The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-04-25

Ltd, have in any way made void or
forfeited its rights under the franchise
granted under Sections S35 to S7l in
elusive of the Revised Laws of the
Territory of Hawaii, and shall ascer-
tain the validity of said franchise;
and
That the Attorney General shall pro-
tect the rights of the Territory of Ha-
waii by injunction pending determine
tions, if he shall deem such steps
necessary.
INHERITANCE TAX.
Senate Bill JOG, to repeal a section
of the Revised Laws, passed second
reading. The bill repealed is that
prescribing punishment for the viola
ton of market ordinances.
Senate Bill 100, the inheritance tax
bill, was read for the third time.
Achi moved to amend by fixing an
exemption from taxation amounting
to $4,000 and Dickey moved an amend
ment making the tax that would fall
directly upon the next of kin one per
cent. 'Dowsett argued that two per
cent would be fairer.
The vote came first on the Achi
amendment, and this carried. Then
the vote came on the Dowsett amend
ment fixing the tax rate at per cent
on Inheritance, and it carried.
Bishop moved an amendment cutting
the inheritance tax from ten to five per
cent for legatees not of kin to de-
cedents, saying that it amounted al
most to confiscation.
Dowsett argued that the higher rate
should be kept, for the reason that the
tax would fall on the rich and the
richer the man was the less he would
feel the tax. The Territory needed
revenue, and this law would levy a
just tax the Treasury was being chnat-
ed out of now. The law covered both
requests and gifts made before death.
Bishop once more protested against
the high rate and Achi said that the
law was right, but could not be en-
forced. A rich man could put his es-
tate into corporation, and give his
family the stock before he died, and SO
the law could be evaded. The only
way to reach this would be to put a
stamp duty on deeds to estates. Other
wise, no law could put a stop to the
practice of deciding estates before
death. The vote came on the Bishop
amendment and was lost.
Dickey moved to amend by a graded
tax of per cent on legacies or gifts
below $4,000 and ~ per cent on high.
er amounts, but it was lost.
Dowsett moved an amendment of the
title making the act more sweeping in
its provisions, so as to reach all classes
of gifts and requests.
This met with great deal of dis
cussion, in the midst of which Bishop
moved to auJourn. This was amended
to motion to take a recess until 2 p.
m, which carried
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Senate resumed consideration of
the inheritance tax bill at the after
noon session, taking it up at the Dow
sett amendment to the title, which
passed, and there followed a long dis
cussion upon purely technical features
of the bill, during which the Senate
seemed to be moving in circles and
getting nowhere in particular. At last,
however, the exemption was put back
at $1,000, thus undoing the work done
at the morning session. And then, at
last, the bill passed third reading,
there being no vote cast against it.
Senate Bill POI, the loan appropria-
tion bill, was deferred until Wednes-
day.
House Bill POI, the deficiency APP
preparation bill for the Attorney Gen
erals office to pay jurors fees and
court expenses, was read for the third
time and passed, Achi alone voting
against it.
House Bill 112, relating to taxes, was
referred to the Ways and Means Com
mittee.
House Bill 1913, the eight hour law,
was tabled.
House Bill 1919, the vested fishing
rights bill, was tabled.
House Bill 100, the Cocoanut Island
Park bill, was tabled.
House Bill 142, regulating the prac-
tice of medicine, was tabled.
House Bill 1856, to pay forest fire
fighters half dollar an hour, was read
for the second time by title and
passed. It will be read for the third
time today.
NEEDS THE MONEY.
House Bill POS, to authorize the