The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-05-20

IN his report to the Legislature, written
in his capacity as ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, Mr..
Armstrong takes a decidedly gloomy view
Of the condition of the Kingdom. The in
crease in the foreign population has been
accompanied by All increase of crime -evi-
dence is gradually accnmulating that there
is a considerable class of dangerous men
among the 5000 Chinese who have come
here since 1S72-prosecutions for the Illicit
sale of liquor usually break down, al
though it is notorious that the trade is
carried on i'm all directions-opium is
extensively brought into the Kingdom in
spite of a prohibitory law and of more than
ordinary vigilance OH the part of the Off
GERS of the Police and Customs departments
the police force is, in the present state of
the law, the subject of divided authority
whic tends to make ii inefficient-the prin-
cipal object of the unpaid police officers of
the country districts is to speculate in crime
the turbulent elements, now existing i'll
the Kingdom demand the addition of "A
hundred men to the police fOrce-irearms
are being extensively bought by Cinnamon
much injustice is done throughout the
Kingdom from the want of proper investi-
CATION of criminal c"hargrs-such is the re-
view of our social condition, which II few
months incumbency of the Office of At
torney-G General has instigated Mr.. Arm
strong to write.
The remedies he suggests are in many
cases very pertinent, and undoubtedly
many of them will nave to be adopted.
They are chiefly measures which have been
advocated from time to time in the editorial
columns of this journal. The registration
of Chinese, after the manner adopted in the
British settlement of Singapore, is recon-
mended as a precautiOn against their pos
sible turbulence. Mr.. Armstrong truly
says: off the authorities of Singapore
deemed it advisable to adopt such a regula-
ton it certainly is of more Importance to
adopt il here, where means of controlling a
turbulent force are much less effective
In the matter of the Police Force, he recon-
mends the repeal of Section l, of Chapter
80, of the PenaI Code. This gives unpaid
constables one-half of the fines collected in
suits where they have made the arrests
In repeating this vicious section of the law
Mr.. Armstrong would recommend the
Legislature to exempt the opium anC
smuggling cases only. In these case.
there is sound policy In giving a bonu:
W lllOoG viz oAC SAANAN AcH6 W NS
tect crime. In all others the tendency o
the law is so manifestly bad that it is sur
prising that it was ever permitted to dis
figure our statute book, and still more so
that experience has not, long ago, driv
en- the authorities to- request its repeal. Thii
is the result of it as depicted by Mr.. Arm
strong:
These unpaid officials are under no discipline
mr. control. They are not subject 70 the orders a
superior officers. They discharge police duty
they choose. Their principal object i'll serving i
to speculate in crime. They make arrests. gcner
ally. in those cases only where their share Of tn
fines are considerable. But, besides this, it Ina
been long evident To this department that thes
unpaid officers work up cases. or instigate par
ties to make prosecutions. This is especially so il
adultery eases. Husbands bring charges agains
wives, and wives bring like charges against nus
bands by the influence Of these men. These me-
also take advantage of quarrels to instigate thos
engaged i'll them to commence prosecutions agains
each other, in order to obtain the reward Of tn
half fine
Unfortunately, ii is only too well-knowl
that these statements, strong as they are, d.
but represent plain and patent facts.
In recommending an increase of on
hundred men in the Police Force of tn,
Kingdom, Mr.. Armstrong advocates thei
being "thoroughly drilled in the use of tn,
club and the musket," divided into small
companies under the command of ever,
competent officers from time TO tim,
detailed to service in different part
r of the Kingdom on general duty, an,
brought at stated periods back t.
Honolulu for drill and general discipline
His other recommendations are tina
Chinese Interpreters, not of Chimes
nationality, be secured; that the laws o
the Kingdom be translated into the Chimes
and Portuguese languages, and that tn
Acknowledgement have authority cOnferre,
upon him to appoint District Crown t
torreys for the islands of Hawaii, Maui
and Kauai. The latter of these recon-
mendations he places great stress upon, an,
there can be little doubt that the idea viii
receive wide support from the public.