The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1876-05-17
The Legislature.


The Assembly has done but little of the real
work of the session as yet. The week past has
been consumed in considering resolutions, re
ports of Committees and introduction of bills.
The disposition to find fault with the Ministry
is not allayed, and we incline to the belief that
some more open and determined action will be
had. The success of the last Legislature in
their efforts to drive the Attorney General from
! the Cabinet is not forgotten
The resolution that the Assembly should
vote by estates was lost We were sorry to
learn that the foreign member from Lahaina
voted in favor of the resolution, when it was
so decidedly opposed to the text and sense of
the constitution. The native members are
misled and confused when men of such inteli-
gence as the Hon. member from Lahaina is
possessed of, vote in support of such resolu-
tons. However the votes on the Ministerial
side have been somewhat inexplicable the past
week. The member for Waialua brought in a
bill to amend law that has been repealed for
some years. The Hon. Mr.. Preston in few
remarks, excusing himself for commenting on
BIZ on its first reading, clearly established
the fact of the repeal of the law which the bill
under consideration sought to amend, and
moved the rejection of the bill The vote be-
ing taken, the Minister of Finance was the
only one who voted in favor of rejection, the
others opposing it.
The Committee appointed to examine the ac-
count of the Secretary Tor the session of 1874
reported the account correct and approved the
bills that were due and unpaid by the Legis-
lature of 1874. The report met with opposi-
ton and was ordered to be printed.
The Minister of Finance was requested to
inform the Assembly if the provisions of an
act to create sinking fund, approved Dec 81,
1864, had been carried ont, and if so what the
amount of the fund was. The act provides
that monies paid into the Treasury from sales
of government lands shall be set apart as
sinking fund, that the fund be applied to pur-
chase and redemption of Government indebt-
edness that interest at the rate of seven per
cent be allowed and paid by the Minister of
Finance for all monies deposited and not inves-
ted This act has some good features which
are more than balanced by the provision for
paying interest. We are not sure that the act
is of enough Importance to warrant discussion,
in fact it would be well to repeal it. Rumor
says that no sinking fund has been created by
the act, that the act has been allowed to sleep.
The opposition will no doubt make point on
this lapse.
One of the members for Honolulu, Hon Mr..
Lilil1alani, moved an amendment to the Con-
stitution by which representatives shall serve
without pay. The motion was indefinitely
postponed There is much to be said upon the
subject of pay of Representatives, and while
hasty legislation should be avoided, many be-
ieve that the custom adopted in England,
where members of Parliament receive no pay,
should be adopted here.
A law is before the Assembly in relation to
driving sheep afflicted with scab on to, or
across, other sheep runs. 1t is possible that
some legislation is required upon this matter,
but care should be taken that the act should
be broad and comprehensive in its provisions
that the act is not in the interest Of few in
dividuals. Some of the native members in
discussing the bill, confused the matter under
consideration by importing leprosy and other
matters equally foreign into the debate, and
just how it was left, one cannot now say.
A bill to amend section of chapter 81, of
the Penal Code has been considered. The sec
ton reads; "butno prose-
cution for such offence (drunkenness) shall be
sustained, unless it shall be commenced within
six months after the commission thereof"
The proposed amendment is to strike out the
words six months" The change is of no
value; on the contrary It is mischievous one.
The ava law is to be amended to permit two
licenses to Lahaina, Waikiki, Hilo and posi-
bly, other localities.
His Ezcellency Of the Foreign Office feeling