The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-31
TALK
OF CHARTER
Independents at Work
Last Night.
may FINISH IN A WEEK
County Government Discussed at .
Lively Meeting Of the
/ Home Rulers.

Rapid progress Is being made by the
independent charter commission. and
at their present rate it is possible their
county government charter will be
completed by next week. Last nights
meeting was devoted mostly to a con-
sideration of the duties of the county
attorneys, sheriffs and under-sherins,
county surveyors and the coroner. For
every section read, Attorney Biting,
one of the charter commissioners. had
an amendment, and progress was I'M
peded during the first half of the
evening until he was called away on
other business. Then the commission
had smooth sailing.
Two or three acrimonious debates
were INDUCED in, Mr.. Biting taking
the aggressive. He made an attack
upon the character Of men who prac-
tice in the police court of this city,
and threw out warning concerning
the shysters which he said were sure
to swarm this country within the next
two or three years. From the many
amendments and statements made
relative to the county attorneys ONCE,
and Mr. Billings anxiety to have a
-
the salaries of such officials. 1T seems
| likely that Mr.. Biting has his eye on
| the county attorneyship.
| The bill provides for county at
| torney for each county to serve for
| two years. The bond or the county
attorney is set at $4,000, with two or
| more sureties. Such .ttorney shall be
! privileged to practice in the Supreme
/ Court of the Territory, as well as in all
| courts of record. In case of the death
! of any such attorney, the county com
missioners shall have power to appoint
| his successor to serve until the next
electioh. He shall appear before any
magistrate in any suit wherein ms
county is interested or party to the
suit
He shall, without fee. give his opin-
lion in writing and advice to the
board of county commissioners when-
ever called upon in matters appertain-
ing to the county affairs. The salary
is to be fixed at the first session OF
the Legislature.
A sharp discussion arose over the
question as to whether the county
commissioners or the Legislature
should fix the salaries. The question
of politics arose, and 1t was deemed
certain that corruption would be ram
pant If the commissioners fixed the sal
aries 1t was a case where the posi-
1
the salary only James Quinn wanted
the commissioners to make the sala
| ries: II am not q lawyer" said ne
"and never will be, but l am LOOKING
out for you lawyers" 1t was mail!
decided that the Legislature had juris
, diction in the matter.
Mr. Biting put in proviso TO tn
effect that in addition to his salar.
he shall receive 20 per cent of the fine
| and costs collected from conviction TO
!. felony Mr.. Erving declared such
provision to be a menace to the com
i MUMMY. With an impecunlous snefln
o the county attorney could go into ca
. | boots" and rob men in the community
!. It would be persecution, and not pros
!, | ecution. Upon this showing Bittin
: withdrew his amendment Quinn sal
> the city had had taste of this in tn
past where police officers who ralde
s opium dens always got rake OH,
: which resulted in their giving almos
o their entire time to this class of crim
a. and leaving other matters to take car
| of themselves. He said he had bee
robbed of lamps from his hacks. BIT
. when he called the attention of tn
police to the thefts they had merel
{ laughed at him.
o When the section was reached whel
a the attorney is to turn over all MOI
d les received wrangle occurred owe
q a trivial matter. Lawyer Biting gre
wrathy over what he termed kinder
g garten methods.
u This" he said, sis brought to m
y mind clearly, as evidenced by II
- bad grammar of the printed charte
Ii which is in this room at the presel
l. time 1 don't want this community
stultify itself in public by having
,, declare that two and two makes fou
a I know the man who got up this cha
- ter originally, and he knows about
much of law as half the men WI
= practice in the Honolulu police court
Another wrangle resulted over Il
,r clause where 1t is provided that If Il
,r county attorney does not pay over {
r monies received he is liable to fl
: and sentence to the penitentiary. Ca
:, pless wanted it known as GRIMM
:. offense. Biting wanted it felon
l u He said no one trusted lawyer, al
r. he wanted to make distincti'
IN against the lawyers which, he said, t
&c people ought to be proud of. The
Were lot of shysters coming to t
country, and the people must be pr
tected The word felony Tor the {
Tense was finally adopted.
Erving asked to make provision
n the appointment OF deputy coun
k attorney, If the needs OF the coun
demanded it. Biting thought II t
county attorneys salary was ma
large enough the matter would
w. quickly settled. He was voted down
al The county surveyor is to be electt
- and must be a graduate in civil en-,
rs neering and surveying. AT this jur
or ture Biting was called into the ha
nd and Immediately asked to be excuse
es as he had to attend to an importa
ed matter. After his departure the pl
yo ceedings We're carried on much me
ed rapidly After dilating upon the
d. ties of the coroner, sheriff, and und'
n sheriff, the meeting adjourned ur
,s. Friday evening at o'clock.
CHI
20 dnd