The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-05-04
FAVOR THE CABLE
Committee Recommends Exclusive
Franchise to Japan.
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Legislative Funds Running Low.
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on Rapid Transit.
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SENATE.
Sixty-siXth Day, May 3.

SlXty-SlXth Day, May 5.
The special committee considering
the cable bill reported recommending
the passage of the bill with an amend
ment giving an exclusive franchise for
| 20 years for a cable between Homo
lulu and Japan. The committee be-
lieved that the franchise affecting the
Islands in the South Pacific should not
be exclusive. The report was received
to be considered with the bill The
as follows:
In the opinion of this committee,
the matter of cable communication of
these Islands with the outside world
comes next to annexation, and if OBJ
tained, will build up this port, so that
it will be known as the Queenstown
of the Pacific and will confer on Ho-
nolulu relatively the same advantages
and prosperity that the Reciprocity
Treaty gave to the Islands as a whole.
The bill introduced gave the Pacific
Gable Co. an exclusive franchise for
20 years from and beyond the Hawai-
ian Islands to any other Islands in the
Pacific Ocean and to Japan; the COM
mittee is willing to recommend an
exclusive franchise for 20 years be
tween these Islands and Japan but
not to any other Islands in the Pacific
Ocean, and have therefore amended
Section 1, so that the exclusive fran
chise to Japan will not cover any ISL
or. 10 TCIo
and Japan, that lie south of the tenth
degree or parallel of north latitude,
thus leaving all other Islands that
may or might be necessary for the pur-
pose of laying a cable from here to
Australia or New Zealand open and
untrammeled with any exclusive fran
chiSe from these Islands.
The company now seeking the bene-
fit of the Act and the exclusive fran
chise to Japan is about the only one
that has ever applied without asking
for a subsidy, and from what your
committee can learn mean business
and we may confidently expect within
two years to be connected with the
United States by cable.
The right of laying a cable between
here and the Pacific Coast of the Unit
ed States is not exclusive nor was
an exclusive right asked for that por-
tiOn of the line. The principal reason
of granting an exclusive right between
here and Japan, is that the cost of
laying is great ESTIMATED at 10000
000), and if that amount of money
should be spent, the projectors would
naturally want some assurance that
they would not have opposition be-
tween here and Japan for some time.
This committee think as long as no
exclusive franchise is granted between
these Islands, the north west coast of
America and the Islands of the Pacific
Ocean that lie south Of the 10th degree
of north latitude, no objection can be
made by any foreign power whose in
terests are paramount or controlling
in this part Of the world.
The report concludes by incOrpOra-
ting its recommendations relative to
the Islands of the North Pacific
The Committee on Passed Bills an
nOunced that the bill to appoint an
additional temporary Circuit Judge
and a bill accepting the Penal Laws
compiled by S. NJ. Ballou, had been
presented to the President for his ap-
prOval.
The bill authorizing the Govern
ment to acquire and preserve ancient
heiaus and puuhonuas or the sites or
remains thereof passed second read
ing.
The bill defining the eligibility of
persons to hold public office passed
second reading and went to the Judi
Ciary Committee.
The Public Lands Committee recon-
mended that S36,000 be appropriated
for a new road from Kailua to Nahiku,
Maui. After some discussion and ex-
animation of the surveyors map, the
item passed.
An item of $4,000 for Court house
at Kailua, Hawaii, was also passed.
On motion of Senator HoIstein an
item of 5000 for a new road at Hoo
kena, North KOna, and 81 900 for road
crusher, was inserted in the apprOpri-
alton bill.
Minister Damon's appropriation bill
| for $4,000 additional for expenses of