Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-03-12
HOUSE
CONTINUED from Page "


taken up on third reading. DOdthitt
moved to postpone II indefinitely.
Concy explained: III the people want
to pay their water rates. pass this bill;
II they don't kill 1t. The object of in.
PRODUCING this bill is simply to compel
the payment of sewer rates"
Long opposed the bill, on the ground
that Il is a measure that will be hard
on the poor people. lie said he had
observed that II Is the policy Of the
Public Works Department to compel
people to connect with the sewers, of,
be unjust to the poor people OF Homo.
lulu to compel them to connect with
the sewers If they don't want to. Long
seconded the motion to postpone in.
definitely.
Rice rose to reply. 81 believe" he
said, that the Legislature should pass
bills whereby the Government can
collect the money due IL, You may
say 1t will be a hardship on the poor
man. The poor man pays his sewer
rates. When this measure came up
went down to see the Superintendent
of Public Works to see who were the
men who were not paying their sewer
rates, and found that most of them
were people who could afford to pay
their rates, but were simply bluiling
the government. mention some OF
the names. found the Sanitary Steam
Laundry owes $llQ0; Sing Hing Co,
owes $3.50. There are many others.
81 say let us pass this bill and make
these people pay their debts. We
need the money and they are getting
the service; let them pay for It,"
Unconstitutional.
Castro opposed the bill on the ground
that Its passage would deprive the In.
dividual of his rights. Furthermore,
he did not see how II could DO enforc I'd
Besides, he said, the sewer system was
established not for revenue but for
improving the sanitary conditions OF
the city. The passage Of the bill would
simply bring the Territory into litl-
cation involving the expenditure Of
large sums Of money. Cases would
come before the Supreme Court that
would have to be appealed to Wash
ington. and every time an appeal Is
taken to Washington, II costs the Ter.
ritory large sum. People would GER
tainly sue the Government If deprived
of their water rights.
Sheldon moved to defer action to
next Thursday to\giye' time to find out
II the Superintendent of Public Works
would be satisfied with the passage of
an act making sewer rates a lien on
the property.
Longs Only Luxury.
Long again took the floor. He did
not believe that II the bill were passed
It would hold water before the Su,
preme Court OF the United States. II
should not be the policy of the Gov.
eminent to adopt hOld.up policy. II
the Territory cannot collect its Just
debts by civil action 1t should put q
lawyer at the head of the Attorney
Generals Department"
Rice wanted to know II Long would
deny that the sewer rates Is a just
charge. Long didn't know, but he AS
surcd the House that sewers are a
luxury and should be paid for only by
those who care to use them. THE
only thing | object TO-" he said, "is
the method by which they are trying
to hold up the community.
Sheldon withdrew his motion TO de
fer so as to allow of extended de
bate.
Rice believed that the passage Of
the bill would ensure the collection o.
sewer rates. II would only force user-
of tho sewer 10 nay their just debts
Il am surprised that so many shoul,
rise to support people who will moi