The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-04-02
MUNICIPAL
MEASURE
Passes Second Reading
as Does the Married
Teachers Bill.
sENATE-THIRTYFIFTH DAY.

The passage of the Municipal bill on
second reading yesterday was the
feature OF the day. outclassing In i'm
portance Senator Dowsett's s famous
married teachers measure which also
passed second reading by close mar
gin.
Senator Bishop was IN his chair for
the first time since he was attacked
by dengue and was as clipper as
four-year From the manner of his
conducting the business brought up 1t
would not be supposed that ne had
been absent from the Senate for
day.
The aid-to-small- farmer bill came up
from the House plastered with amend
ments that had been suggested by
gentleman from Kona. At the last
moment before he returned to his home
on Hawaii he asked that land used for
the cultivation of eocoanuts be also ex
Sempt from taxes. As the bill had al
ready passee. the Senate this could
not be added so lie had 1t fixed IN
the House and as an offset the area
OF land used in the cultivation of
products. to be exempt under the bill,
has been reduced from two hundred
to forty acres Senator Hewitt i'm
mediateiy moved that the Senate do
not concur and the motion carried. The
bill viii 90 to conference committee |
It Is difficult for the Senator from /
Kau to see why land used IN the euI- |
tivation of coeoanuts which grow wild t
at the seashore should be free from
taxes.
There was a goodlv bnneh of bills re-
ported on by Senator Smith from the
judiciary committee and they after
ward passed second reading
Senate oil 70, relating to the right
OF eminent domain, was called under a
motion made to extend the time IN
which an owner could protest to three
months. Senator Smith objected to this
as It would delay public improvements.
A motion not to concur carried and thei
President appointed q conference COM
anittee composed OF Senators Smith,
Gandal aud Hewitt.
BILLS REPORTED.
Senator Smith from IT, Judiciary
gave evidence of his hard work by re-
porting number or bills from the Ju-
dietary committee. On Senate Bill No.
As his committee SAID, after recon-
znending that the bill be tabled:
The object of the bill Is to change
the legal rate of interest from eight
Der cent to six per cent From 1893
until 1865 the legal rate of interest was
SIX per cent. but at the session of the
aeglsiature IN 1909 ii was amended to
read eight per cent, which rate IS
now In force
While there are reasons, which IN
the opinion OF the committee havaI ]
weight for reducing the rate to six per {
cent, much opposition has been ex-
pressed by certain persons representing (
mercantile interests in Honolulu and
there would appear to be a eonsidera-
be difference of opinion upon the sub
leef- In view of these facts and Of !
the fact that the act increasing the :
rate to eight per cent. has only been :
IN operation for two years, we are in :
elined TO recommend that no changeI ;
De made at present.
The legal rate Of interest Is to a :
certain extent an Indication of the !
financial stability of a community. This
rate Is different from that of the con- !
tract rate or market rate, the latter
being liable to fuctuation; but the
legal rate should be stable and not sub
Iect 10 frequent change. -
Senator Makekau opposed the report I
1H the statement of Senator Smith that {
fhirfy-feur States IN the Union have
; SIX per cent. rate and none has over
C, HhIIe several have five per cent, -
ne same as Canada Senator Smith i,
moved the adoption of the report be- e
.anse he did not consider it right 10 :
zaep changing the legal rate for the !
territory. The report was laid on the 7
able to be considered with the bill \
ETom the same committee Senator a
smith reported on Senate Bill Y rec +
'm4nendlng certain amendments: =
The bill provides that any person :
rho has been declared by the territorial T
3oard Of Health leper and detained :
nd confined as sneh ar the leper settle 4
nenf, county Of Kalawao, shall be ex- !,
npted from the payment of the fol- :
owing taxes, TO wit: Real Property, :
Personal Property. Personal Taxes :.
nd Specific Taxes !
We recommend that Section ] of j
he bill be amended 50 as to read. 7
Section l. Any person who has :
leen declared by the territorial Board ),
Health 10 be leper and is de =
Nned and confined as such at the ;,
Settlement, County of kalawao, :.
hal so long as he or she Is SO de-
6ed and confined. be exempted from !
Fpavneat Of the following taxes, TO
- Pei elsonal Property, Personal
Fes anA Specific Taxes, and that
Is hlIl 50 j pended do pass L
III continkled from Page Two.