The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-30

There was strenuous time at the
do:k on Wednesday afternoon, when
Deputy Sheriff Kalakiela undertook to
| carry away a lot of oranges from the
| wharf.
Alexander Craw, inspector for the
Board of Agriculture, had rejected the
oranges and, when Kalakiela loaded
them upon dray, threw them off again.
The deputy sheriff threatened to ar
rest Mr.. Craw if he did not desist, but
Mr.. Craw defied him at his peril to
take the oranges away. The occur
renee grew out Of the following facts:
The law creating the Board of Agri
culture and Forestry gives it the power
to make rules and regulations under
which it may inspect, quarantine, fun
igate and destroy fruits and other
vegetable products seeking to enter
the Territory; also empowers it to
prohibit the importation into the Ter
ritorv of either special fruits or fruits
in general from localities infected with
dangerous plant diseases and injurious
insects.
Under such authority the Boaro
passed a rule about year ago prohi
biting the importation of fresh fruit
from Asiatic and some other ports.
The reason for passing the rule was
that several fruit flies had become ex
tremely prevalent in Asiatic and South
%hyc n
fruits in parts of South Africa were
almost obliterated. One destructive
fiy had gained an entrance here, play
ing havoc with muskmelons and Gu
cumbers Other fruit flies which have
not come here would, if allowed into
Hawaii, destroy all of our fruit.
The rule was approved by the Gov
ernor and notice thereof given to all
importers. Practically no attempt has
been made to violate the rule until
recently, when two shipments arrived
from Japan, both of which were de-
stroyed. They were not only contra
band under this general rule, but when
examined by Mr.. Craw were found to
be infected with a number Of bllghts
that would be injurious here
By the steamer Doric several hun
dred packages of oranges were I'M
ported, but refused permission to land
by Inspector Craw. The importers
forthwith filed a suit in replev1n
against Mr. Craw, alleging that the
oranges were worth one thousand dol
lars and demanding the oranges or
that sum of money. They also hIed
a bond in $4,000 indemnity in case
thew failed to prove their right to
bring the suit AS usual in such cases
the sheriff was ordered to take pos
session of the goods and deliver them
after two DAYS to the plaintiffs.
Instead of waiting for the two days
| to expire the deputy sheriff took pos
session of the oranges and attempted
| to effect their forcible removal Mr..
| Craw Immediately informed the Board
of Agriculture yesterday morning OF
what was being done.
| A snecial meeting of the Board was
Immediately held and Attorney Gen
| eral Peters was requested to defend
the case. County Attorney Douthitt
was also consulted, who stated that in
his opinion the deputy sheriff was
| clearly not entitled to take possession
| of the oranges as against the inspector
of the Board of Agriculture, adding
that his advice would be given, as in
the past, that it was the duty of the
police to assist the inspector in every
way in his efforts to keep out blights
and noxious insects.
+ Later in the afternoon Mr.. Peters
Informed Deputy Sheriff Kalakiela
that he had no right to deliver the
oranges until after two days and he
would hold him personally responsible
if he attempted to take them away
Kalakiela stated that the section of
the law regarding removal of goods
had not been pointed out to him, and
engaged that he would not further at
tempt to deliver the oranges.
The Attorney General thereupon i'm
mediately prepared papers to contest
the sufficiency of the bond offered by