The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-07-14

mess of their cases in the lower
courts as to furnish plenty work on
appeals.
The amendment carried, and the
bill passed as amended, and, on
motion of Rep. Richardson, was
ordered to be read third time on
Thursday next.
Second reading of an act to pro-
vide for the appointment of an
official stenographic reporter for the
courts of the kingdom.
Minister Dare moved the bill be
considered by sections.
Rep. Keau moved in amendment
that it be indefinitely postponed.
Rep. Castle supported the motion,
speaking of the Importance of hav-
ing accurate records of evidence in
the superior courts. Judges and
barristers made minutes of the
evidence, and there were often dis
putes over varying versions. An
official reporter, he,said, would also
take down the points of law in the
arguments of counsel and the charge
of the judge. This bill was intro
duced by the late Attorney-General,
and was no doubt Government
measure.
Rep. Kaulukou admitted the
soundness of the previous speakers
arguments, but still there was no
reason to suppose the reporter would
be infallible. Besides, he might be
approachable with considerations,
when great issues were at stake, for
classifying the evidence. The Chief
Justice had told him the reporter re-
CURED to have a knowledge of legal
terms, and one so qualified could not
be got in this country. He favored
indefinite postponement.
Rep. Keau objected to the title,
as one man could not report for all
"the courts of this kingdom" Then
he objected to the expense, which
would be very great. Tie people
were asked to vote large sum for
the purpose of saving the lawyers
little disputes. There was no sug-
gestion of the necessity for such an
official in the report of the Chief
Justice.
The motion to indefinitely postpone
the bill carried.
Minister Dare desired to change
his vote from no to aye, in order to
move reconsideration of the deci-
sion of the house tomorrow. The
action of the house was not credit
able to the intelligence of the
members, or indicative of their
having well considered their votes.
There was nothing more impor-
tant to the people of this king
dom than correct evidence in the
courts of law. In the absence of a
correct record of evidence there was
nothing whatever on which to appeal
from the unrighteous decisions of a
trial judge. Members might say
there was no appeal from the Su-
preme Court, but there was such an
appeal-an appeal to public opinion
on the facts. The greatest danger
to the lives, liberties and possessions
of the people of this country lay in a
laxity of the system of recording evil
dence. The gentleman from Hilo
said that the reporter should be
lawyer, but that was not SO. God
preserve them from lawyer or
judge who was reporter. The re-
porter should be machine to take
down the words exactly as they fall
from the lips of witnesses.
Rep. Dickey said stenographer
was good, and so was sewing ma
chine. In their grandmother's days
the women were the sewing ma
chimes, and people did not need so
much clothing as now. There was
no rush for a shorthand re-
porter here, as there was in
the States. The law was admin.
istered here without reporters as
well as in the United States, eminent
jurists from abroad had compliment
ed our courts on the purity and
efficiency of the administration of
justice. He believed their records
of evidence were as pure as those of
any other country. One of the
judges of the Supreme Court had
told him that an official reporter
would be good thing if the coun-
try could afford it.
Minister Dare asked when the
Supreme Court judges were APP
pointed a committee of this Assem-
bly,.
Rep. Dickey said he did not con-
slider them committee of this As
sembly.
Minister Dare said it seemed the
hon. member had consulted them as
such.
Rep. Dickey considered the judi
ges knew a good deal more about
the necessities of the courts than
the Attorney-General.
Rep. Dole commended the praise
worthy spirit manifested by the
hon. member for Makawao, but that
gentleman was not lawyer and
therefore could not see the full i'm
portance of this question. Even
the indifference of the judges did
not indicate that the services of an
official reporter were not required.