The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-09-08
Afternoon se.sion.
The House reassembled at las.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

Afternoon session
The House reassembled at las
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
Consideration of the petition of William
! FIowerdew which had been returned by
the committee for the House TO act upon.
! Mr.. Brown said he presented the petition
! at the request of Mr. Flowerdew, and it
was based on the contents of a letter adj
! dressed to the British Commissioner by
the late Minister of Foreign Affairs The
( honorable member read the letter. The
original claim sent in by Mr.. Flowerdew
| TO the Minister was for $12, 900 The claim
arose out of an alleged grant by the Minis
! ter OF the Interior, granting to Mr.. Flower
dew the right to lay tramways. On that
| grant, Mr.. Flowerdew went to San Fran
| cisco and ordered cars and necessary mate
| rial. When he returned he was restrained by
! the Minister of the Interior and by an in
/ junction issued ont of the Supreme Court
! The case went to trial and the result was
! that the I'M JUNCTION was made perpetual.
! Mr. Flowerdew was out of pocket $12 900,
but he had since reduced his claim TO
| s., 900. The matter after that was the sub
ject of correspondence between the Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs and the British Com
missioner, and it was upon the letter.
which had been read, that the House
would have to take action. He thought
that under that letter the Government was
ready to give sum of money. The COM
mittee had reported back the petition for
the House to take what action it thought
fit.
Mr.. Keau moved that the consideration
of the petition be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. Dole was in favor of the latter mo-
ton, or of tabling the petition. He
thought it an improper matter to bring
before the House, as Mr. FlOwerdew was
acting outside of the law. He knew very
well when he took the authority he did he
was doing so. He took the responsibility
against the advice of his lawyer. If he
has any right the remedy is against the
Minister, who went outside the law.
The consideration of the petition was in
definitely postponed.
THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES.
Second reading Of an Act relating to the
Justices of the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Castle moved it be referred to the
Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Kaulukou moved that the bill be
considered in Committee of the Whole
The motion prevailed and the House
went into Committee of the Whole, Hon
Mr.. Bush in the chair.
Mr.. Kaulukou moved the bill be consid-
cred section by section.
Mr.. Diclley said that according to rule 10, |
when the House was in Committee of the
Whole bill must be read through and
then considered section by section.
The President said that was correct
The bill was then read through.
Section 1. The Supreme Court shall con-
sist of a Chief Justice and four Associate |
Justices, any of whom may hold the Court, |
and when so held shall have and exercise !
all the powers and jurisdiction committed |
to said Court.
Mr.. Keau moved that when the commit
tee rise they recommend the House to pass |
the section. The object of this section !
was to increase the number of Justices |
of the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Brown moved that when the Com |
mittee rise they recommend the House to
indefinitely postpone the section. Last
session he introduced a similar bill. which |
was a Government measure, but it was in
definitely postponed by the Cabinet At
that time there was great deal of work
in the Supreme Court, and it was thought !
the other two Justices would relieve the
pressure. He had, however, changed his |
mind, and thought that if two more JUS
tees were appointed there would be nothing |
for them to do. There was no work now /.
in an unfinished state, and no cases pend
ing trial. If there was prospect OF more
work then let them appoint two more JUS
tees, but it cannot be shown that any
more are required. He did not believe III
paying money for nothing. This bill, if
passed, would add $4,000 10 the Appro-
priatiOn bill. If there was work for these
two extra Justices, he would vote for them
Let them postpone the matter for two
years and if the business increases and
they require more Judges. then the bill
could be introduced.
Mr. Kaulukou said he introduced this
bill He really thought Mr.. Brown in his
heart would like to see the change. 1t
had been said that he (the speaker) had
introduced the bill for the purpose of get
ting on to the bench. Before they went
any further, he would dispeI that idea, and
state that such was far from being the
case. He hoped, if the bill passed, that in
the future he would see Mr.. Brown and
Mr.. Dole occupying chairs on the judicial
bench. If either Messrs. Castle, Dole or
Brown were on the bench their decisions
would be respected. They are men of
broad views and not narrow minded.
When he introduced this bill he did not
think any practicing lawyer would object
TO it. A newspaper had asked, Why do
we want five Justices ." That question