The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-06-30
T H e
THE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislative Assembly made con-
siderable progress in useful work yester-
day, more especially in advancing bills
having for their object the better regula
ton of towns and cities. This is one of
the most important class of bills that
could be dealt with, and we sincerely
hope that the regulations prescribed by
statute in each case, when these meas
ures become law, will be vigilantly en-
forced. The great defect of municipal
government everywhere is the laxity of
the local authorities in enforcing the
regulations or bylaws. In this King
dom there is no municipal, as contra
distinguished from the national govern
ment, all being under one head and one
administration. This has many adj
vantages if it be Objectionable in some
respects. 1t has this special advantage,
that the system is direct acting There
is no intermediate authOrity-no buffer,
as it were, between the Government and
the people; hence so much the more is
expected from the Government. Whether
the time has come when Honolulu
should be clothed with all the functions
of municipal government is moot point
which we shall not discuss in this place;
but no question can arise as to the neces-
sity for providing for the better regula
ton of buildings, and the grading,
widening andimprovement of the streets
and thoroughfares of this city.
The question OF economy and retrench-
ment was again taken up by His Excel
lency Mr.. Gibson in pointed and prac-
teal speech, in which he appealed to
the Legislature to unite in a loyal effort
to place the credit and finances of the
country on a sound basis. This speech
may be taken to be the complement of
his remarks on the same subject the
preceding day, and was equally well re-
ceived He intimated that a crisis had
been reached in the affairs of the cOun-
try when a new departure as to expeDdl-
ture had become a necessity; and,
speaking rather in representative than
in a Ministerial capacity, he implOred
the House to settle down resolutely to
business, and by diligence and intelli-
gent application conclude the work OF
the session by laying the foundation for
solid and continued prosperity. The in
dications were that the Assembly was
prepared for such a course OF action.
There can be no doubt that it is the
prudent course to take. At least it is a
point upon which there should be no
difference of opinion, because the Oppo-
sition members protested to favor re-
trenchment from the outset, and there
fore cannot join issue with the Govern
ment when it leads them on the same
road.
Reference was made during the pro-
ceedings to the absence of certain Min
listers, and the inconvenience resulting
therefrom when questions affecting their
departments came up. or bills introduced
bv them were under discussion. This
inconvenience was admitted by MIR.
Gibson, but Ministers were not the
only transgressors. The Mobiles were
hardly ever in attendance with the ex-
ception of two or three, and there were
also vacant seats among the Representa-
tiyes. This was an evil which the No
bles and Representatives themselves
must remedy; at the same time the abb
sence of Ministers undoubtedly was 3
cause for complaint.
We concur most heartily in these re-
marks, and hope they will produce a
good effect for the remainder of the SEES
sion. There has been a growing tend
ency in the Assembly to absenteeism,
until by degrees the work of the session
has fallen almost completely under the
control of a few attentive men. This
should not be the case. The country
expects honest work from its Representa-
tives, just as His Majesty the King ex-
meets honest work from the Mobiles, who
hold life seats in the Legislature by His
grace and favor But in degree both
Sovereign and people have been disap-