The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-02-17
THE SENATE.
SECOND DAY

THE SENATE.
SECOND DAY
All the members of the Senate were
in their seats when President Isen-
berg's gavel fell yesterday morning.
The President of the Senate himself, in
fact, was in his chair for twenty min
utes before the gavel fell and told the
members of the press that he would be
In the Senate Chamber every morning
at $3.50, excepting on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, to receive bills and COM
munications, and to transact whatever
business might be brought to his at
tention.
Immediately following the roll call,
the clerk announced a message from
the Governor, but before this was taken
up President Isenberg said that the
reading of the regular message, which
had not been completed yesterday,
would be taken up and finished. The
special message was an engrossed copy
of the county act, with long commu-
nication from the Commissioners.
The minutes, however, was the first
order after roll call, and when that had
been concluded, McCandless wanted to
consider the Governors message read,
and let it go at that.
READ THE MESSAGE.
r mo, SIR" said the President; "the
Governors message comes first
And Assistant Secretary Silva began
at page 80 and went on slowly, skip
ping the school statistics by request.
When he had labored along well into
the section of the message relating to
the evils of the present contract sys-
tenn and the troubles of the Superin-
tendent of Public Works growing there
from, Senator Diciey offered to take
his turn at the reading and Silva hand
ed the document over to him. He had
read as far as the forestry section
when Senator Paris arose and suggest
ed that the reading of the message was
a waste of time. 1t might as well be
referred to a special committee, while
the balance of the Senate went on
working.
However, the protest was not enter
tanned, and Dickey went on reading.
There are only fourteen pages more"
he said.
He read as far as the middle of the
colonial section and then turned back
the message to the assistant secretary,
who finished the reading.
On motion of Paris, the message was
referred to a special committee con-
sisting of Paris. Dickey and Dowsett.
who are to segregate it and assign it
by sections to the proper standing COM
mittees.
THE COUNTY ACT.
Then it was the turn of the County
Act, and the following communication
from the Commission was read:
Honolulu, February 14th, 1905.
Honorable George r. Carter, Governor
of Hawaii
Sir: The Commission appointed by
authority of the Joint Resolution of the
Legislature, approved April 10, 1904,
submit herewith draft of a County
Act.
The Commission has had in view the
drafting of an act which, while not
compromising all the features of coun-
ty government as usually understood,
would provide for a simple form of
representative government, placing the
management and control of local pub
lie affairs in the hands of county Off
GERS elected by the people.
1t has been the endeavor of the Com
mission to draw an act which will in no
way conflict with the constitutional
provisions of the Organic Act of the
Territory. For this reason the election
of boards of supervisors has been pro-
vided for in a separate bill to be pass
ed after the enactment of the prin-
cipal act.
While the Commission expresses the
opinion that the election of boards Of
supervisors is not in contravention of
the Organic Act, still in Difference to
opinions expressed by others, the ex-
pedient above suggested has been re-
sorted to in order to avoid a possible
constitutional defect in the act.
We desire to call your attention to
the fact that no revenue law has been
provided in the drafting of the act.
The question of placing the granting of
licenses and the revenue derived there
from in the hands of the county has
49, DSSH Pe'sseu upoH. II VIII tnere-
fore be necessary for the Legislature to
provide by appropriation the necessary
funds for the Inauguration and conduct
of county government until such time
as other means of revenue are pro-
vided.
NO provision has been made for the
turning over to the counties of any
property of the Territory. The act
provides. however that the counties
may acquire and hold real and personal
property within their daf1nad boundo