, praying that reservoirs be made on
that island, to assist irrigations. Referred.
Mr.. Kepoikai read for thefirst time a bill amend
ing Section 215 and 216 of the Civil Code, providing
that prisoners work on Government improvements.
The bill passed to its second reading.
The report of the Finance Committee, on the report
of the Minister of Finance, was considered in Com
mittee of the Whole, Mr.. Thompson in the chair.
Mr.. Hitchcock moved to adopt the report, and
recommen the same to the House, and they could
discuss upon the Finance Report at any time by reso-
luton.
Mr.. Lyons, favored considering the whole thing
now before the COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Pilipo supported Mr.. Lyons, and cited the in
stance of NJ. Kekuanaoa's settlements. By the last
Appropriation Bill, he was to receive $4,000 for the
two years past, but he died long before the time ex-
pired yet the whole appropriation of $4,000 was
gone, and no account made of it. He also cited the
appropriation of $4,000 for a palace, which had
been used for purposes not intended by the Legisla-
ture ; also, the subsidy for Inter-Island Navigation,
being expended for a steamer. In his opinion it was
not according to law. He spoke against the subsidies
being used for the purchase of the RHaued, and of
the "a 900 appropriated for enstructing Hawaiian
physicians, which had been used for some other OBJ
iect. He objected to such proceedings by the Minis
fer of Finance, as, in his opinion, unlawful.
Mr.. Hutchinson, in regard to the appropriation Of
$50, 900 for a new palace, stated that there was a
the wall round the Mausoleum in Nuuanu, which
was almost a kindred object, and an honor and
credit to the Government.
Mr.. PiIipo asked the Minister to explain how it
was that only $4,000 was called for in the Minister'S
report, when he said the balance was $59,OCO.
The Minister answered that an amount of some
81 200 was taken out of this appropriation for
dredging the harbor, and that he thought it as well
to charge it to this appropriation as any other.
Mr.. Lyons thought the report OF the committee was
hardly specific enough and in his opinion was not
sufficiently clear to be adopted by the House.
Mr.. Phillips (Attorney GENERALLY said he had
looked into the law, and recommended the eXpendi-
ture Of the money for the steamer KiLauea, as it was
in vain that they had waited for any company to ac-
cept the subsidy offered and it was imperative that
good inter-island communication should be eStab-
lished. In his opinion the Minister of Finance was
justified in the expenditure for the Riidued. If this
had not been done, we would have been without
steam. 1t was not SO much money thrown away, but
so much judiciously invested, and circulated among
our mechanics. 1t would have been a great neglect
if the Government had let such an excellent opportu-
nifty for inter-island steam communication go by un-
noticed.
Mr.. Lyons expressed himself satisfied with Mr..
Phillips explanation, and thought the House under
stood the RiLauea affair better. He recommended,
that the committee adopt the report with
instructions to the same committee to report more
definitely on the RILaued, the postoffice, and the
reason of the excess of expenditure over the appro-
priation also in regard to the appropriation in
regard to the education of Hawaiian youths in medi-
cine. He thought the report was non-committal.
Mr.. Hitchcock favored the adoption of the report,
if any wrong expenditure had been made, or il
legal action taken by the Minister of Finance, the
could express themselves through a resolution.
MIR. Bishop conceded with the last speaker, and
thought it was useless to impose work upon a COM
where no good was to come therefrom. The
of Finance had expressed himself as ready
to answer any questions, and as to the legality of
were not lawyers, and that the Attorney General had
that the action of the Minister of Finance was
to law.
Motion to adopt the Report of Finance, carried.
Next in order was the bill to repeal Sections 1417,
to 1925 inclusive of the Civil Code, on its second
reading, considered in Committee of the Whole.
Section one was read, when MIR. Kaai moved to in
postpone.
Mr.. Lyons moved the passage of the Section.
Several speakers expressed their views for and
against the bill.
Mr.. Thompson spoke at considerable length in IA
vor of the bill, and urged its passage. He claimed
that the law enforced involuntary s~ervitude, he had
experience in the working of the law,
and has seen its bad effects, and unfairness, as it took
away the rights of the people, and there was no
chance Of redress, as the planters and masters had
funds enough at their command to carry their cases
as they pleased, while the laborer had not the
ence between an indenture Of apprenticeship and a
Pending the discussion, the Assembly adjourned.