The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-11
House of Representatives.

Minister Damon replied To questions
propounded on the previous day relat-
ing to changes. In the valuation and
assessment of property 10y the Board
OF Equalization, by presenting to the
House the minuteSof the Board relat-
ing To the subject, and also printed
rules In force at the present time.
Rep. Richards reported the bill re.
garding the preservation OF records
and dockets OF district magistrates,
typewriter.
Rep. KamauOha propounded the
following questions To the Minister OF
the Interior:
"First--Is it the intention OF the
Government to introduce any m ore
Chinese or Japanese laborers into the
country?
House the number it Is proposed TO
introduce.
"Is there not now enough labor I'm
the country to satisfy the demands of
the sugar and rice plantations aud
other industries, without introducing
more?
"The Cabinet Is requested To state
what IL intends to do In the matter OF
labor"
Senate bill No. A, relating to amend
ments TO the Land Act, was brought
forward.
Minister Cooper moved that the bill
pass its second reading.
Rep. Richards said that he expected
more information. The House had
postponed consideration because more
time had been asked for the consider
alton OF the bill II the motion made
by Minister Cooper was the only
additional information the Executive
had to introduce, then the only thing
to do was to adopt the report OF tue
committee.
Rep. Rycroft said that the Land Act
had been passed six months ago.
There had been no change In condi-
Uons since that time. The part which
IL was proposed to change had been
thoroughly gone over and discussed
then. When the bill was passed,
strangers here who had heard that the
natives had been and were being
robbed of their lands thought that
this matter of giving them free land
was one of the best things that had
ever been done for the country.
Minister Cooper had remarked that
an oversight had been made 10y the
Government; clearly there was big
O oversight. The Ministers were all
present during the discussion OF the
bill. The conditions had not changed
and until then the bill should be
allowed to stand as IL Is When
man settles on u homestead IL will
not be fixed up for him. He must
expend both energy and money and
should not be hampered. Continu H.
ly petitions were coming In for IA re-
duction ia the purchase price OF the
land. The native HawaiiaDs are
forced to work much harder for their
money now than In the olden times.
Mr.. RycrOft was in favor OF giving
them two years time for a good trial
under the conditions OF the Land Act.
Rep. Winston wanted TO know n
the Ministers proposed to Introduce
any further information. If they did
not then the House should proceed
with the matter.
Minister Cooper said tina. the petit
ton for more time did not come from
the Ministers side. Some one OF the
members OF the House proposed that
consideration be postponed on account
OF the absence OF Attorny-General
Smith. He regretted To ind himself
representing the whole Cabinet as
against the report OF the committee.
The Cabinet and President had held
another meeting and Ihad decided
unanimously TO urge the spassage OF
the bill. The matter Of the oversight
in the law had been surpri-e To the
Executive. knowledge had come
about In this way, Mr.. Bolte had
written an article for one Of the Ger
man newspapers in which he had
stated that land would be dealt out