The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-23
CAUCUS
Of LAWYERS
Met to Discuss the
Proposed Bill
and Petition.
COMMITTEE
APPOINTED
~ ~
No Action Taken as Bar Asso-
clation, as Meeting Mas
Irregular.

In response to notice given, about fif-
teen attorneys met yesterday afternoon
in the court room of the First Circuit
Court, for the purpose of discussing the
proposed plan of framing a bill for new
judiciary system, the same to be sent,
when completed and agreed upon to
Congress, accompanied by petition for
its passage, signed by the members of
the Bar Association.
For a time it was thought that no
meeting could be held, on account of the
attendance not being sufficient to con-
stitute a quorum. but several more law
yers came strolling in and w o. Smith
took the Courts chair to preside, Secre-
tary Case alert and at the clerks table
| Attorney Davis, who is a very vehe-
ment supporter of the proposed plan, be-
gan enthusiastically to express his senti-
ments in the matter, and was promptly
sat upon by Attorney McClanahan, who
raised the point that the meeting was
irregular and had no right to pass upon
anything; according to the constitution
! and bylaws, he said, ten days notice
was necessary to regular special meet
ing, whereas he, and number of others,
had received only few hours notice
! There was a great deal of quibbling
over the matter, and few sly person.
alities were INDUCED in; then Attorney
Weaver solved the problem by making
motion that the meeting resolve itself in
to a caucus, to Informally discuss the
subject, which they had originally in
tended to discuss. This was agreed upon
and the discussion began. Mr.. Davis did
most OF the discussing, his remarks being
directed principally towards the present
judiciary system and the Judges; he
said that with these there was some
thing wrong" backing up his statement
with the extremely thin volume of re-
ports in which were contained the
reports of all the cases tried before the
Supreme Court of the Territory during
the past year. Mr.. Davis compared the
size of this book with the size of a fat
volume lying on the table beside him en-
titled somebody or other on Torts a half
dozen books of which size, he said, are
ordinarily compiled by the Supreme
Courts of ether Territories. This went.
he said, TO show that there was some
thing wrong somewhere" and that it
wasn't fair for the Government to pay
5000 a year for the making of a little
book Ike the one he held aIoft in his
! hand.
Finally, the proposed petition, which
had been signed by all the attorneys in
Honolulu, was read, and following it the
resolutions drafted by Hatch & Sill.man,
showing the plan fer the new judiciary
system.
!, After the reading. by Judge Sillman.
it was suggested by the persistent MIR.
: McClanahan that the meeting had no
right, as a meeting of the Bar Associa-
ton, to take any steps in the matter.
and upon this suggestion. motion that
the matter be referred TO a committee
was pat 10 vote-the committee to re-
wise the resolutions already drafted in
which certain inconsistencies had been
. pointed out. and to report at a special
meeting which was to be regularly call
ed, with the prescribed ten days notice.
The Chair appointed Judge SiIliman, At
torney Weaver and T. McCants Stewart
, to attend to the duties of such commit
tee. and as this practically closed the
matter for the time being, someone made
a motion, and Chairman Smith asked all
those in favor of formally closing the in
formal meeting to please signify by GO
! ing home The majority went, and the
motion was carried.
The proposed plan provides for seven
Supreme Justices, and three, instead of
the present five Circuit Courts, the Su-
Z prene Justices to take turns at sitting
in the Circuit Courts and al cases ap-
pealed from the Circuit Courts to be
heard in the Supreme Court by Justices
: who had not heard the case in the lower
! ! courts. The suggested plan is calculated
|. to expedite the trial of cases and keep
the calendars clear. The resolutions will
: be properly framed and presented 10 the
Bar Association at the special meeting
which is to be called. The petition al
ready signed by the lawyers OF the City,
: both members of the Bar Association and
/ those who are not, is as follows:
2 Whereas, there are over 2O0 untried
2 civil actions on the calendar of the Cit
{ cult Court for the Island OF Oahu, and
0 new actions are being constantly
brought, and it is apparent that the two
: Judges now appointed for said Island are
j unable to dispose Of the actions now
j pending in said court. and such new ac-
= items as may be hereafter brought; ana,
y whereas the Judges of the Circuit
: Courts in and for the Islands OF kauai.
i Maui and Hawaii can dispose Of great
| or amount of business than is brought
before them; and,
..whereas. il is believed that three
I Irdres of the Supreme Court not a
: | e1,f4fcfeut number to constitute a court OF
final appeal in this Territory. and that
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