The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-06-17

this point. He believed that the re-
port brought in by Noble Neumann
and himself was correct. The test
was whether the person could fear to
lose, or hope to gain an office from
the Ministry. There WIS doubt GER
tainly whether these two offices
were contemplated, But one chief
way to ascertain the meaning of
law was to examine its intent. The
object here was to get pure indie
pendent legislative, without hopes or
fears as to office. Attorneys at law
and privy councillors would not be
excluded by this criterion, but nota-
ries would. There was an honest
doubt about the matter. He did not
wish to make light of the ex parte
opinions of the Supreme Court, on
the contrary he thought them enti-
tied to great weight, but they were
not binding as decisions and that was
the position of the Court itself.
Whatever the House voted to-day
would bind itself but no succeeding
Legislature. In two ways only could
the matter be settled, one by enacting
a statute declaratory of the meaning
of Art. 20, the other by requiring the
case to be tested in the Courts before
the Legislature meets. The question
was not whether the Hon. Mr.. Ash
ford should remain or not, or whether
certain members OF the Privy Council
should sit here or not. The matter
was one of principle. He believed,
however, that there would be nothing
gained by vote on the merits to-day,
the country would not be benefited
and he therefore would favor and be-
lieved there was no inconsistency in
favoring the motion to indefinitely
postpone.
Noble Peterson said it might APP
pear strange If he said nothing, hav-
ing brought in one of the reports. The
motion now was simply to indefin-
itely postpone the matter. If that
motion did not pass he should support
the position taken in his report. At
first the course now proposed had
struck him as weak and cowardly
evasion of the issue, but on more ma
ture deliberation he had concluded
! it was the best for the interests of the
country.
Rep. Kauhi made discourse.
Noble Neumann said Rep. Ashford
had shown his usual tact and delicacy
in alluding to his Noble Neumann's,
signing the report. He had it from
the members own lips, as it happened
that he had forgotten to resign the
notaryship.
Rep. Ashford said the honorable
member had mistaken his malice fol
his memory. He (the speaker) haC
maintained all along that it was no
necessary for nOtaries to resign, al
though it might have been better t.
have done so in order to avoid debate
Rep. White intended to astonisl
the House by short speech. All h
wished to say was ''Let us vote"
Noble Cornwell asked if Rep. Ash
ford and the privy councillors coulc
vote.
The Chairman ruled that the,
might.
Noble Thurston appealed. Their
were two distinct questions before tn
House; one as to privy councillors ant
one as to notaries. The first coul'
vote as to the second, and the secon'
as to the first.
The Chair was sustained.
The motion to indefinitely postpon
consideration of the reports wa
carried.
The committee rose and reported
and the report was adopted.
Rep. White moved to reconsider
Lost.
After notice of committee meetings
the House adjourned, at $3.50 PM.