The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-04-23
Many Amendments to the Measure
For the Hawaiian Com
pany Added.
Wireless Telegraph Company Gets It's Bonus
Past House---SaIaries Are Increased
by the Senate.

{ Electric franchise bill from the table
an the fighters donned their war paint.
Long got the floor first and he said:
MIR. Speaker. I do not propose that
this bill shall come up at this time.
There are other bills on the Speakers
table which are more important than
these private franchises. There are
here measures of territorial import
which are not to be laid aside for this
private franchise"
Speaker Beckley rose to inform the
house of the condition of matters. say
ing that the company for which the
franchise was asked was already well
established and the city was dependent
upon it for lighting. The franchise will
expire soon. and if no provision is made
there might arise trouble over the light
ing. If no provision is made then the
government is without guarantee that
it Will receive the 216 per cent OF the
profits provided in the franchise. The
responsibility, he said. was upon the
Legislature, to protect both the peo-
pie and the government
Long came back with the statement
that the Superintendent of Public
Works could protect the government
and get the revenues from the COM
pany. He insisted that there are more i
important matters.
An attempt was made to secure a
recess but this failed and the bill was
taken from the table by large major
ity.
BILL IS AMENDED.
The bill then was taken up and vot-
ing began on amendments, the formal
or verbal ones being taken up first and
adopted. AS to the life OF the fran
chise there was much discussion. Ku-
malae moved to make it 10 years. say
ing he would favor a longer period If
it was a new company. but the present
one was well established KaIama's
at 25. as between the com
mittee's IS and Kumalaes 10, was ruled ]
out OF order and the amendment was
defeated on roll call by ayes to % !
noes.
KaIama renewed his amendment re-
ducing the life of the franchise to 25 |
years. but this was lost by. 13 ayes to
Is noes. and the committees amend
ment to cut down the life to 80 years
then went through with II ayes to IL
noes.
AGAINST UNDERGROUND WIRES.
The principal fight after recess began
IN the Long amendment compelling un-
lerground construction after five years.
Aylett began the argument, saying
here had been deaths caused by live
wires and it was the duty of the Leg
stature to protect the citizens. saying
hat he would support the bill If
lmended, but would vote against it
otherwise.
Keliinoi urged that fairness should
ronpt the compelling of all companies
o put down their wires. If this COM
any is so treated.
Lewis said the duty Of the Legisla-
ors was to work for the people. and
ompel the placing of the wires under II
round, and not for the interest of rich
len who own the stock
Chillingworth called attention to the
act that government wires were not {
rdered down, yet they had killed peo- !
Ie. He insisted that fairness shocld
lIe There was a long discussion. but
le amendment was lost by IL ayes. II
pes.
Longs amendment providing that I
atrons shall pay only one-half of con-
ection expenses. secured a tie vote.
to Il. and the Speaker cast the vote
lrrying the amendment