The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-08-12

contemplated Tor the carrying out OF the a. Jeho-
yah " bill of Hon. T.. Martin. was voted down
after some discussion, the members having salts
fed themselves that as the grand scheme bad
been abandoned, the money if voted would be
transferred to some less noble account; the capa-
city for which kind of accommodation had been
shown by the ministry IN their previous accounts.
a nearly successful attempt was made on We'd
nesday TO reduce the tax on horses to so cents
and we were much surprised to find the ministry
attempting to negative the reduction, after hav-
ing lent their aid in relief of the poor and OPP
pressed Hawaiian groaning under the burden Of
a one-dollar poll-tax. The bill was killed by q
majority Of one.
We viii give our readers a specimen of the
measures proposed and the manner in which they
are managed and engineered through our Legis-
lative Assembly promising that it may provoke
some dismal mirth.
About a month ago a very important draft ola
law-at least it was so styled by a native MEM
Der who introduced twas referred TO q COM
mittee of which the Minister for Foreign Affairs
Was chairman. This signifies that that gentle
man was the mover in the matter of reference,
that individual being generally appointed chair
man. After a time the committee reported, and
on Thursday their bill was brought up for dis
cussion in committee of the whole house. And
what was the bill? Why it proposed that bronze
medals of the value OF five dollars each, We be-
lieYe, should be struck and one presented to all
parents who could boast of having four living
children, and sums of money varying from FIVE
dollars to one hundred to be given to all those
who had children living up to ten, then another
sum of ten dollars for each child over ten. One
of the native members wanted to know what was
the object of the medals, and if they were to be
worn as a dog wears his tag but thought it
would be a great deal better for the fortunate
parents if they were presented with a sum of
money. One of the foreign members proposed
the indefinite posteonement of the measure as
impraeticable, when the Minister who was chair
man of the ommitt that reported the bill, said
he agreed with him and others who had arrived
at the same conclusion, but he wished that the
House should decide for itself. Will it be be-
lieved that after the whole morning session and
part of the afternoon had been devoted to the
discussion of this precious bill, the Minister, in
the face of what he had said in the forenoon,
would not vote for its suppression ? and it has
been referred to another committee, to be brought
N6AAe SSAOA NS 44NASS , ~ NAoN "ANh AhAAJ AAo-
posed of it will have been three times considered
in committee and three times in the Assembly.
Now what is the meaning of this waste of time
and yacillation on the part of Minister? Is it
that they want to kill time and amuse the Legis-
lature until they get news of the treaty or is it
a mere trucking to the native members for the
sake of their votes, and the retention of Office;
or perhaps they are preparing for a grand coup
de theatre at the expense of their poor dupes?
Whatever it may be, it is well the world should
know what is going on in this the fourth month
of imbecile and mismanaged legislation, and the
style in which the public money is likely to be
squandered.
The House spent the greater part Of the day
yesterday IN haggling over q few unimportant
items to the exclusion of what was more impor-
tant. An item of $4,000 for a fencing the
Aliiolani lot, was erased from the appropriation
bill, mainly upon the consideration that the lot
had been devoted almost solely to pasturing
horses. The members thought the fence now
standing was as good as those generally en-
ployed for paddocks, and perhaps they were
right. Late in the afternoon the subject of
agriculture and immigration came up and was
left unfinished at the adjournment. 1t is the
first subject in order to-day.