The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-09-11

MINORITY REPORT OF THE ELECTION COMMIT
TER
Mr.. Hayselden presented the following
minority report from the Election Commit
tee
Hon. J. > Walker. President Legislative
Assembly-Sir: The undersigned, mem
bers OF your committee, TO whom was re
ferred sundry election bills, beg leave to re
port that they have had under consideration
an Act introduced by Hon. J. l. kauIu-
kou, entitled an Act to amend section Of
chapter Sc of the Criminal Code. At the re-
quest Of the honorable introducer OF the
bill, your committee added to it a por-
ton OF the section proposed TO be amended,
as it had in the hurry Of copying been in
advertently left out of the bill. Your
committee found that the only change con-
templated by this Act is to leave out the
words, during their ABSENCE in the Eng
fish version. 1t was found that the Ha-
waiian version did not contain the words,
during their absence" and it Is the
opinion of your committee that these
words should be left out OF the English
version Of the law as it at present stands,
and they therefore recommend that this
bill pass. FRED. H. HAYsELDEN,
JOHN T. DARE,
john /. KAULUKoU.
Mr.. kaulukou moved the minority re
port be adopted.
Mr. Brown said the substitute bill had
been referred to the Printing Committee
1t would hardly be fair to discuss the mat
ter now He thought both bills should be
considered together.
Mr. Hayselden said he did not look upon
the bill as substitute one. 1t was an en-
tirely different thing.
Mr.. Thurston said he hoped the report
would be laid upon the table, and that
both bills would be considered together in
a fair manner.
The report was laid upon the table, to be
considered with the bill.
ENCOURAGEMENT OF RAMIE CULTURE.
Mr.. Thurston, from the Select Commit
tee on Ramie Culture, presented the fol-
lowing report;
Hon. J. S. Walker, President Legislative
Asscmbly-Sir: Your select committee,
to whom was referred an item from the
Appropriation bill, viz: To the Hawaiian
Ramie Company, for the encouragement
of ramie culture, $4,000, report that they
have carefully considered each item, and
find the situation to be as follows:
The ramie fibre is one of the most val
liable known. 1t grows luxuriantly in
such localities on the Islands as are suita-
bic for its culture-notabiy in Kona, Puma
and Hilo.
The preparing of the fibre for use in
wolves two distinct processes: 1st. Sepa-
rating the woody material from the fibre.
I'd. a chemical and bleaching process for
the purpose of removing the gummy sub
stance adhering to the raw fibre and re-
ducing it to a condition proper for weav-
ing.
The raw fibre, separated from the
woody material, is worth cents pound,
or 500 ton and upwards. After being
chemically treated, it is worth from 5000
to $500 ton.
The mechanical treatment of the raw
fibre can be effected by the machines in
vented and patented by the Hawaiian
Ramie Company, at a cost of each machine
from $500 to 81 900. The chemical process
involves an expensive plant. The manu-
processes and methods of treatment, and
prefer to refine the fibre themselves.
The Act of 1884, chapter As, provides
that whoever shall produce and patent in
this country any machine that will clean
ramie fibre ''cheaply, thoroughly and suit
able for the market of the world, shall be
entitled to a bonus of 100000"
The Hawaiian Ramie Company, upon
the strength of this inducement, COM
menced a series of experiments and trials,
with the Coleman machine as a basis. This
was finally abandoned, and machine
different from that was pro-
iuced and patented.
This machine turns out a fibre for which
the company have been offered cents
pound for all that they can produce for
term of five years. The market for the
ibre.is practically unlimited.
After patenting the machine, the COM
pany applied to the Minister of the Int |
rior for the $4,000 bonus under the law of |
1884. The Minister appointed Mr.. Jono. |
Austin, who has a special and intimate |
knowledge of ramie machines, as the |
special agent of the Government to exam |
ne the machine, see it tested in actual |
use, and report whether it complied with |
the provision of the statute. Mr.. Austin !
reported that the machine did comply |
with the requirements of the law, and that |
in his opinion the company was entitled |
to the bonus of $4,000. He further states |
that this machine is the most simple in |
and does better work turning |
out raw fibre than any other machine |
which he has ever seen.
Upon receipt of Mr.. Austin's report, the |
Minister of the Interior promised the Ra-
ME Company that the $4,000 should be
paid to them as soon as it was available in
the Treasury. On the faith of this prom
se the Hawaiian Ramie Company pro-
ceeded to make and is now making ex-
rensive improvements for the purpose OF
thoroughly demonstrating on a CONNER
,ial scale the feasibility of ramie culture
and manufacture in this country.
They have spent about $11 900 in per-
tecting their machine and initiating the
culture of the ramie plant. A plantation
Of 500 acres has been started in Keaau,
Puma, 80 acres of which is now planted or
in process of planting. The land has not
heretofore been utilized for any purpose,
being what has heretofore been known as
the ii swamp, on the road to the Volcano. |
on,,r,,ittaa ara If no oY,ir,io,, hot