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

Among the numerous new bills introduced on
saturday last, was one to repeal Section 40 of
the Civil Code. This means to abolish the poll
tax altogether. The Hon. gentleman who intro
duced the bill did not indicate how he proposed
TO supply the deficiency in the revenue which the
HRefamof this tax would cause-and perhaps he
did not pause to think of it. y bill to increase
Rthe number OF neVrrsrnUaSrVe5 OF tire PeOPie 70
thirty-six, (the number at present is twenty
seven) leads to the inquiry, where is the necessity!
We heard an intelligent Hawaiian make the OBJ
~servation the other day, that in his opinion the
business of the country would be quite as well
attended to. and certainly with more dispatch and
were there but one Representative for
'reSerTed la, A bill to amend the law respecting
snent of prisoners, has one good fea-
tnre-providing that they shall be employed only
on the public roads or other government work.
We have had occasion to speak more than once
in, these columns on the improperly, to say the
least, of allowing convict labor to come into COM
petition with free labor in discharging ships, etc
There is, however, one provision in the bill that
should be stricken out-that which provides that
the nav Of prison officers shall be fixed by the
legislature. This is unnecessary and impracti-
cable, and it will lead to mischieyous results
But then the present Legislature shows a decided
procliyfty to arrogate to itself all sorts of power
and authority. This was apparent on Saturday
and Tuesday, when the bill to prevent the sale OF
government property in Honolulu was under dis
cussion. The object aimed at, as distinctly
stated by members, was to stop the proposed sale
of the old Court House premises, advertised by
the Minister Of the Interior for next month. As
To the policy Of that measure ut the present time,
there nav be an honest difference Of opinion, but
- the utter c~rippling of the hands of Ministers
as proposed, besides leading to 4 vast deal OF in
convenienes and positive injury to the country,
will. as o6ssrsedG in the House, amount to q vote
4 of want Of confidence in the prudence and wisdom
OF the administration, and the general public,
both here and abOad, will 50 construe 1t, notwIth-
standing that members have repeatedly taken the
mains to disayow any such intention. One member,
(Mr. Kauknha) who, in some respects may be
n looked upon as the leader among the Representa-
tiyes, made the significant declaration in the
course Of debate, that if this measure fails, the
Assembly might as well be prorogued at once.
One thing is apparent, and that is that the Rep
resentatives IN the present session are aware Of
their power land are inclined to use 1t tOol for
carrying through about any and all measures
they may agree upon in caucus. SO far, the in
huenee of the government, or of its members in
dividualIy, goes for very little.
During the week, numerous petitions have been
presented from all sections of the country, pray
ing for the prohibition Of all traffic in intoxicat-
ing drinks. These petitions are all alike, signed
mostly by natives, and read as follows
To me HoaosasIe. the legislative Assembly Of the Hawai-
= kingd1m and 6uaguern- respectfully Upresentss That the
history Of the past IN these Islands, a 8 well - the world over,
abundaniy te<tihes 70 this prominent act-that the tratic in
80 To prove this & is only necessary 20 point 20 the statistics
OF crime, both here AMI elsewhere. and 10 call 70 mind the
- poverty. the social degradation, the vice, and the various
ST phases % rain and misery that Follow in the train Il this soul
posed a. IL Is % the men Of Intelligence and experience OF the
nation. viii require no arguments from Us in proof Of our posi-
lion, thar the EgaiEng By the Hawaiian Government Of this
u8ac CAS- wen az those Of opium and ava Is n positive evil,
fruitful cause o. the decrease Of the native race Wherefore,
ard fr these potent reasonss we pray that your Honorable
body wa take this matter into serious consideration, with 4
view % the passage Of such laws as shall at once and eheCtu-
Al ally put an end % the traffic in Intoxicating drinks and sub
stances Ia this Kingdom And your petitioners, as in duty
\ bound, viii ever pray"
i In addition to this, some 500 Chinese on this
m island alone, have petitioned the Legislature,
an asking for the suppression of the traffic in opium.
= We learn that while this petition was being cir
- culated. but one solitary Chinaman was found
who declined to sign it, the generally expressed
feeling among them being an earnest desire that
~ government would put a stop to the importation
L of the drug. And when it is remembered with