The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-02-10
BAR WANTS
NEW LAWS
Alterations Are
Suggested by
Lawyers.
tFrom Saturdays Daily.)

Bar Association yesterday steps were
taken looking to the preparation OF
measures which will be submitted to
the Legislature for action. The
various committees reported and there
was preliminary discussion, but in the
end all was left over for action at
later meetings Of the body. The next
meeting will take place on Monday
= and the same place, Castle & Cooke
assembly room.
No report submitted was so full OF
purely technical interest to the attor-
neys present, as that of Judge Hart
well, on forms of procedure. The re-
port covered the points which had
{ been suggested by the Chief Justice
and was lengthy and valuable. The
point which aroused the most COM
ment was the section which provided
that actions in divorce could be
brought by one party, where the two
had not last lived as husband and
/ wife in the Territory. This is a COM
plete change in the order of proce-
dure now and in the past here, and
there was developed much opposition
The proposed form is that which has
obtained in Dakota, and has been
much criticised on the mainland.
The report on the compilation of the
laws was the one which occupied the
greatest length of time A. f. Judd,
for the majority of the committee, re-
ported in favor of resolution provid-
ing for the appointment by the Gov
ernor, with the advice and consent Of
the Senate, Of a commission of three
which should make compilation of
the laws which should be in exist
ence at the close of the legislative
session of 1903, and an annexation of
the same. That the commission should
make provision for the publication and
sale of the same.
A minority report was submitted by
Judge Silliman, in which he suggested
that there be named a commission
which should make compilation Of
the laws and suggest changes in
them, to be submitted to the session
of the legislature of 1905, with a re-
port recommending such changes and
urging their enactment into law. This
brought out a long discussion and
there were developed such features as
caused the report to be laid aside with
the other for further action.
The committee on revenues and IL
censes, Messrs. Mott-Smith, Matthew
man and Thurston asked for instruc-
tons, saying that since the Supreme
Court had decided that the system of
merchandise licenses was illegal. and
the matter of changing the laws was
one of policy on the part of the gov
eminent, in which it and the mer-
chants was most interested from the
standpoints of revenue and taxation,
whether or not the Bar Association
should make recommendations. The
Association took the stand that it was
purely matter of policy, and that
there should be no action by the
body.
The committee which had in charge
the land title system, submitted the
following report:
TORRENS LAND LAW.
The preliminary report OF the spe-
cial committee of the Torrens land
title registration bill for Hawaii, was
made as follows:
To w. r. Castle,
President pro TEN.
Your committee having examined
into the advisability of adopting a
system of land title registration to
these Islands, are OF the opinion that
it is of great Importance to introduce
such a system as early as practicable.
The reasons for such a law are well
put in a report made by a committee
of the Research Club of this city to
that body, and we append as part of
this report, an extract from their re-
port, as follows:
A committee OF the Research Club,
consisting of Philip l.. Weaver, chair
man; c. II. Merriam, w. T.. Wall. G..
B. Mcclellan and +. j. Lowrey, have
drafted the text of a bill for register
ing and confirming titles to land, and
We understand that it follows the well
known Massachusetts, Act, adapting 1t
to the needs of these Islands. The
bill, as handed to us February Eth,
contains about 1900 words, and 1t
will require more time than this COM
mittee has had TO enable II to examine
and scrutinize the text of the bill so
as to render report on the matter
finally
We believe that the Research Club
has done much hard work in thus pre-
pairing the text OF measure. and
wish 10 express our appreciation OF the
public spirit thus shown,
The committee Is Fastening 10 pass
upon the text OF the bill as submitted
10 II. and requests that Il be given one
week more time 10 make It's report,
Very respectfully yours,
y, l., WEAVER, Chairman
L. A. DlckEY,
A, =, HAhTWELL,
PART or REPORT or COMMITTEES