The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-07-20
THE PACIFIC
JULY 20.


The ASSEMBLY has been at work quite indus
triously of late, and, for that body, with a re
markable degree of unanimity. During the pas
week the Appropriation Bill has passed it
first reading, and there is now a possibility o
the business Of the session being completed 81
that the Propagation may take place by the ent
of the month. For roads and bridges through
out the kingdom, the sum ST Sl05 600 was voted
including the road tax amounting to 500 600
and SO, 900 for the continuation Of King stree
to Kapiolani Park-a very necessary measure &c
ensure the Improvement of that important sub,
urb. Fifty thousand dollars is the sum appro.
priated for a ROYAL Palace-none too much, but
if properly applied sufficient to lodge the King in
a better house than is possessed BY any private
gentleman in the Kingdom, and which should be
the case. In the matter Of salaries of govern
ment officials, with but one exception none have
! been increased. An attempt was made, but fail
| ed, to place the salaries of Ministers at $1,000
a by no means extrayagant fgure-but they re-
main at S4, 000. The exception noted was in the
case of the Registrar of Public Accounts, whose
pay was fixed at s $500 and in view of the re-
sponsibilities and duties of the position and the
faithful and careful manner in which they have
been discharged by the present incumbent under
successive administrations, all will admit that
the increase of compensation is justly bestowed.
1t is understood that the special committee on
the subject of treaty complications with Great
Britain will report early next week, and that
Immediately thereafter the subject Of a revised
tariff will be considered. These are matters Of
the first Importance, and their settlement
will be looked for with much interest.
EARLY in the present session of the Assembly a
bill was introduced by the Hon. w. o. Smith,
the purport Of which was to make it obligatory
on the Ministers to periodically visit in person
every district throughout the Islands. The object
was an excellent one but for some reason, not
very apparent, the bill was defeated. 1t is not,
however, too late to bring the matter up again
in al amended shape, and for that reason we
now refer to it.
The end aimed at in the " Commission to de-
velop the resources of the Kingdom, - appointed
under the law of 1876, (Which has never been
fully attained, inasmuch as all the Islands have
not been thoroughly examined by the Commits
sion) might perhaps be as well accomplished
through the Ministers themselves individually
tours of the Islands, and thus becoming
thoroughly informed as to the needs of the diff
ferent localities in the line of public improve
ments. In this way the Ministers would consti-
tute a perpetual ~ex-oficio Commission to
develop the resources and by putting into
written form, after careful examination, 50 an
estimate of the quantity of land in any one To-
cality capable of being cultivated to advantage,
the nature of the crops that can be raised there
and the feasibility of constructing landings
or other facilities for the shipment of
or roads leading to the same, or water
courses thereon for the purpose of irrigation, or
for furnishing power for mills, or whatever other
improvements may to them appear feasible and
necessary in order to the development of the
agricultural resources of the locality visited -
objects contemplated by the Act o f1876 would
be in 4 fair way of accomplishment. This may
Ill be done by any one of the Ministers whenever
official duties will permit of a few weeks absence
rom the capital whilst a personal inspection of
loads and bridges throughout the country is quite
essential for the head of the Department of the
Interior.
Several years since, the idea was preached IN
his journal of remodeling the Judiciary of the !
Kingdom, creating five Judges of the Supreme
COURT instead of three as at present, one of whom
hould reside on each of the principal Islands,
md upon whom should devOlve the duty of peri |
visiting, for supervision and instruction,
he district justices. Aside from any expectation
f shortly seeing such a salutary change brought
bout in the constitution of the Judiciary, it must
e apparent to all that a frequent supervision of
most of the district justices by some one of the
ldges of the Supreme Court would be highly
satisfactory in its results.
The police force is by law appointed by the
ifferent Governors of Islands, and is under the
eneral direction and control of the Marshal.
my one who knows the material of which our
ountry policemen are made, will understand that
o small portion of the time of the Marshal and
is deputies is required to personally visit and
lstruct them in order to ensure a proper dis
barge of their duties. With the extension of
gricultural operations and the consequent influx
f population, the necessity will increase of con-
ant official supervision in this particular.