The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-06-17

deficiency in the revenue which viii result from
the operation Of reciprocity.
On Thursday, a resolution was adopted to send
a special committee Of thirteen to visit the leper
establishment a, MolokaI on the steamer Kilquea.
and enquire inta alleged grievances. The same
thing was done by The Legislature two years ago,
the affair turning out a mere pleasure trip and
an occasion for dissipation and license.
The Introduction by the Ministry on Thursday
Of an act to carry into effec, the treaty of reci-
procity,-after such an expenditure Of words and
declaration Of - plucky - resolves not to do any
thing Of the sort,-gave occasion for both admi-
ration and amusement. In this, and also in the
: matter Of the immigration question, the action Of
the Ministry forcibly reminds Us Of the "artiul
dOdger Of pugilistic fame. To use another
Illustration the Ministry may be compared to
the wary mariner, who, when be finds it imprac-
ticabIe 10 steer just the course he would prefer,
trims his sails and Yeers his vessel in accordance
with the breeze, and eventually, in view OF a
threatened storm, goes quite on the other tack.
But unfortunately the illustration does not hold
good, for the reason that our Ministry have really
settled upon no course to steer, but are . back
ing and filing" like the Irishman's brig, " with
both main taeks aboard"
The following is the text of the act above re-
ferred to, which, when read, will lead everybody
to ask-Why on earth could not this have been
brought in at first, and saved all the hullabaloo,
bother and ill-feeliDg in the House? The Minis
ter of Foreign Relations declared that on PRINCE
PIE, he should refuse, so long as he held His
Majesty's commission, to submit this treaty to
the present Legislature. On what PRINCIPLE
does he now take the backward track?
AN ACT to carry into effect a Convention of Reel
procity between His Majesty the King and the
United States of America, signed at y ashington on
the 50th day of January, 1875. WHEREAS, His
Majesty the King did on the 8Oth day Of January,
1873, enter into a Convention with the United States
of America, at the city of Washington, which said
Convention was ratified by His Majesty at Honolulu
on the 18th day of April, 1875, and notifications
we're exchanged at the city of Washington on the Sd
day of June CT the same year;
AND WHEREAS, the said Convention provides in its
fifth article that it, the said Convention, shall 90
into effect as soon as it has been approved and pro-
claimed by His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian
Islands, and shall have been ratified and duly pro-
claimed on the part of the government of the United
States, but not until d law to carry it into operation
shall have been passed by the Congress of the United
States; NOW THEREFORE,, b ii enacted, &C., that
whensoever His Majesty shall have received s~atisfac-
tory evidence that the Congress of the United States
has passed laws to give full effect to the provisions
of said Convention, and shall proclaim that he has
received such evidence, from and after the date of
such proclamation. the following articles, being the
growth, manufacture or produce of the United States
of America, to wit: There follows the list of articles
as contained in the treaty] shall be introduced into
this country free of duty, so long as the said Conven-
ton shall remain in force.
Yesterday the Minister of Finance laid before
the House "A Plan for supplying the deficiency
in the revenue of the kingdom anticipated upon
giving effect to the Convention of Reciprocity
with the United States of America" We shall
give details in our next.