The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-05-12
AN OPIUM BILL
F fashioned on the Lines Of
Gothenberg System.
Audit Act Consideration APP
proves of Appointing
Tax Commission.
SENATE.
Seyenty-third Day, May II.

Seyenty-third Day, May Il.
The special committee having the
opium bill in charge brought in a sub
stitute bill, Senator Waterhouse dis
senting, in the place of the opium
bill introduced by Senator Brown.
The new bill provides for the sale and
control of the traffic by the Govern
ment The bill is fashioned upon the
system in use in Sweden. The impor-
tation is to be conducted by the Board
of Health Licensing Board to be
formed in each district of the Govern
ment Physician, the District Magis-
trate and the Sheriff is to issue Ii
censes to smokers in the district whose
names are enrolled. The limit to be
sold each person at one time is 20
grains; sale may not be made twice
in one day. The price if the opium
sold is to be the cost price, cost to in
clude $3 per pound duty, purchase
price, freight storage and carriage. The
Board may also furnish opium for me-
dicinaI purposes at cost to the Queens
Hospital, the Leper Settlement and
vessels bound for a foreign port, for
use on such vessel. A penalty of not
less than $500 nor more than $4,000
and imprisonment for not less than
one month nor more than two years,
is attached for the illegal impOrta-
ton.
Provisions are made for the register
ing of smokers for license, the control
of the license and all phases of the
importation and sale of opium. The
bill passed first reading without dis
cussiOn and went to the Printing Com
mittee.
Senator Lyman introduced the bill
of which he had given notice, for a
railroad on Hawaii. The bill differs but
slightly from the bill introduced in
the House. 1t passed first reading and
went to the Printing Committee.
Consideration of the barbed wire
fence bill was deferred to May 10.
The House bill amending the act re-
lating to the construction of railways
passed first reading. The amendment
prohibits any railway corporation from
entering upon or taking any tide
waters, or hindering, obstructing or in
terfering with navigation in or on any
public navigable waters, or building or
maintaining any bridge, pier, jetty or
wharf in, upon or over any harbor, bay
or river beyond low water mark.
The Finance Committee recommended
the passage of the Audit Act, providing
for the reconstruction of the Auditors
Department, and placing the inspec-
ton of the accounts and books of the
Government more perfectly under con-
troll. The bill passed second reading.
Third reading was set for Thursday.
The Commerce Committee recon-
mended the passage of the bill fixing
the license to sell milk at low rate.
The bill passed, including also the
amendment to the act regulating the
license for Notaries Public. The
amendment passed by the Senate fixes
the fee at SO for Honolulu, S. for the
remainder of the Judicial Circuit and
SIS for all other Judicial Circuits. Third
reading was set for Friday.
The Minister of the Interior furnish
ed the statistics relating to dredging
the Pacific Mail wharf slip in response
to questions of Senator McCandless.
The answer was referred to the Pub
lie Lands Committee.
At II o'clock, the Senate adjourned.