The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-05-29
SATURDAY
THE LEGISLATURE.

In the Legislative Assembly yesterday
the business done was OF satisfactory
character The Committee on Squares,
Park and Nurseries brought up a favor
able report. The money voted by the
Assembly had been well spent, and good
results were anticipated AS a matter OF
fact, forestry would pay in this country
were it scientifically carried out /; but the
experiment on Makiki hillside can only
be regarded as preliminary work. What
has been accomplished already shows
what may be done with more money
and closer attention. 1t rests with the
Legislature to determine whether the
bare hillsides and mountain tops OF the
Kingdom shall be clothed with forest,
which would modify the climate and in
crease the national wealth, or whether
they shall remain "a at present. We
are not aware whether this question will
come up before the Assembly this SEES
sion, but we can imagine no more inn
portant one engaging its attention. The
department of forestry has become one
of the most important in Prussia, France
and India, and in several of the British
Colonies it likewise occupies leading
place. There is no reason why it should
not become an important branch of the
Interior Department of this Kingdom,
and when the vote for squares, park and
nurseries comes up, We trust the
Legislature will consider it intelligently.
A bill to establish the grad of streets
and footpaths in this city AMI to fix he
width of footpaths, was read first and
second time yesterday, ON motion of His
Excellency Mr.. Gulick. 1t was referred
to the Committee on Fire Limits. Now,
we hope something serious is intended
by this bill, because the condition OF the
streets and footpaths in this city is
simply disgraceful. If, however, the
bill which has been referred to the
Commi tee on Fire Limits regardin g
grades and the width of sidewalks,
shares the fate of the bill defining the
fire limits, which has already passed
the Legislature, it might almost be
tossed into the waste paper basket.
Without laying claim to any gift of
prophecy, we say that the concessions
made in that bill to owners of land in
the burned district, by circumscribing
the fire area, viii amount to a
llsslv-y che shape OF inaure,>.o
upon every other class of properly.
However, that is a matter entirely with
the Legislature and property owners /;
and perhaps when a second fire desolates
the city, and insurance companies refuse
fire risks except at extra hazardous
rates, it will be decided that conserva-
ton of the public interest is the true
policy to pursue. In the grading of
streets and footpaths there should be no
question Both should be determine
by competent surveyors and noted in
the records OF the Survey Department.
The width of a sidewalk will depend
mainly upon the breadth of the street,
and therefore there should be no diff
Guilty about it.
A abort debate took place on a resOlu-
ton which raised the point whether a
member could be originally tried in any
Court upon any charge involving his
right to seat in the Legislature. 1t
had reference to certain proceedings in
the Second Judicial District at Hilo,
against Mr. Kekoa, member for Puma.
The Constitution provides that the Legis-
lature is the sole judge of the qualifca-
ton of its own members, and it was con-
tended that it was incompetent in the
Court in question to entertain a charge
which. raised that issue. AS the matter
has been appealed to the Supreme
Court, it was deemed inexpedient to
pursue the subject further. This is per-
haps the best thing to be done under the
circumstances.
Mr.. Dole introduced bill to regulate
Chinese immigration. 1t assumes that
Chinese immigration can be regulated
without passports. No doubt the pass
port system is elastic, but it is not more
Objectionable than the plan proposed by
Mr.. Dole He would have unrestricted
Chinese immigration conditioned upon
the sexes being equal in the case OF new
corners, the regulation not to apply to
returning Chinese. Wherefore, no mat
ter how many Chinese might come in
under this bill, the disproportion of the
sexes would be maintained. This GER
tainly is not a bill we can commend to
the favorable consideration of the Legis-
lature 1t would strengthen the Chinese
position in the country, which is already
too strong.
A resolution was passed, on motion OF
His Excellency Mr.. Kapena, censuring
Mr.. LA. Thurston, member for MolO-
kai and Lanai, for words used on the
floor of the House on the 25th instant,
grossly insulting the Minister of Finance
and the other Cabinet officers. The
resolution also expressed the sense of the
House that an apology should be made
by the offending member. The proceed
ing is fully reported elsewhere. This
resolution refers to an incident which |
the ADVERTISER did not report at the |.
time, and upon which it will not com
ment until Mr. Thurston's promised /
apology is before the Legislature.
@
At II O'Clock noon to-day Messrs. E. P.
Ill rol