The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-27
II II z
THE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislative Assembly yesterday
passed two bills and advanced some
others a stage. Among the bills which
passed was one regulating the measure
ment of vessels on the Hawaiian register.
It adopts the rules of measurement in
force in the United States and England,
and will prove to be a boon to ship
owners Considerable discussion took
place on the second reading of bill
amending the Street Railroad Act of 1884,
known as the Austin franchise. The
amendments introduced were necessary,
and of a practical character. While
they will not hamper the holders of the
franchise granted under it, public interest
will be more carefully guarded than
would have been the case if the bill had
passed as reported from the select COM
mittee. Three years are to be given for
building and equipping the roads for pas
senger travel, but should the franchise
holders fail to complete all the pro-
jected lines, only that part already COM
pleted and ready for travel within the
period named is to be their property.
Forfeiture of franchise after three years
is to be enforced regarding all unfinished
portions. AS the franchise will cover all
probable paying lines OF travel for many
years to come, it is only just and proper
that this precaution should be taken,
otherwise public convenience and neces-
sity might be held at the caprice OF
spectators. The period named is a
reasonable time to complete the street
railroad system embraced in the bill.
The Oceanic Steamship Subsidy bill
was under discussion when the Legis-
lature adjourned, Messrs. Dole and
Tnurston having made speeches in OPP
position. They did not succeed in max
ing any point of value, and utterly
failed to show a plausible reason for
not paying a sufficient subsidy for the
work done by the Oceanic Company.
They ventilated their own views on the
subject, and it is hardly necessary for the
ADVERTISER to remark that these We're
warped by prejudice and therefore illOg-
ical We say this out of no feeling of
hostility or unfriendliness to these gen
tlemen, but as impartial Observers of
their course of action in the Legislature.
Mr.. Cecil Brown did not venture to give
a reason of his own for moving that the
subsidy be fixed at 81 900 per round trip,
instead of 81 800 as recommended by
the Committee on Commerce, who re-
ported back the substitute bill now be-
fore the House. He had heard Colonel
Spreckels say that he would accept 81 900
and that remark fixed him. But the
Oceanic Steamship Company which per-
forms the service is a corporation, and
its calculation, we understand, Is that
$1,000, for each round tripi is little enough.
Judging from the character of the steam
ship service and the amount of subsidy
paid by other governments for similar
work, 81 900 would be much fairer sum
than 81 800. The proposal to reduce the
subsidy to 81 900 for each round trip IS
simply to declare that Mr. Dole's policy
of having only one direct steamer to the
Coast every month is what this COM
munity wants. 1t does not want fort
nightly service with first-class YES
sells A slow-and-sure service once
a month, with a descending banana
freight tariff to please Mr.. Brown and the
Eva petitioners, would be the very thing
to meet the requirements OF our business
people, and could be secured for very
little money. Less than 81 900 month
would probably suffice until public
patience had been exhausted, when
return to business methods would be in
sisted upon. This Kingdom has to-day,
take it all in all, the very best steamship
service ahOat; and it should be the
pride OF the Legislature to build and
strengthen it, instead of pulling it down
by discouraging motions, unfair and un-
just criticism land cheese pairing economy.
This question comes up to-day as I'M
finished business, and should be deter
mined altogether in the interest of the
public, and not to crafty business rivalry
or personal dislike.
Mr.. Dole managed to occupy the
greater part of yesterdays sitting in the
discussion of a resolution which some
people have regarded as a vote of want
of confidence in the Government, but to
which we do not attach any special i'm