The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-11-05
INVESTIGATING
CRAFT CHARGES
Hawaii Prosecutors and Many
Witnesses Before Kailua
Grand Jury.

| hAlLOA, NONeHDeT line Cnlel
topic of interest here is the approach.
| ing term of the third circuit court,
when it is expected there will be some
Investigations into the recent alleged
irregularities of the Kau police force,
such as will make the members of that
body sit up and take notice. 1t would
be more strictly correct to say the pres.
sent, than the approaching term for the
circuit court has been in session, at a
special term, here, since September 20
last, though sitting without jury, for
the trial of cases brought by Chinese
and japanese cane planters against the
Hutchinson plantation of Kau. One of
| those cases, that of Wing Wo VS..
Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Co., has
| been thirty days on trial, and the plain
| tiffs side, as the attorneys say, is not
yet nearly finished. In the mean time,
the special term, called in the expecta.
ton of disposing of some half dozen
| of these cases, has been absorbed by
the regular term of that court, which
opened last Wednesday, and the trial
referred to has proceeded to this date.
| 1t is expected that a recess will be
| taken in this trial as soon as the grand
| jury, which meets here today, shall pro-
vide some criminal cases for the at
tention of the court.
There are no cases of special i'm
portance on the criminal side, so far
as has yet developed. But telephone
advices are to the effect that the new
county attorney, w. II. Beers, with
Carl Smith as his deputy, are both on
their way here, due today; also that
a swarm of witnesses will disembark
from the Mauna Loa in this harbor
this forenoon, all coming from Kau, and
presumably in connection with the re-
cent charges of graft on the part of
the Kau police force, in connection with
license collections. The result of all
this noise is as yet a mere matter for
speculation, however, though the pres
ent week may be expected to present
some tangible facts in regard to it.
The Honolulu bar is at present, and
has been since mid.September, repre-
scented by c. w. Ashford acting for
the plaintiffs in the plantation suits
above referred to, and w. l.. Stanley,
acting for the defendant. Charlie Achi
blew in for some probate work, during
the past week, and a little later APP
peared, for the same purpose. Mr.. Ly-
man, of the firm of Kinney, BallOu, etc.
Many Divorces.
Crop conditions in Kona are report
ed as excellent, the almost superabun-
dant rains of the past summer having
, continued to date, in more moderate
volume, and given life and promise to
everything in the line of husbandry.
No reference is here intended to the
domestic brand, though that, too, is
/ hourishing along this coast. And so
is its antithesis, for that matter, for
this circuit court has probably never
before been so beset by petitioners for
} divorces. Speaker Holstein came over
> the other day, and assisted in releasing,
with neatness and despatch, a group of
, his clients from the calling manacles
of wedlock. But then Holstein was al
ways benevolently disposed.
! Coffee Harvest.
The coffe harvest is at its height
| and "Kona coffee" is being sent for
r ward in quantities sufficient to delight
[ the coffee topers of half continent. Ii
n is estimated, according to same reports
v that over 10000 sacks will be shipped
before the season ends. 1t is feared
: however, that considerable of the CROP
will go to waste, for lack of labor to
pick it. The coffee berry, in the rough
commands about $l.55 per sack, and
sixty cents per sack is being freely
paid for picking. Portuguese,
planter was in Kailua recently, in wild
eyed quest of pickers at even the al
most prohibitive figure of seventy-fv
cents per sack.
The theory often advanced that the
school children are the logical coffee
pickers still remains a theory, for it ha,
not been found to work out well il
Kona. Still some youngsters of schoo
age are Drawing the criminal code il
such case made and provided, by stay
ing away from school for the purpos,
OF coffee picking, A nimble fngureC
Il don't mean what you mean) DO,
or girl can comfortable pick two sack
a day, thus realizing handsome wage
The coffee mills at Kailua and Napoo
poo are working day and night, ant
the amount of hard cash which THU
banner crop represents is a formidabl,
item. There are large areas of re
Gently planted coffee about to come in
TO bearing on and near Honaunau. il
South Kona, and it is predicted tina
when that event comes TO pass, tn
entire Kona crop will reach $1,000
sacks per year.
Kailua improvements.
Great improvements have recent,
been made TO the Kailua wharf, b.
gang of workmen employed by tn
public works department, and operat
ing under the very efficient instruc
lions of that veteran contractor, Jir
Morse, The main wharf has been ca
tended thirty feet IN length, upon con
crete piers, firmly bolted TO the rock
under water, az which task the me
worked in water to their necks. o
this structure has been erected higl
power derrick, estimated sufficient 10
tfeenton burdens, aud donkey eI
gins 10 run IL has been installed, %
her lust arrival from Honolulu the Nj
, una Loa was enabled 10 unload by IA
aid Of these improved appliances, {
the great economy Of time and muscle
Social Dolngs.