The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-04-02


ator Makckau being iH jhe chair Tho
bin was read section hy section and no
objections were advanced io it by the
members of the upper house After the
committee rose, Chairman Makekau
made a verbal report recommending
the passage Of the hill The Senate
then went through the formality Of
adopting the report and the bin was
passed on second reading
Judicial Circuits
The judiciary Committee recommend
ed the passage of Senate Bill No. llg,
amending subdivision of section l2j
of the Revised Laws of Hawaii, relating
to judicial circuits. IL was taken up
with the favorable report of the com
mittee and passed on second reading
House Bill No. a passed second read
ing on the adoption of the favorable
report of the. Judiciary Committee. II
is a measure to provide for the ncqui'
sition of land and other property for
public purposes. Its object is to allow
the government TO sell AT auction lands
which it would otherwise have to eX-
! change at appraised values. The com.
mittee believes that appraised values
are some Zines very faulty and the re.
port states that Glands have been sold
shortly after exchange for several times
their appraised value, showing great
loss to the Territory In reply TO
question from President Smith, Senator
Knudsen said that there was no con.
hict between the provisions of the bill
and the Organic Act.
Debate on Wages.
The judiciary Committee majority
reported favorably on House Bill No.
35, bearing the official title of "An
Act to amend Section of Act 9s, Ses'
sion Laws of 1907" to designate the
pay of laborers engaged in construct
ing or repairing roads, bridges or
( streets, waterworks or other works for
the Territory of Hawaii. Senator Ma
kekau did not concur in the report, and
in the course of the ensuing debate he
stated his objections at length.
AS received from the House of Rep
resentatives, the measure specified that
a minimum wage of $3.50 per diem
should be paid to laborers employed by
the Territorial government. Senator
Mccarthy moved to insert an amend
ment cor of any political division
thereof"
President Smith called Vice Pres-
dent Kalama to the chair and he pro-
ceeded to state his reasons for object
ing to the amendment that would bind
County Supervisors to a minimum wage
rate of $3.50 a day in the payment of
laborers engaged in public work Sen
ator Harvey wanted to know if per
sons taking contracts for public work
would be forced to adhere to the pro-
! visions of the BILL Senator Kalama
gave as his opinion that contractors
would be bound by the $3.50 minimum
rate, Senator Mccarthy observing that
they would have to take it into consid-
GRAFTON when figuring ON public works.
81 am not in favor of this amend
ment, said Senator w. o. Smith. 80
do not believe that the County Super
visors should be restricted to mini
mum figure of $3.50 per day in the
employment of labor. | do not say
that less than $3.50 a day should be
given to able bodied men. If this bill
becomes law it will prevent boys and
others not able to do a full days labor
from getting work, when, if the Super
visors could exercise their discretion
they could employ needy persons who
are unable to compete with able,bodied
laborers. -
Mccarthy Explains 1t.
Senator Mccarthy defended his
amendment. "This is a bill that has
been in the Legislature hefore,' he
said. at is subject that is of great
interest to the laboring people. There
should be uniformity in the wage pay
ment and $3.50 a day is little enough
for any man. As the bill comes from
the House it would not be worth any
thing in IFS practical operation, because
the counties have control of nearly al
the work named"
~ agree with Senator McCarth,
that the labOrer is worthy of his hire
said Senator MOore,' but | doub
whether minimum rate could be en-
forced in the matter of public con
tracts. ! support the general Objec
of the bill and amendment, but do no
think contractors could be held to
minimum rate in the payment of EN-
ployes."
Senator Smith said that the spirit o
popular government was to leave NOR
to county authorities, and that the
would be the best judges of local ques
tions. He declared that they shoul
possess some discretionary control il
the matter of public expenditures.
Wants 1t Tabled.
Senator Makekau declared that tn
present law was sufficient and far t
everyone concerned. He said that
bill fixing a $3.50 minimum wage wa
vetoed at the last session and tina
the law now in force was passed q
substitute. The Senate from Hon,
kaa argued that TO raise the minimum
would bring in the competition of th
young and would prevent old men frol
finding a place in the public wor
specified in the provisions of the bill
81 believe that such bill as tn
would bankrupt the county of Hi
waii, said Makekau. "We have ii
confidence of the people. Let us 9
ahead and decide this question on bus
ness principles. | move to table II
bill ="
Senator Robinson declared that
considered the bin just one and thu
$3.50 a day was little enough for an
man under any circumstances.