The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-09-02

THE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislative Assembly yesterday
began the day by consideration of the
Loan bill, and ended it by progressive ac-
ton on the Appropriation bill. After
some discussion the Loan bill was passed.
An error having been made in the engross-
ment. this was ordered to be corrected.
We have already expressed an opinion
upon this measure and the policy of Dor
rowing, and see no reason whatever to
modify oar judgment of the case. If the
money can be raised in this Kingdom,
so much the better. An opportunity
should be afforded for that purpose
We apprehend that when Hawaiian citi-
Zens loan money to the Government at
five per cent, through the Post Office
Savings Bank, and pay taxes upon de-
posits, they will not fail to perceive the
advantage of loaning it money at six per
cent and paying no tax. This is the
strong point of the Loan bill. 1t should
be peoples loan, and if it were sold to
residents Of this country it would be a
bond of loyalty not easily broken. A
foreign loan is without patriotism do
nestle loan is an incentive to loyalty.
Outside this point there is nothing to
be said The schedule submitted yb
the Government was generally approved.
Indeed, it could not be otherwise. The
loan itself is not heavy compared with
the revenue and resources of the King
dom, and for this reason we say that
offers should be made to the Govern
ment to take up the first installment OF
the loan at home. BY so doing it may
be possible to avoid an appeal to the
English or American market to provide
funds for necessary improvement works.
this loan should be held and controlled
at home but of course if local capitalists,
small and large, prefer to take the risk of
higher rates of interest and uncertain
payment there is no more to be said.
The loan must then be negotiated in
London, New York or San Francisco.
The Appropriation bill, in Committee
of the Whole, gave rise to a good deal of
desultory but interesting discussion. A
motion to insert s., 900 for the Kapiolani
Park Commissioners led to an interest
ing discussion and resulted in several
divisions. Mr.. Dole met the straight
proposition to aid the Park Commission
by an amendment that this money be
granted conditioned upon the removal
of the high board fence around the
race track. Mr.. Cecil Brown opposed |
the amendment, and upon its being |
carried declared that the Park is private |
property, and therefore we assume that |
the public has no further interest in it !
except to find money for identifying |
private property.
Now, let us ask, under what grant is |
Kapiolani Park and race track claimed |
as private property? If there be no
grant, by what hocus-pocus has it come /
to pass that the most valuable property, |
in the shape of public reserve, in the |
Of Honolulu, has become /
the property of private individuals, or
corporation? We fancy that Mr. Brown
spoke rather in advance of the fact but
be this as it may, we now call upon the
to protect the public, and
take care that every acre of the great
park in question shall continue to be
public property There is no telling
what might happen if public attention
were not turned to this point. In all old
countries in the world, more especially
in England, public trusts in time were
converted into private uses, and it was
not until the Imperial Parliament au-
.horized a Royal Commission to investi-
rate the fact that the disgraceful truth
became known. The Legislature, after
long debate on this subject yesterday,
,oted $1,000 for Kapiolani Park, pro-
yided the trustees would cause the re-
noval of the high board fence around
he race track, except for one-eighth of
nile on either side OF the judges stand.
This was compromise, the House hav~
ng originally decreed the entire re- F.
noval OF the fence as the condition of a
rant in aid.
The truth is, as explained by the Hon.
lr. Cleghorn, when the Kapiolani Park