The Hawaiian gazette., 1880-06-16

We publish the following interesting report
of debate in the Assembly on the liquor law.
Hon. Mr.. Gibson, from the Committee to con-
slider petitions from various parts of the Islands
that the sale of intoxcants to Chinese be prohbi-
ted the same as to Hawaiians, reported favorably
for the petitioners and that the petitions be laid on
the table, to be considered with the bill introduced
by the Hon. Mr.. Cleghorn for prohibiting their
sale to all nationalities with whom we had no
treaty.
Hon. Mr. Rhodes respected and sympathised
with the motiv. of the Committee in their report
but such legsl ion would be class legislation, to
which he was posed on principle. Hon. Mr.. Glib
son replied eloluently showing the evils flowing
from the present state of things, he had himself
seen forty cases containing intoxicants landed at
Lahaina all addressed to Chinese, when there was
no license there for their sale, and had seen ma
tives coming out of the houses for refreshment
evidently under their influence. He was himself
infavor of prohibiting the sale of intoxcants as
bererage to all the conviction that their use as
such was unnecessary, whilst the evils, flowing
from there use as such, were great-that Great
Britain had on various occasions egislated for the
benefit of laborers and other classes specially.
Mr.. Castle said that he agreed with the views
expressed by the Hon. gentleman to the neces-
sity of the use of intoxicants as q beverage and
the great evils flowing from it. They were useful
sometimes as medicine and for mechanical and
scientific purposes, but if they contribute to the
qualification as beverage, we should be willing to
forego the pleasure derived from their use for the
Al
Their sale was once prohibited to all alike about
the year 1885, the decree of prohibition taking eff
feet early In 1883, but, treaty allowing their i'm
portation was negotiated under such circumstances
that the authorities thought it expedient &c assent
to its provisions. Convinced however, from for
mer experience, that their use by Hawaiians was
to them only injurious they bethought themselves
what could be done to prevent it: They first pro-
posed to prohibit their sale to all alike but were
informed that such law would be virtual breach
of their treaty. because if they could not be sold,
it would be equivalent to prohibition of their i'm
portation, but they were advised that they could
prohibit the sale to their own people. This they
did, and it formed the foundation of the present
prohibitory law to Hawaiians.
The law is very old. 1t was only of the same
class legislation as that which the parent makes
for the child for benefit for the love borne him.
1t was made before the Constitution of 1S40 or
1852, or 1864, and though often sought to be re-
pealed, has always been sustained by majority
of the successive Legislatures before whom it as
been brought.
The Hon. Noble and myself were both members
of thu. Legislature of 1864, and when this same
question was then brought before the assembly.
/ well remember with what eloquence the venera-
BILE Governor Nahaolelua depicted the disorders
and evils, which flowed from the free use of in
toxicants by the native Hawaiians In the days of
kaomi few years before the edict of prohibition,
and there was present in that assembly Mr. Keku-
anaoa the venerable father of the last two Kane
hamehas, as well as others of the old chiefs who
had been eye witnesses of the scenes of those
times.
In those countries where intoxicants are freely
sold to all them have been the fruitful source of
great evils. To the house of the rich and the cottage
of the poor they bring dscord and strife and often
murder. They contribute more than all other causes
combined to erect the gallows, fill the jails and
crowd the aims houses. They tax the sober and
industrious to support pauperism and crime cost
ing the treasury far than it derives from all
the revenue received for its sale, besides the
told misery to community by its use. The eviden-
ces of these things are not only apparent to all
observers but are sustained by parliamentary COM
mittees of investigation, official reports, and spe-
cial investigation by careful and competent men,
testimony which cannot be rejected, and believing
as do, in the great evils, flowing from the unre-
stricted sale of intoxicating drinks beverage,
and desiring as do to save Hawaiians and Chinese
and all who can be saved from those great evils.
mnst always lift my voice and give my vote against
il. tneref cordially support the report of the
committee favorng the prayer of the petitioners for
further guards and restrictions upon the sale OF
intoxicating drinks. The report laid upon the
Mr.. Cleghorns BILL