The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-03-09
THE SENATE.
SIXTEENTH DAY.
Afternoon Session.


A report of the Ways and Means
Committee on Senate bill to amend
the tax exemption law so as to include
the trust estate under the will of w.
c Lunalilo was presented by Fair
child. A substitute bill is submitted,
which amends the exemption clause
relating to public, educational, reli-
gious and eleemosynary institutions
as follows:
THE following property shall be ex-
empt from taxation: real and personal
property belonging to the Territory;
to the Department of Public 1nstruc-
ton; to incorporated or private schools
and in the actual use of such schools;
to the Queens Hospital; to the trust
estate under the will of w. c. Luna
lilo, deceased; to religious societies
and in the actual use of such socie-
ties, the land of such societies ex-
empt from taxation being limited to
church sites and burying grounds,
such sites and burying grounds not
to exceed five acres in extent, and the
hapiolani Maternitl Home.
"All property both real and per-
sonal of public library associations
shall be exempt from taxation"
THE L1QUO RMEN TALK
Fairchild laid on the table a letter
10 the chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee from the Wholesale
Liquor Dealers Association of Hawaii
by w. Lishman, president. Following
are extracts from the letter:
1T is not the desire herein to char
acterize any bill concerning the ma
nufacture or sale of Intoxicating IL
qGors as the best or worst ever pre-
scented or legalized as law. These re-
marks are intended solely to disclose
the object of the proposed amend
ments and the evils that these amend
nents are designed to correct.
1T is proposed to elimin-
ate the discretionary powers of the
Eoard and place the exercise OF that
discretion upon the property holders
adjoining the promises to be licens-
ed.
Were the discretionary powers of
the Board subject to some limitation
the act would in that respect be I'M
Objectionable, but the leeway for ar
Dltrary, unreasonable and unfair de-
cIsions in respect to applications for
renewals, suspensions or revocations
OF licenses is so great as to make a
person engaged in the manufacture OF
sale of intoxicating liquors the mere
puppet of the Board.
Little is known and less appre.
oiated of the provisions of the exist.
ing act. And the discretionary pow,
ers of the Board are in themselves
ample justification for the amend
rents proposed in that regard"
Quoting from the law the letter
makes these comments:
I'm cases of applicants other than
those disqualified under the provisions
of section IS, the Board may grant
one or one million licenses. 1t may
grant or refuse guided only by its OWL
opinion, whim or fancy. 1t neither as.
signs nor is it obliged to assign any
reason for the refusal or an applica,
ton. It's stated grounds of refusal iii
any are given may be false and moi
its true grounds It's powers of dis
erection are without limitltion anC
whether arbitrary, unreasonable Of
unfair there is no redress. 1t may
grant a license to one person in pref
erence to another without reference
to any priority in the order of films
applications. Its hearings are secret
its information may be received el
larte. 1t may take notice of any mat
ter or thing which in the opinion o
majority of its members would b.
a sufficient objection to the granting
CT a license. 1t may consider accu
sations of which it is the sole judg
of whether or not the applicant shall
have an opportunity of answering
The procedure upon an application
for. a renewal of. a license depend
entirely upon the gracious discretion
of the Board. No method of represen
tation is provided by the act and cal
he refused by the Board. No metho
of cross examination of a protester i
provided, nor admitted An applican
may be charged with a felony an
either be in ignorance of it lit havin
been received by the Board ex parte
or knowing of it be denied an oppor
tunity Of either proving the falsity c
the charge or catechising the inform
ant"
After repeating the foregoing sen
t'ments in different language the lei
ter proceeds:
'The act provides a method of lc