The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-02-25
LEC|SLA I URE
HAS BUSY
DAY
Senate Gets Message
From Governor on
Finances.

The Territorial Government S appro-
priation bill was submitted to the
Senate yesterday with message from
Governor Frear in which he dealt with
number of vital questions and poll
cies that depend upon the present Leg
islature for consideration and solu-
tion. The grand total of the appro-
priation bill amounts to So ,24S. 226, and
the Governor states in his message tina;
100000 was cut from the depart
mental estimates of needs for the next
fiscal period.
The select committee on election
laws was named by President of the
Senate w. o. Smith yesterday, the
members being Senators Chilling
worth, Mccarthy, Knudsen, Kalama
and Makekau. 1t was decided to re-
refer the primary election law bill,
which had been given to the Judiciary
Committee, to the Election Law Com
mittee, and they will have all meas
ures relating to elections during the
session.
A number of resolutions were in
troduced in the Senate yesterday, ask
ing for insertions in the appropriation
bill of items for pipelines, sehoolhouse
additions and numerous other purposes.
A special message from the Govern
-oI -,
that about $4,000 be included in the
current period appropriations provid
ing for laboratory to be used in CON
neetion with the scientific investiga-
zion of leprosy.
TIE Senate committees are all get
ting down to work and are following
cnt the spirit of President W. o.
Smith S admonition that to keep the
work from accommodating toward the
end of the session, it will be neees-
sary to keep business up from the be-
ginning. Senator Fairchild is proving
himself strenuous chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee. Unpaid
Territorial bills are now occupying the
attention of the members of the COM
mittee.
In the House the daily grind of
routine continues, scarcely an inter
ruption happening to hold up even mo
mentarily the steady flood of bills, res
olutions, petitions and reports that are
flowing in. Yesterday the only two
events which gave the members a
breathing space were the discussion as
to the earliest date at which the eur
rent appropriation bill could be taken
up and the little lull occasioned bv the
efforts of Rice and Sheldon to see that
report from the Miscellaneous Com
snittee was held back until the Demo
cratic member of the committee could
prepare a minority report. The MINOR
ity report, it is understood, is not to
be adverse to that of the majority, but
a report recommending that the pro-
posed legislation goes further than in
the bill reported on. The bill in ques.
ton is one establishing minimum
wage Of $3.50 for laborers on public
works.
The discussion regarding the appro
priation bill had Kaleiopu on one side
and several on the other, the most i'm
portant part of the discussion being a
warning notice from Rice that he in
tended to move that all appropriations
for waterworks be struck out and that
the waterworks system be turned over
to the counties to maintain and extend
as they saw fit. The recommendation
of the Governor that the waterworks
of al, the counties but Oahu be so
treated had just come down and been
read
Kaleiopu moved in resolution that
the heads Of departments be required
10 hold themselves in readiness to ap.
pear on Monday next. when the bill
should be taken up. Rice argued that
the House could not move intelligent
" before March %, while various
other dates were suggested by other
members, KaIeiopu sticking out for his
resolution. Cohen doubted the advlsa-
blitv of talking about spending money
until his tax bills had been passed,
when the House would know how much
money there would be coming in. Cas-
tro finally moved in amendment that
the date be set for Monday, March s,
the amendment carrying.
THE SENATE.
Upon the converting of the Senate
yesterday morning message from the
Governor was received in which he
recommends that an appropriation be
made for the current period for the
purpose of the scientific investigation