The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-05-27
M x no.

The May number Of the +" Planters Monthly ;"
is issued, and we have to acknowledge the receipt OF
copies. We are glad 10 congratulate the editors
on the tone and quality Of then magazine, 10 which
we heartily wish a long and useful career. The
editors have no ordinary task in hand in a narrow
field like this, and should have tho loyal and
thoughtful support Of all who are interested ia
our chief producing industry. The editorial
article is a timely and judieioue one on the
= Urea tmeut Of Laborers.' The other articles are
c~hicfgsOf a practical character MS their titles inn
port -" Cutting and carting cauo,' by E.P.A.
"Otto's filter apparatus" .tThe vacuum pam by A.
l.. A report OF the mass meeting in favor OF Prohibi-
bition held in Honolulu on the 4th instant. and an
article on Lahaina cane from tho pen Of Mr.. ID. ID.
Baldwin. reproduced from The columns Of a con-
temporary, are also among the contents Of this
number.
The system so common among Hawaiians Of
adopting the children % other people leads occa-
sionally to complications. Deputy Marshal Dayton
was occupied on Monday in the endeavor to settle
amicably a dispute arising from a case Of this sort.
A mother claimed her child. which had, with the
consent Of both parents, been brought mp by others
for a heightened period. Neither the child nor the
woman who adopted il were willing that the
former should go back. Both women had lost their
husbands and married again since the adoption OF
the child. A mother IN such a case, has certain le-
gal rights, which il would be wen il the course Of
conduct She has pursued IN letting another bring
up her child should make absolutely void, unless
improper conduct on the partof the patrons should
be shown.
An extraordinary amount Of rumor prevailed
in the town during the carly part II the week as to
alleged appointments that have been made to posts
under Government, az the expense, Of course, Of
turning out their prcreht incumbents, We have
warrant for saying that these rumors arc without
truth. They are either inventions of those who
dislike the present Ministers, or Of those who want
to get their friends into billets, or possibly Of idle
tongues merely. Ministers have neither discussed
nor contemplated either the changes spoken Of or
any others. We have great satisfaction in being
assured that the views Of Ministers are not TO mako
any removals from dice unless good reasons die
tate the necessity. heaven forbid that the "Spoils''
System, against which the people Of the United
State are now revolving should take any root herei
We referred in 0ur issue Of May I'd. to what APP
peared u be n curiosity in the way Of appeals
made by a CAiuaman named Kan On, in the hope
Of obtaining a mitigation Of the sentence passed
on him for selling liquor by the District Justice
at Kappa. Enquiry has elected the fact that Off
cial information ON the subject received in town
was defective in not specifying that the man had
been sentenced 90 three months imprisonment as
well as the fine Of $500 which he paid. Kan On
objects to the double punishment like the negro
whose master when about 10 administer a logging
preceded it by a long lecture drawing from hia
victim the pathetic appeal: 8" Massa, IL hoggee,
doggee if pTeachee, preachee bnt no hoggee and
preachee too" He is Of opinion 100, that the law
does not allow both fine and imprisonment, hut
only leaves with the magistrate an option as to
which he shall inhict. IL the ultimate decision in
his ease should show that this is the state Of the
law, it should be amended. Experience seems to
show that a fine is not an adequate punishment for
the offence because it is not a deterrent, yet the
magistrate can hardly avoid imposing fines in
these cases, because the only provision for reward-
ing the person who detects the offence is the rule
which allows him half the fine.