The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1892-11-21
THE LEGISLATURE.
One Hundred and Twenty-SeV.
enth Day.
SATURDAY, Nov. i
SELECT COMMITTEES.

81 ,UUO damages Tor certain usn pOAu OH
Mookai. The Minister recommended
5000.
Tabled with Appropriation bill.
The President appointed on the Labor
Committee in place of Macfarlane and
Cornwell, Mobiles Baldwin and Hopkins.
Noble Marsden gave notice to the
committee to meet at | 80.
At 10 % the House proceeded to the
ORDER OF THE DAY.
Second reading OF Bill No. 1872, to
amend the law concerning spirits.
Tabled in accordance with the recon-
mendation of the Temperance Commit
tee.
Second reading OF Bills 127 and 1874,
relating to the Public Health. The bills
provide for the election OF the members
of the Board OF Health.
Rep. Kapahu moved that Bill 184 be
considered section by section.
Attorney-General Brown moved the
adoption OF the majority report of the
| Sanitary Committee, which recon-
mends the tabling of Bill 184. Carried.
The consideration of Bill 127 was de-
| ferred until next Tuesday.
Rep. Ashford moved that Bill 81, re-
lating to practice in jury trials be taken
up.
The bill had been postponed unit
Rep. Ashford should be present. Carried
Rep. Ashford moved that the bill pass
He was informed that the Attorney
General had objected to the provision re
curing the charge to be reduced to writ
ing. This was no hardship, because the
Judge was not obliged to charge the jur,
| at all if he did not choose. The bill haC
met the approval of the Judiciary Com
mitee and of the entire bar, with on,
exception, he believed.
Attorney General Brown: q am tina
exception, | guess.)
The bill passed.
Second reading of Bill "a, (substitut
ing Bill 1881 concerning treason.
Rep. Pua moved the bill be indefi
nitely postponed.
Rep. r. w. Wilcox supported tina
motion. 1t provided the penalty OF i'm
prisonment instead OF death. 1t was
penalty for towards who preferred in
prisonment with thieves, etc, to facin
death. He did not want any half wa
measures. He had not been afraid
take his chance. Death was the onl
penalty for treason in civilized countries
History showed that people who ros
against the government were men
; education and high station. Ii the
failed, let them suffer the death penalt
not associate with thieves and rascal
, Let the committee that brought in II
bill move down to Samoa. Let the la
remain as it is. Do not tell the world ;
q large that the Legislature of 1892 a
composed of towards by passing such
law. Some time ago l stood in tn
: Hall on a charge of treason, not fearil
for my life. 1t was my own people tn
n spared my life. The tendency of tn
: law is to give those who are in power T
litically the ability to enforce its prov
S ions against those who are not
I power. Therefore | favor indefini
postponement.
: Rep. Ashford said that the whole pi
" OF the bill was that it amended the !;
;, of treason. 1t is claimed that the Ii
q OF treason as it now stands is a relic
l. barbarism. Under the law as 1t stan(
as interpreted by Judge Dole or 9th
dignitaries - the uniting together
!. two or more persons for the purpose
overthrowing the Government cons
a tutes treason. The object of this Ii
4 simply is TO modify the law OF treasC
Our law OF treason to-day is similar
It the law OF England in the Middle Ag
" 1t was death for anyone who express
: an opinion against the king. There {
two distinctions in the law OF treasc
n ID The levying of war against the O.
- ernment, and (2), adhering to its ell
Is mics in time of war. As the law n
a. stands, it might be taken that anyo
who aids the enemies with pail OF
Ie is guilty of treason. On the whole,
n submitted the law was too severe and
quired mitigation. He opposed the il
OF of indefinite postpOnement Of the b
of The proposed law was based on the
of treason which had been in vogue
n America for some years past.
N Rep. Bipikane favored the indetir
:. postponement OF the bill.
is Rep. White said he had no hand
ot the making OF the bill. He conside
it, if passed, a standing menace to
ly Government. This law will justify a
IN one to go and compel the Queen to s
new constitution, or to sign pap
is selling the Government, or anyth
ic else, IOr II MOuiu uCI De IeNNIDB
against the Government, and the per
o, traitor is therefore not guilty OF treas
~ He did not believe there was a law
" the United States like this.
r. Rep. Smith considered the propo
A. law better than the existing one, for
" der the law to-day it is almost impo
OF BILE to convict anyone charged with Il
ac son.
Rep. s. X. Pua made lengthy spe
against the bill. The law is a fraud
w is aimed to take away the protection
> the Queen. The idea OF the law is
he lessen the punishment against treas
,r- so that revolutions may safely occur
quently in the future. The propositi
y, to reduce the army and the police HI
is the same object as this law-to encc
age civil strife.
7s. Rep. Smith said that the law was tai
he from the United States law regard
treason, and it was no attempt to dece
al anyone. The idea OF the bill was to
,r- mote peace.
At II 81 A. NJ. the House adjour
ITS until Monday morning,