The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-05-23

- AAaN AZ - HN& EARN M1AtA u NV
in the Ministry. Members may say il does not. but
this measure proposes 10 take from the Ministry and
the King the discretionary power which alt previous
Sovereigns and Ministers have held. and such as is
given 20 the governments Of foreign countries IL
I you adopt this report, you show 10 the country that
4 people cannot rely on the contracts or policy adopted
by the Government; that after the administration
makes its financial or business plans. the legislature
may step in ST any moment 70 defeat them. Weuld
not this iniure the credit of the Government, by
! lowering the value Of It's bonds. by making II more
dif5epl, TO obtain funds necessary 20 carry On the
Government. and by bringing mp claims of Govern
ment creditors? All | can say is. that many people
50 think.
>. : second view is. whether a sale Of the Court
House is really for the public benefit Sometimes a
sale Of land is wise and sometimes not l am not a
business man. and can only give an opinion about
business matters such as any one else would give.
In giving an opinion Of a point Of law, l undertake
to say something which every one else. without pre-
VIous study, could not say. But As Tor business l
only try to earn enough 10 pay my debts. and that Is
all my business experiences. But l can say this, that
the hrst thing in deciding TO sell land, Is whether you
wish 10 sell. ! think we had better sell land, not by
forced sales when the market is low, but whenever
We can sell on good terms. Ii keeps money in the
country. Our agriculturists have expended their
hundreds of thousands here, and the laborers have
received the money; but il has been n misfortune to
Us, that much Of the money Of Honolulu has gone
abroad instead Of being invested in the country.
Give a man land for his own, and then he has a
stake in the country and will do more for the public
DShSul as well as 10 Improve ms lauQ. Hnls L Nouid
give a house lot from my small patch of land to any
one who would put up q handsome structure there.
Instead Of the dusty sheds on the Esplanade, We
ought 10 have magnificent store buildings there TO
greet the eye of the visitor when he first touches our
shores, and TO bring in good interest and taxes to
the Government. Sell land, not all at once, or at
any time, but in lots at favorable times, and you
strengthen the country. Again. il hurts the credit
Of any one to borrow at exorbitant rates. A few
months will bring in our revenues, but just now,
unless We sell. it may be necessary to borrow at too
high rates of interest. l do not suppose this land is
TO be sold without obtaining a fair price. l hope the
time is not many years distant, when all the land in
this Kingdom will greatly increase in value. The
great measure from which | hoped for the most benefit
i mean the division of two Houses-is lost; but
still l hope well for the future. IL this land 10 sold
for S25. 1000, the taxes and interest would amountto
more than the most sanguine expectation Of the in
crease in value. 1t is said that the Court House can
be used for a Government store-house, or for a hos
pital, or a factory. Is that the place for buildings Of
that sortf l think not. Ii is also said that this is
like q cession of Pearl Harbor. 1t is nothing of the
sort. As long as this Kingdom holds out, it will and
must protect all people in their right. We say TO
the people of all lands. as the United States says
Come here, bring your money, your best men and
your enterprise. and you shall have peace and pros
perlty. No one ever dreamed that a private land
sale was a cession Of territory to n foreign power. 1t
is further said. that money should be raised from
other sources, or by lessening expenses. We all wish
TO lessen expenses as far as can be done with safety,
but that does not bring money. Is it not well to
raise money by selling what we can well spare, IL we
can get a good price,
8. Finally, does not this bill lessen the Royal pre-
~rogstive? The proposed amendment TO transfer the
power TO sell to the Privy Council is suggested be-
cause there are more Hawaiians there. Do we forget
that one member of the Cabinet is a Hawaiian. and
that nothing can be done without the express sanc-
ton Of the King hlmselff l am tired of the words
hdole and kGnGkG. and wish there were no such
words. | am not voting and talking for any set OF
men, but for the whole Kingdom. As well talk Of
voting for the interests of red haired or blue eyed
people. 1t is not because a mans hair is light or
dark, but because his ideas are good, that | listen to
him. Now the bill may do harm, and can do no
good. | hope the report will not be adopted,
Hon. Nh. Kauai was opposed to selling any more
Government property to foreigners.
Hon. Mr.. Cleghorn opposed tho report of the
Committee The Court House, if retained by the
Government, will be of no practical benefit rs a
warehouse without great expense. The warehouses
should be on the wharf. If the Court House IL sold
to foreigners ii cannot be taken away, but viii pay
taxes. Let members look at the Government prop
erty opposite the old Custom House. which has for
years lam idle and Improbable. Had it been sold,
and improved the whole community with the Gov
eminent as well would have been benefited. The
policy of England and the United Safes, is to sell
land to whoever will give the highest price for it.
But the policy of the 6its 10 TO TX up r1e nanus or rue
n.ns j" H2 r---nIenou III uutn una and them.
Hon. Mr., Kaai thought If We sell oil the Govern
ment property. then, indeed, Government securities
will go down.
His Elk. the Minister Of the Interior had listened
to the arguments of members, in favor of the amend
ment but he failed 10 be convinced of their correct
ness. He explained again how the sale Of the Court
House property would be n financially good operation.
Hon. Mr.. Dowsett explained how the proposed
amendment would operate to cripple a great many
land transactions great and small throughout the
district of Honolulu. And so too, with the districts
of Waikiki, Lahaina and Hilo, as recommended by
the Committee.
The motion to indefinite postpone the report Of the
Committee was lost, and it was laid on the table, to
be taken up with the bill to which it relates.
The bill to repeal Section 480 of the Civil Code,
(poll-tax) was read a second time, and ordered for
tomorrow.
The bill to regulate the fisheries was read a second
time and referred to q select Committee.
The bill to amend Section 7S0 Of the Civil Code
increasing the number Of Representatives was read
a second time, aud referred to a select Committee
The bill to amend the law relating to prisons Chat
prisoners shall be employed only on Government
work, and that the pay of prison officers shall be
fixed by the Legislature) was read q second time,
and referred 10 n select Committee. Adtourual