The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-18
SALE OF FOREIGN NEWSPAPERS,
Law to Permit Them Passes Second
Reading Discussing the Special
Lease Act-The Great Seal-Action
Deferred - Widening Hilo Streets.
Twenty-first Day.
TUESDAY March II.

The Senate opened with the usual
communication from the House stating
that the great seal of the Republic rec
commended by the special commission
had been accepted, and a concurrent
resolution passed.
Notice was also given of the House
having concurred in the Senate resolu-
tions on the deficiency of 1890 in the
Marshals Office.
Senator Brown presented a petition
from twenty-five citizens, that the law
relating to water rights be amended so
as to have such questions come before
the magistrates and circuit judges in
stead of commissioners. Referred to the
Judiciary Committee.
Senator Rice presented a petition
from fifty residents of Kauai asking for
the appropriation of $4,000 for new
road Referred to Committee on Public
Lands Mr.. Rice also handed in a pc
tition from twenty-five Hawaiians of
Kauai asking that the opium bill be in
definitely postponed. This went to the
special Opium Committee.
Senator Brown gave notice of an act
authorizing the Minister of the Interior
to grant licenses for the manufacture of
alcohol from pineapples and other fruit;
also an act to amend section Sc of chap
ter 81 of the laws of 1892, relating to the
organization of the Judicial depart
ment.
No Change In Tariff
Senator McCandless put the following
question to the Minister of Finance:
Does the Executive contemplate in
PRODUCING any tariff measure that will
increase the duty on California wines
or the duty on any other American ar
ticles not free by treaty."
Minister Damon replied promptly. He
said the Executive had not the slight
est intention at the present time, nor
do they intend to make any change
whatever in the tariff or duties on any
wines, especially those imported from
California, or any goods imported from
the United States. The situation of this
country with regard to the United
States is so important that anything
tending to create opposition from Cali
fornfa would be virtually political sui
eide on the part of those advocating it.
AS far as he himself was concerned, if
the revenues of the country would per-
nit he would be in favor of granting a
rebate on the duties collected on pure
in IN;
than IS per cent. of alcohol. He believ-
ed it would be good policy to do this,
and he would advocate it in the interest
of temperance aside from politics. He
was firmly convinced that anything
that would tend to the increased con-
sumption of purer and better wines,
such as those imported from California,
to the exclusion of the more detrimental
class, was step in the direction of true
temperance.
Senator Rice put the following ques-
tions to the Minister of Finance:
Contracts for Malls.
"Have any contracts been entered into
by the steamship lines under the act
provided for that purpose? And what is
the present status in respect of the for
eign mail service?
The Minister answered at length,
stating that the act passed at the spe-
cial session had given the Government
the right to exempt steamship compa-
MES from certain charges in lieu of
the free transmission of the mails. The
Canadian-Australian Steamship Com
pany had made a contract. The Pa
cific Mail Company had not seeen fit to