The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-04-28

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into this Kingdom, except as auth
orized by Sec. 2 OF this Act, is here
by strictly prohibited, and who
ever shall import, sell, give or
furnish opium, except as pro-
vided, shall be liable TO penalty
of not less than one hundred dol
lars, nor more than FIVE hundred
dollars, or to be imprisoned at hard
labor for any term not exceeding
two years. or to both such penalty
and Imprisonment, in the-diseretlon
of the Court, one half of which Pc
cuniary penalty shall be paid to
the party giving information which
shall lead to the conviction OF the
offender" This last provision,
though Objectionable in theory,
would seem to be absolutely neces-
sary in practice to strengthen the
hands of officers in fighting a
breach of law, when such brides
may be, and doubtless are, offered
by criminals or intending crimi-
nails for merely winking at the
offence.
Section 2of the law quoted above
authorizes the Board of Health
under certain conditions and safe
guards to import such quantities
of opium as the said Board may
deem necessary, and supply Che
same to properly certificated ply
sicians and surgeons, and to the
person in charge of the medicines
at the Leper Settlement at Molo-
kai, and to captains or surgeons OF
outward bound foreign going ves-
sells, at cost prices.
By Sect. 5. "The several police
and district courts of the King
dom are hereby invested with
authority to try and determine all
cases arising under this Law"
By these provisions the law and
executive authorities appear to be
sufficiently armed to wage war
against opium smuggling, the rest
then lies In their hands. To put
this law as it stands, in active and
efficient operation, rests with the
heads of the various departments
concerned. The Minister of Fl
nance, the Attorney and Collector
General, the Marshal and his dcvu.
ties, the sheriffs and ncIice are in
dividually and collectively the per
sons by whom this has to be
effected. Each officer is bound to
undertake this duty not perfume
torily for the sake of appearing te
have fulfilled the letter of the law
but earnestly, energetically, and
independent of possible pecuniary
reward.
It is well known, that for severa
years past the number of China
men leaving the kingdom has con
siderably exceeded the number:
coming in, and that there are fewer
Cinnamon in the kingdom by sew
eral hundreds than there were foul
years ago. The principal consumer
of opium then, among this class, ar
reduced in proportion. There il
probably more opium in the king
dom now than is usual. Tha
which is not consumed by the Chi
nese is probably used by the ma
tives.
But they too have diminished il
number, so that what we see nov
is, larger supply of the drug am
smaller number of consumers
and this must effect, first fall il
price, and secondly an increasin,
consumption, both by reason o
habitual users increasing the dose
and secondly the cheapness attract
ing those who have hitherto bee
deferred by the high price of tn
article. Either way. this 10 tn
question the solution of which is il
the hands of the officials.
We ought not to hear again of ,
vessel loaded with sand, freightet
with a cock-and-buIl story ant
manned by old Hawaiian coastine
seamen, beginning to attract atten'
ton in executive quarters wher
she had been notably knocking
about unfrequented parts of the
island coast, and might have land.
ed as much opium as she had or
board andthen come braveIy in
to the capita! port, as empty
of opium as she was of the nipple
ments or indications of honest
trading.