The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-04-26
THE HOUSE.

An attack of the most directly per
| sonal nature was made in the House
| of Representatives yesterday by Fer
nandez on j. Hastings Rowland, assist
ant superintendent of the Department
of Public Works. The attack came in
the form of resolution which ran
as follows, and was discussed by Fer
nandez, Kaniho and Aylett.
"That the House of Representa-
tives hereby express their total lack
of confidence in J. Hastings Rowland,
assistant superintendent of supervis-
ing engineer of the Department of
Public Works of the Territory of Ha-
wall, and hereby demand that he be
removed from Office.
On motion. the matter was referred
to special committee to be appointed
by the Speaker.
The Speaker appointed Long, Haia
and Sheldon select committee to in
quire into Rowland conduct.
VETOED LEPRoSY BILL.
The Governor veto of the leprosy
bill (H. B. 1867, was read at the morn
ing session of the House. In the course
of it the Governor made these obser-
vations:
cit is unfortunate that extreme
legislation of this character on this
subject should be precipitated at this
time. Congress has seen fit to pass an
appropriation of $4,000 for the es-
tabIishment of hospital at Molokai,
with the object of studying the dis
ease; and that this work will be Wig
orously pushed is shown by the latest
advices from DR.. Wyman, United
States Surgeon General, and head of
the Quarantine and Marine Hospital
Service. He states that already pre-
liminary plans have been discussed,
and that he expects to arrive here in
the latter part of next month.
'FBy the proposed act it is intended
to'provide a combination of a medical
examination and court trial. Arrests
are to be no longer made of alleged
cases of leprosy, but citation or sort
of civil summons is to issue to persons
suffering with leprosv, who shall be
deemed capable of spreading the dis
ease. to appear before board of five
physicians, all of whom must be pres
ent, for the purpose of an examination
to determine whether or not the per
son is suffering from leprosv and is ca
pable of spreading the disease.
cit is clear that it will be impossible
to issue citation to determine fact,
when the fact must be determined be-
fore the citation can issue. The Dis
trict Magistrate has no discretion in
the matter. He can only issue the
citation to a person suffering with
leprosy. / he should take the state
ment of a witness and issue citation,
the attorney for the person cited could
at once attack the same, claiming no
desire or intent to disobey it, but sim
ply that it was not legally proven that
his client had leprOsv. and, therefore,
that the citation was issued contrary
to law.
"There are other minor objections
to the bill, such as the provision by
which all those who are confined in the
hospital for the treatment of suspects
can be examined at intervals of not
less than once a year. Thus even if
the patient and the Board of Health
are both anxious for an examination to
show that the disease has been abated,
while such an examination could take
place, it would be, under this provis-
ion. without legal significance or eff
feet
''This bill simply takes away all
power and control in reference to this
matter from the Board of Health, and
practically prevents segregation.
Legislation of this nature illus
trates what radical action may be an
ticipated if this subject is left per