The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-23
HAWAIIAN SHIPS
Senate Committee Reports An
Amended Act.
HAWAIIAN FIRMS PROTECTED
Bicycle Act Under Discussion In
the HouSe-To Consolidate
Public Debt.
SENATE.
Twenty-seventh Day, March %.

| Twenty-seventh Day, March %
The Committee on Printing reported
the bill to provide for the election of
Senators printed ard ready for distrib-
ution.
The special committee appointed to
consider the item of Insane Asylum
and the need of new buildings recon-
| mended the appropriation of $4,000
for a fire-proof building of concrete
with iron roof, the appropriation Of
| 81, 600 for the purchase and erection of
an electric plant for the Asylum and
an increase in the appropriation for
maintenance to S33,600 The report
was received to be considered with the
current account appropriation bill.
Senator Brown introduced the cable
bill of which he had previously given
notice. The blk passed first reading
and went to the Printing Committee.
On motion of the Attorney-General
the House bill relating to the suspen-
sion Of sentence was brought to its
third reading for passage. Senator Ly-
man said he was not satisfied that the
law was constitutional. He showed in
one section that permission was given
fer suspending sentence in cases of
crime. He thought that it might be
construed to include even the highest
crime, perhaps murder. In that case,
since if the defendant is not brought
up within 13 months for sentence he
could not be brought UP again, there
was great possibility of great Grim
inal escaping. The Constitution gave
the pardoning power to the President
only.
The Acknowledgement explained the
meaning of the bill in it's relation to
recent decision of the Supreme Court
that courts of record now have power
to suspend sentence. He said he be-
lieved that ON that decision the Court,
if it declared this act unconstitutional
would reverse it's own decision. He
then read the decision of the Court.
Senator Brown also spoke ON the
legal points and quoted from decisions
of New York Courts. The Attorney
General further explained in answer
to the objection of Senator Lyman that
it placed the pardoning power for high
crime in the hands of lesser magis-
trates, that under the present law the
district magistrates did not have the
power in cases of high crime. The
power was vested only in courts of
record. The bill then passed, s voting
in the affirmation and in the mega
ton.
The bill relating to pounds and es
trays passed first reading and went to
the Judiciary Committee.
The bill to exempt the Sailors Home
Society and the Y M. C. "A. from tax
alton was supported by Senator Nc
Candless who brought petitions from
the principal business men of the city
in favor of the exemption.
Senator Brown said he was in favor
of the spirit of the exemption, but he
believed that it was unconstitutional.
Senator McCandless read from the
session laws of 1896 exempting proper
| Iy vi SCuOOIS dlu ISlISlOuS oOCICIlco
from taxation when used exclusively
for such purposes.
Senator Brown thought it would be
establishing a dangerous precedent to
exempt the Y NJ C. A. He asked
where the Legislature could begin to
stop if it once exempted. He appreciat-
ed fully the work of the association.
The title to the bill and the sections
were amended TO conform to the word
| ing of the charters Of the institutions
the preamble was eliminated and the
first section passed on vote of six
to seven, President. Wilder voting
| Senator Kauhane cast the deciding
vote as he at first declined to vote.
Senator Brown at once moved to refer
back to the Judiciary Committee for
revision. Senator Baldwin moved to
| instruct the committee to bring in a
| bill covering the Sailors Home Soci-
ETY. only. Senator Browns motion was
carried by the same vote as that on
| the first section.
| The House bill providing for in
quests for fires passed the first read
ing. The motion to refer to commit
tee failed and on Senator Waterhouse's g