The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-08-25
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
Seventy-third Day.
Friday, Aug. "a.


President. Hon. w. r. Castle. in the
chair. Opened with prayer by the chap
| lain, Rev E. S. Timoteo. Minutes read
and confirmed.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
The Acknowledgement read a report of
the select committee, appointed, goth inst,
on the Oahu steam railroad bill, recon-
mending certain amendments. and with
them, that the bill pass. Received and
laid on the table to be considered with the
bill.
PRELIMINARY ANSWER BY MINISTER.
Minister Thurston asked further time for
his answer to the questions asked on Fri
day by Rep Nakaleka. About the same
time as these questions were placed in his
hands, he was appointed on special COM
mittee on the election bill, on which it had
been necessary to work day and night and
part of Sunday. A great deal of talk was
being INDUCED IN outside about Interior
Office affairs. The doings of the Interior
Office are open to the examination of any
member of the House.
RESOLUTIONS.
Noble Makee moved the following:
Hawaiian Kingdom-It is the sense of this
House that the Cabinet should act upon
their own responsibility, irrespective of
any previous action taken by this House,
in determining upon further suits or pros
ecutions in respect of duties upon vines
and spirituOus liquors withdrawn from the
Custom House upon official orders.
Minister Ashford said he had intimatiOn
last'evening that some such resolution was
coming. He did not know then what was
in it. AS it IS, he did not see anything
seriously Objectionable in it,
Noble WaterhOuSe wished TO know if the
AttOrney-General,O on the passage of this re-
solution, would still go on with proceedings
in terms of the resolution adopted by the
House in December last.
Minister Ashford said that he would do
his duty so long as he should hold the
present office, irrespective of whether this
resolution fail or pass. He should not
be deferred from shooting, merely because
large game afOat and flying high.
Noble Smith asked to have the resolu-
ton of December 3, 1897, read The resO-
luton consisting of adopted recon-
mendatiOn of special committee was
read:
And your committee do therefore recon-
mend in accordance with the above sug-
gestiOns and also that His Excellency the
Acknowledgement be required at once to
institute an enquiry into all of the matters
involved in said statement and ii it shall
appear that any amounts are properly due
to the Government for goods improperly
Withdrawn, proceedings shall be had to re-
cover the same, and if it also appear that
any person or persons are liable to any
fines or penalties or to any punishment
under our statutes that proceedings ac-
cOrdingly be instituted. And they also
recommend that if it be found on such ex-
animation that any licensed dealer has
been guilty of any fraud or such gross
carelessness as to amount to fraud in the
premises that no spirit licenses be granted
them or any of them in the future.
Noble Warehouse did not think the
House should go back on its former in
structions to Ministers by interfering with
them in any way.
Rep. 9. Brown could not agree with
the last speaker. The law has been vindi-
Gated and he thought the ends of justice
had been fulfilled, and the Attorney Gen
eral has assured the House that, if there
are any matters outside of those already
disposed Of he will do his duty.
Noble Baldwin said tie House had
adopted cast iron resolution at last ses-
sion Circumstances may have arisen
since to call for a modification of the terms
of that resolution.
Noble Young said the resolution Of last
session was not cast in the foundry He
favored the present resolution. Thought
we better now look to ourselves that we do
not get wrong.
In answer to questions by Reps. Kinney
and Z. Brown, as to whether the Govern
ment had refused to renew the licenses to
Macfarlane q Co. unless they furnish
bonds for the amounts of any judgments
that may be recovered against them in the
Court for duties on goods Illegally with
drawn from the Custom House; the At
tOrney- General said the whole matter is at
present under consideration by the Cab
met. Some correspondence had taken
place and several interviews held between
members of the firm and Ministers. The
latter have certain duties to perform and
must perform them irrespective OF all per-
SOnal considerations. Strenuous effOrts
have been made to arrive at a compromise
basis of settlement, but hitherto, the
firm maintains an attitude of defiance and |
refuses to settle.
Rep. Kauhane said that the passage of |
this resolution would be backing down |
on the part of the House.
Noble Smith said If the present resOlu- |
ton passes, the former one will be man |
datory as regards the license. AS to the |
question of the license, he would be willing |
that the Cabinet have discretion, but he |
would not have the mandatory part of the |
former resolution as regards amounts due |
the Government, changed. If there are |
moneys due the Government, every tax
payer has a right to see that they are paid |
Rep. G. Brown moved to amend the |
resolution by inserting "also the matter of |
issuing licenses for the sale of spirituous
liquors."
Noble Widemann wished to ask Noble
Smith if he supposed that if these Min
listers see anything due the Government,
they'll not go and get it? He, the speaker,
never had any doubt on that point.
Minister Ashford moved that the Min
listers be excused from voting on this reso-
lutiOn as it involves instructions to them
selves. Carried.
The ayes and noes were called on the
motion to indefinitely postpone the resOlu-
ton:
Ayes - Smith, Waterhouse, Luhiau,
Wight, Townsend, Dole, Kalaukoa, Kau-
hane, Paris, Nawahine, Kawainui, Rice
10.
Noes-Robinson, Young, Jaeger, Motley,
Wall, Baldwin, Richardson, Widemann,
Makee, &. n. Wilcox, Dowsett, Jr., Kauhi,
Q. Brown, f. Brown, Deacon, Kamai,