The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-06-15
LEGISLATIVE JOTTINGs.

During the session of Saturday, Il report wa
received from the Committee of Finance, with
bill to repeal Chap. 50 of the Laws of 1876. tt
Increase the import duties on certain articles.
The bill was laid on the table to await the re
port of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. A
resolution was offered by the Minister of the In
terror, appropriating the sum of s $4,000 to reft
the schooner Storm Bird for another voyage
The consideration of this was deferred until the
special committees report on the late expedi.
ton shall have been received. (This report was
presented on Monday and will be found else
where in our ~columns.)
On Monday nothing of Importance was done
beyond discussing the report of the Committee
on the expedition of the Storm Bird. during
which the Hon. Mr.. Wilder strongly urged the
policy of reftting the vessel for another voyage,
IN order to improve the opportunity, thus pre-
sented, of procuring immigrants. The report
was made the order of the day for Thursday.
On Wednesday, the President laid before the
Assembly a communication from the Hon. C. c..
Harris, Chief Justice. enclosing an Act to repeal
Section 8 OF Chap. 20 of the laws of 1872. re-
speeding the taxing of attorneys fees in the
courts of the Kingdom. Among the numerous
bills OF which notice was given, worthy of note
was one by the Hon. Mr.. Malo. to forbid the sell
ing or mortgaging of lands by natives to foreign
ers. Hon. Mr.. Kamauoha wants to amend the
stallion law. Hon. Mr.. Mahoe presented a petit
ton from Hilo, praying that one Akiona, a China
man be allowed to practice medicine.
The other proceedings of Wednesday we're of espe-
clal interest, and it was, in parliamentary parlance, O
field day" The special order of the day was the
report of the Committee on Finance, and as it rec
commended the g gravest censure - of the Ministry,
the motion for its adoption by Hon. Nawahi brought
the Ministry to their feet.
Minister Kapena reviewed the Report of the Com
mittee, and urged upon the attention of the native
members the inadequacy of the charges as affecting
the advisers of His Majesty.
Minister Smith. dwelt in detail upon the points in
the Report of the Commission of Experts. He con-
sidered that they had assumed judicial functions,
and had exceeded their authority, which confined
them to the investigation of books, whereas, they
had sworn in clerks, and taken testimony as before
a court. He reviewed the testimony of Jones and
Weynton in the Interior Department, and considered
that the discrepancies brought forward by the Com
mission Of Experts might be as much owing to the
shortness of the memory or negligence of Weynton
as of Jones. However he did not after all think the
discrepancies big enough to engage so much of the
SSntAOn Va 1Hio aesSmOlJ as nAu Deeu the case
and he moved the indefinite postponement of fur
Their consideration of the Report of the Committee
on Finance.
Hon. Mr.. Gibson, Chairman of the Committee on
Finance, said he did not want to occupy the atten-
ton of the Assembly more than q minute, as he felt
satisfied that the minds of the members were al
ready made up in regard to the disposition of the
of the COMMITTEES on Finance. He merely
wished IN nnticp ramarG of Tho H., NT:.:z..-
(Smith)-that the discrepancies or deficiencies in
the accounts of his department were not big enough
for the consideration of the Assembly. Perhaps
not. He could not say how big a deficiency it was .
worth while making a fuss about. But this view of
The case by the Minister, reminded him of the story
If the young woman, who though unmarried had a
baby, and when she applied for a situation in o re-
family, the lady of the house said to her.
: But you have a baby. How is that?' eyes,
ma am, 1t IS true" said the girl, 'but it is such a little
me-" Laughter Now the size is not a question, nei- ,
her IN the case of the baby or the deficiency; if it was,
We might doubt about the Minister'S baby being
UGH q little one for who knows, as all is not yet .
evealed, but that it is a big boy of corruption.
minister's have not touched upon the main points 6
l the Report. They have taken up time in trying .
o explain away matters of minor consideration, but {
respect to unauthorized withdrawal of funds, or =
ross negligence in permitting long lapses of time :.
D ensue without making any entries of disburse. y
lents, and SO afording an opportunity for losses. .
r frauds, or in respect to the matter of improper y"
Expenditures in the Interior Department we have "
OF O word-on these points the Assembly REQUIRED ~
satisfactory answer,-and in its absence, honora- l.
lie members, devoted to the welfare of the country. :
i'll sustain the Report of the Committee whose in Vi
must lead to important administrative ILL
W
Hon. Noble kaai, made q strong and earnest ap- III
cal to the Assembly in behalf of the Report. He y.
i'd that its adoption would be a new departure in az
e public affairs of this country. 1t struck a blow pr
rings. 1t opened up many dark and hidden u
ings in the administration of public affairs. It La
ould lead to valuable reform-and in its scope. the 90
eport had q bearing upon the welfare and indie tt
ndence of the country be felt and hon. In
that every Hawaiian member weuld support the up
option, and he should consider the one who of
snt with the Ministry and opposed it as a traitor, CHI
his mind, somewhat like the American Arnold
Hon. Mr.. Bickerton spoke at some length. and oc
remarks appear in another column. Ks
Hon. Noble Bishop considered that the apimus en-
the Report was bad. He thought that its Of the
lsive tone would be recognized,-and it could Ia
We accomplished its work better without making Tn
nifest such an animus. And there were besides :
ious errors in the estimates of the financial con- bo,