The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-03-05

law was operative in Hawaii it would
invalidate a great portion of the in
| dehtedncss already contracted.
Section 5SiS was pointed out by the
Governor as being portion of the Ter
ritorial statutes that would deprive Ha.
waii Of large proportion of its reVe'
nue. tax. Ii provides that property
can only be taxed in accordance with
its valuation. and the Governor stated
| that it makes unlawful taxes on bicy.
cles. autos and other articles of the
kind. Section 1854 of the Revised
Statutes limits the expenses Of print.
ing by both houses of the Legislature
to S2500.
Urges a Repeal.
Governor Frear said that he cited
the several provisions at length 70
show the necessity to clearly mark
the respective jurisdiction of the pro.
visions of the Organic Act and tine
Territorial statutes.
| "We have shown" said the Gov
ernor, "that these U. S. Territorial
statutes tend to limit the powers gf
the Legislature, and their repeal would
be distinct advantage to the admin
stration of government.
In explaining Section that amends
Section 26 of the Organic Act, Gov
eruor Frear stated that it was self
explanatory He said he believed that
the members of the Legislature should
receive 5000 instead of $400 for the
| sixty.day session. He stated that as
Congress has cut off the compensation
for an extra session, that an increase
of the pay for the regular session
would tend to equalize matters If an
extra session YVES necessary.
| Dy Section 4 of the amendment bill,
| Governor Frear stated, Section So OF
the Organic Act would be amended in
three particulars, in each of which the
powers of the Legislature would he
enlarged. He stated that the amend.
ment would allow the county of Maui
to issue bonds which the courts had
held to be Illegal. He declared that
the most important feature of the
amendment is designed to allow the
Territorial government to take advan-
tage of the market conditions while
issuing its bonds, matter which the
Governor declared to be of the utmost
Importance. He told the Senate that
there was pressing need of greater lat
itude IN the matter of the time of
payment. He stated that it would
thus give the Territory an opportunity
to secure better prices for it's securi.
ties.
Indorsed by Smith.
President of the Senate Smith
gave his epphatic Endorsement to ;he
amendment. He stated that while act
ing for the government in the sale of
what was known as the "Cholera
bondsD he found that the interest had
to be large to attract investors, be
cause the bonds were of the short-to II
variety He said that he understood
the fifteen.year proviso was put in the
Organic Act so as to discourage the
incurring of large Indebtedness | O.
cause the time of payment was long
way Off.
In taking up the question of lant
law amendments Governor Frear state
that considerable dissatisfaction ha,
been expressed and it was difficult Il
say what change would agree with tht
} ideas of the majority of the people ir
J tLrested.
: He said that he had given great
deal of thought to the question sinc'
he took office, and after concluding
that certain changes were desirable
had appointed a conn ission to con
duet an investigation and that they
had performed their work well.
"The main object of the amendment
proposed" the Governor informed tn,
Senate, "is to assure the taking up OF
hn ,,p1,lin lnnlg Inv Lnpp tIn soft lprs
, We desire that they shall be favore,
as against the intentions of those wht
/ would take up the lands for speculatv,
: or investment purposes. We desire t'
make the requirements of residence an'
e cultivation as easy as possible. -
The Governor stated that as far a
$ possible the amendments were an adop
r tion of the spirit and principle of tn,
United States land laws, particular!
] those that applied to area on the main
| land included under the head of re
/ claimed lands.
Favors Drawings.
: The Governor declared that one o
the best features of the mainland prac
! tices was the fact that drawings ar
! substituted for auction, thus giving tn
: man of small means an equal chanc
. with his opulent neighbor. The Gov
; ernor stated that the obligatory advel
y tising of public lands before sale wa
i a waste of money, the period of thirt
! days delay also being a needless hare
ship upon the applicant. AS to the fu
j. filling of the residence and cultivatio
- requirements, Governor Frear declare
"a that it had been the practice to allo
,s great deal of latitude in that col
n. nection, but as there was no direct an
"a thOrization an amendment that woul
rs place discretionary power in the hanC
a. of the executive officers would be d
i, sirable.
n The question of the expiration
leaseholds was explained by Govern,
Frear, aud he stated that the propose
amendment would give the holders
c. the lease the prior right to bid in Il
" property at valuation set by thr,
ID disinterested appraisers so as to pr
t. vent people losing their homes by ha
to ing the bld 20 up beyond their meaI
~ He cited the case Of number
of Portuguese families who have ma
re their homes ON the slopes of Punchbo'
all for many years past but whose leas