The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-09-17

MarSurn, lllI the Sclcct committee
reports.
Second reading of bin to abolish
the claims of konohikis TO the con
troll of sea fish or fisheries, and TO
authorize the Government 10 deter
mine upon the compensation to be
made in such eases. Considered
with majority committee report
against, and minority report for the
bill.
Rep. Richard said that to accom-
plish the intentions of the hill would
require n great deal of money.
Therefore he moved that the maio-
lity report he adopted.
Noble Widcmann asked the intro
Queer (Rep. Bush) if the clause,
"but this does not include waters
the property by purchase or inheri-
lance of any private person, meant
that the main part of the section re-
ferred TO Crown lands.
Rep. Bush replied in the ailirma-
tive.
Noble Widemann said that fishing
rights in connection with Crown
lands were now free, and hence
there was no need of this section.
Rep. Brown said that the motion
to adopt the majority report
was out of order. He moved that
the section be indefinitely post
poned. He quoted the law in which
there were conditions that he did
not believe were complied with by
any konomLi on the Sandwich ISL
ands. Therefore, to all intents and
purposes, the fisheries were free, so
there was no necessity for borrow
inc money to pay for fisheries. 1t
was true that the konohikis leased
their fisheries TO others, but if the
konohiki or the lessee did not COM
| ply with the strict requirements of
the law, they could not prevent any
adjacent kuleana holder from taking
whatever fish was lawful to be taken
by the konohiki himself. TO pur-
chase these rights would require two
million dollars, and where was the
| Government to get it? LII the Ha-
waiian was granted full freedom OF
the fisheries the same would have to
be granted subjects of friendly
powers having treaties with this
kingdom. Hawaiians, il they only
knew the rights they had under the
existing laws, would find they could
get all the fish they wanted.
Noble Widemann thought that
nine-tenths of what the hon. mem
Der had said was perfectly correct.
This bill was not an unfair one, but
quite the contrary, in its proposal to
give compensation to the konohikis.
1t would require, however, ten times
the value of the fisheries to the peo-
pie to buy these rights. His planta.
ton at Waianae carried fishery rights
and, as they were not in the fishing
business, they did not care what
they got for fishing privileges. They
had let the natives pay whatever
they pleased, and sometimes received
two hundred dollars for single
haul. The natives did not avail
themselves greatly of the cas-,
terms, but when their friends wen
down from Honolulu, they all wen
into The water together. He had M
desire to sell out those rights, but
if required to state their value, III
should say that fair valuation o
them would be $50, 900.
Rep. Bush did not agree with Thu
two previous speakers. Under th'
actual rights of the hon. Noble hi
fishery rights at Waianae would no
be worth more than n Thousand
dollars, and it was only usurpeC
rights that were of value of $50,
900 or even 800, 900. Under tn
old feudel system from which thes
rights were derived, the konohlk
was only entitled to the fish that b
took for his own personal use. H
had no right to sell either the right
or the fish to others. 1t was usur
patton of rights which enabled Chi
nese living in Honolulu to go owe
to Koolau and take fish that right
fully belonged to the native kulean
holders. The provision in the bi
for licenses to fishermen was direct
ed against the Chinese, against whol
a law could not be enacted directl
because it would be class legisla
; ton. He had brought in the bill a
the instance of his native constitu
ents, who were not acquainted wit
the rights that they possessed, &
against the konohikis who usurpe
rights that did not belong to them
1t was intended to abolish feud.
: system that was new imperative
He moved that the first section pas
with an addition that he read, n
though he had small hopes that til
, bill would pass, in view of tn
stupendous amounts stated to be II
CURED in making it effective.
+ Noble Widemann claimed that tn
} common people had a perfect rigl
TO sell their fish, and that the kont
hiki had the right to sell or eat til
fish as he chose. He did belieg
; that in the ancient time the chief
sold their fish just as the konohik
did to-day. If they were not TO i
sold, what was TO be done wit
| them
- pap pnyh 10 MOI, COLL wa