The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-05-19
Senate Passes The New Measure
on Second Reading.
HOUSE USES PRUNING KNIFE
Salary Appropriations Tackled
Committee Reports on En-
ployment Agency.
SENATE.
Seventy-ninth Day, May, IS.


The Senate passed the bill amending
the Session Laws of 1895 relating to
cables by adding paragraph permit
ting the Executive to grant an eXclu-
sive franchise for 20 years for a cable
from Hawaii to Japan.
The bill to license the manufacture
of wine from grapes of Hawaiian
growth, came up on second reading.
The bill repeals the law on the sub
ject now ON the statute books. The
law of the Provisional Government,
passed in 1894, permitted the manu-
facture provided that the wine be sent
to the General Custom House. The
Legislature of 1896 amended this pro-
vision by permitting the wine to be
sent to the nearest Customs House.
The present bill permits the manu-
facture and sale to any licensed dealer.
The manufacturer must furnish bond
in the sum of 500 not to manufacture
brandy, rum or other spirituous
liquors, not to manufacture wine from
grapes from foreign countries, not to
sell to any other than licensed dealers.
The license to manufacture is. for three
years and each year the manufacturer
must furnish sworn statement of the
quality of wine manufactured. The
bill passed second reading. Third
reading was set for Friday.
The substitute opium bill to place
the importation and sale under the
control of the Board of Health came
up for second reading. Senator Wa
terhOuse's motion to indefinitely post
pone was lost On his motion Senator
Waterhouse said he wished to enter his
protest. From foreign papers he read
that the country was open to criticism
for even desiring to enact such legis-
latiOn. He said he had been one of
those who had assisted in the over
throw and he believed the Senate
should be consistent, and that if such
a bill were passed, the Legislature
would regret it. He considered it time
to call a halt. Such bills were going
to open the door for further legislation
of the same character.
The Attorney General differed from
the Senator. He said that opium was
certainly smuggled into Hawaii under
the present laws, charges might be
made, but the fact remained that the
forces. vigilant as they might be, were
unable to cope with it. In theory the
bill proposed appeared to control the
evil He believed that the provisions
Of the bill would lessen smuggling by
placing the price at such low figure
and would restrict the use of the habi-
tual smokers.
Senator Baldwin said that in his
opinion the Senate was not an insti-
tuition for reforming. The mere man
date by the Senate that evil must be
put down did not put it down. He be-
lieved that the proposed law would not
increase the use of opium in the cOun-
try, but would decrease smuggling,
would lessen corruption in the Police
and Customs Departments. The Sena-
tor said no one could be more Jealous
of the safety of the country than he.
At 12 o'clock the Senate adjourned TO
1:30 .. M.
At the afternoon session the remain
! ing sections of the opium bill were
read. The bill passed second reading.
Third reading was set for Monday.
There was no discussion on the bill
| to establish a Marine Park on the east
! side of the harbor. The bill passed
! second reading. Third reading was set
! for Friday.
The Public Lands COmmitte recon-
mended the passage of the bill pro
| hibiting railways from entering upon
or taking any tide waters, or in any.
wise hindering, obstructing in or upOT
/ any navigable waters, or erecting
! building or maintaining any bridge
| pier. ietty, or wharf in or upon or over
any haTbOr, bay or river beyond low
| water mark
Senator Brown offered an amend
! ment in the shape of an additiona
section providing that the bill shall
not dispossess vested rights under ex
/ isting statutes. The amendment wa!
| defeated and the bill passed. Third
| reading was set for Friday.
The Committee recommended tn,