The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-07-19

Investigations, and accordingly ON
The same or the next day the +. L.
opium was examined. The f. Y.
opium was seized in thirty boxes of
tea on the 2ud Arril, 1890, from the
$, 5. Oceanic and taken The same
day to the Custom House, unpackcd
on the Sd and left in the opium
room. There were twenty.Scyen
tins found in This box of tea, hut
only one tin at the time of our cX-
animation contained opium. and
strange to say that was the one
opened Oil the wlnrf on the day of
the seizure. the balance of the tins
contained earth and straw. The
solder on them was quite new. and
showed but very little appearance
of rust or age.
A singular fact was brought TO
light and that was that three certain
tins of opium belonging to the
Board of Health that were sent
down to the Custom House ut the
same time rs the Kahului lot, were
upon examination by the committee
found to contain exactly the same
straw and earth rs the L, L. lot.
Your committee had the earth anal
wed and the analysis reported to the
committee satisfies us, as also the
chemist who made the analysis, that
the earth is of Hawaiian origin,
showing concluolvelv in our opinion,
that the earth had been placed in
this tin in Honolulu after the opium
had been taken out. This +. T..
opium had never been out Of the
possession of the Customs authors
ties and arrived just after the ka-
hului lot, and if opium was remov-
ed from those tins per Oceanic and
earth placed in its stead while there,
it would have been rs easy for the
same parties to substitute the red
wood boxes, filed with brick and
straw, for the boxes sent down from
the Station House.
Members OF the committee search
ed ana found in the rear of Chu
Bang Chong's shoe store and Chu
On's dry goods store on Nuuanu
street. between King and Hotel
streets, straw and dirt of the same
kind as found in the above mention
ed opium containers, also bricks,
empty opium containers, and tin
cuttings, as also many empty half
kerosene tins which evidently had
earth in them.
The Marshal showed receipts for
all opium and moneys received by
him on account of opium, and from
the evidence it appears to us that
he, in dealing with and having the
CAFE and custody of opium, has used
due care and precaution.
We have been unable TO fix the
! guilt upon any person, or even tc
find enough evidence to give rise tc
suspicion as to who the person
may be, but in our opinion an(
from all the evidence adduced anc
also the fact of the f. L. opium hay
ing been solely in the charge of ths
Custom House officials, that what.
ever was done in the way of remov
ing the opium, was done at the Gus
tom House. Such being the case i
seems that some person or person!
employed in the Customs Depart
ment must have been in coliusioi
with outside parties.
The Port Surveyors Department
and the Customs Department do no
appear to be in accord and goo
deal Of friction and bad feeling ey
lists. This, we think, arises fror
the fact that the Collector-Genera
was not allowed the right of appoint
ing his subordinates,a practice whic
this committee thinks should not b
allowed by this House.
This committee is of the opinio
that under the existing law til
Board of Health is alone the auth(
rized custodian of opium over til
Collector-General, the only perso
authorized to make sales, such sale
being authorized under section 67
of the Civil Code.
This committee does not approx
of the manner in which sales I
opium have heretofore been made
outgoing passengers on vessels lea
ing or calling at this port. "
think that receipt should alwa,
be given to the Collector-Gener
for as many tins as are taken !
the person intending to make Il
sale. 1t appears that such has II
been the case at the Custom llous
Your committee has taken n gre
deal of evidence but in no mann
have they been able to fasten gu
or cause the faintest suspicion
attach to or implicate anyone, b
we think that if the opium had be-
, as well taken care of at the Custo
House as it was and is cared for
the Police station, no investigate
committee would have been nece
t sary. And your committee is of t
: opinion that this lack of care at L
, Custom House has arisen main
, from the fact that they have not g
: proper room for storing opiu
| securely.
1t appears from the report ma
l by the Colector-General to yo
: committee that the Customs depal
: ment has from March 27, 1888,
, June 30, 1890, seized 1920 tins
opium and sold 3,4l5 tins, realizil