The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-05-05
THg Law On SMUGGLING OPIUM.

AC SANNnN ~ " hANu buS AAOl -
tive business OF opium smuggling
has reached, has been family
Swallowed forth to the public by re-
cent seizures. AS in the old-ume
shaving, SO in the present day
opium smuggling, the average
gains, balancing success against
detection can be pretty accurately
calculated. One full cargo of slaves
safely landed, covered, it was said,
four failures. One in FIVE is long
odds, enough to tempt many Il
one whose only object is to make
money. And so beyond doubt
many thousand dollars are invested
here and elsewhere in opium, in
the hope that one venture In five
Tor whatever is the proportionl
may bring in 8 harvest which may
amply cover the failures. Indeed
an occasional capture is to an
opium smuggler what an occasional
hre is 10 an insurance ofiee-an
advertisement and s stimulant to
the business.
With regard to the opium bust
ness IN these islands, it Is incum-
bent on all Hawaiian officials to
use the full power of the law to
put II down peremptorily, and it Is
equslly the right and the duty of
the public to insist, without fear or
favor, on every official doing his
duty. The line between collision
and criminal neglect of duty cannot
easily be defined, and if the coun-
try is found to be flooded with
opium, it is the positive fault of
those whose duty it is to prevent it.
By the session law of 1899, Chap.
LXVI., amending and strengthen
ing that Of 1888, Chap. Xxx, pro-
Tides that "The importation of
opium or any preparation thereof
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 sny term not exceeding
two years, or to both such penalty
snd Imprisonment, in the discretion
Of the Court, one hall of which pe-
eunisry 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
breseh of law, when such brides
may De, and doubtless are, offered
BY criminals or intending erimi-
mails 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 NAV !
deem necessary, and supply the
same TO properly certifcsted ply
sieisns and surgeons, and to the
person in charge of the medicines
st the Leper Settlement at MoIo- |
ksi, and to captains or surgeons of
outward bound foreign going yes
sells, at cost prices. /
By Sect. 5. "Tbe 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 ID their hands. To put
this law as it stands, in active and
emcient Operation, rests with the
esdg Of the various departments