The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-17
Continued from yesterday
Wednesday, March 25, 1870

Wednesday, March 25, 1903.
| The committee met at 1920 a. M,
Hon. Edward L. Hamilton. presiding.
The Chairman. Mr.. Mcclellan will
continue his remarks on H. r. 1854
STATEMENT OF MR.. GEORGE B.
| MCCLELLAN.
| Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen of the
committee, / would like to put into the
record an answer to the question by
Mr.. Higgins in regard to the volume
| of business that is transacted by the
| supreme court in the Territory Of Ha-
wall 1 have a report here made for
the biennial period. It shows that in
the supreme court 2T6 cases were dis
posed of. In the Circuit court for the
same period there were disposed of
| 1910 cases.
Mr.. Lloyd. How many circuit judges
are there?
Mr. Mcclellan. There are seven cir
cult judges. AS to the volume of liti-
| cation in the supreme court, 1 can say
| that the court, for considerable time,
was behind in it's work, and was not
able to catch up on account of the
large volume of litigation. They have,
however, by holding almost continuous
sessions, been able to bring up the bust
ness: and the supreme court is now
up to date. In regard to the courts of
the first circuit on the island of Oahu,
the three circuit judges there haye held
almost continuous sessions of their
courts. They have had only six weeks
vacation during the year, and during
that time one judge has always been
on duty in chambers. Some of the
judges have held night sessions in or
der to keep up the work. simply
state this to show something Of the
volume of the work.
With reference to the salaries of the
circuit judges, the bill asks that the
salary be increased to $4,000. Under the
Republic of Hawaii, the judges received
salary of $4,000, so that we are simply
asking for what they formerly received.
Under the Federal Government, the
volume of business has increased very
greatly and we think that these judges
should receive the same salaries as they
received under the Hawaiian Govern
ment itself, and it seems to me that
it will be apparent to the committee
that for the class of men that we want
on the bench, the salary ought not to
be less than $4,000.
I wish to direct your attention to the
fact that the salaries of the judges
in Alaska are $4,000. My understanding
is that those judges performed the
same functions as our circuit courts,
viz, that of a nisi prius court.
They receive $4,000 in Alaska for the
same services for which we are asking
$4,000 for the judges in Hawaii. The
courts of the same character in the
Philippines receive a salary of $500 to
$4,000.
The Chairman The Senate has rails
ed the salary of the Federal judge in
Porto Rico to $4,000
Mr.. Mcclellan. Now, ! will call your
attention to the fact that the judges of
the supreme court of the District of
Columbia, which performs the same
functions as our circuit courts-the SUI
preme court of the district of Clumbia
is substantially a nisi prius court
receive a salary of $4,000. The court of
appeals in the District of Columbia is
the appellate court
The judges of the supreme court in
the District of Columbia have no more
important jurisdiction than do the cir
cult court judges in Hawaii. We have
in Hawaii cases involving s10O, 900, and
sometimes LOCO, 900 in a single case be-
committee should realize that judges
handling that class of litigation should
receive certainly the $4,000 which they
formerly received under the govern
ment of Hawaii.
Mr.. Capron. Their work is on the
Island of Oahu?
Mr. Mcclellan. There is one Judge
each on the islands of Maui and Kau-
al. two on Hawaii. and three on Oahu.
The Chairman. You have a police
court in Honolulu Have you any idea
as to the amount of business that that
court attends to?
Mr.. Mcclellan. I have the figures of
the total number of cases in all of the
district courts throughout the islands.
The total number of all run up to
22.954 for the biennial period.
The Chairman. The limits of the
Jurisdiction of the police court which is
held in this city of Honolulu is COM
mensurate with the limit of the island?
Mr.. Mcclellan. No; with the district
of Honolulu. There are other magis-
trates in other districts, on Oahu and
the other islands.
Mr.. Lloyd. There is no city organ
ization?
Mr. Mcclellan Not at the present.
The Chairman. There are no NUM-
cipal limits?
Mr. Mcclellan. The district includes
some of the surrounding country and
all of Honolulu.
Mr.. Mcclellan. With reference to the
supreme court, the bill provides that
the chief justice of the supreme court
shall receive $500 and the two asso-
ciate Justices $1,000 each. I would state,
by way of comparison. that the salary
is the same as that paid in the court
of appeals of the District of Columbia.
The court of appeals of the District of
Columbia performs the same functions
as does the supreme court in the Ter
ritory of Hawaii.
1 present herewith a memorial from
the Chamber of Commerce of Homo
lulu asking that these salaries be rails
ed as provided in the bill. I think it
is only fair, however. to state to the
committee thar the Bar Association of
Honolulu has recommended a little
lower scale of salaries than is provid-