The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-03-09

are some imperfections in the present
liquor law-that no one will deny. The
law works a hardship on the saloon
keepers in one way, and IL has been
my opinion that they have not been
getting altogether a square deal. In
the first place, they are required to
pay a license of $3.50 per year to close
at 1880 every night, opening at G
o clock in the morning. and to remain
closed all Sunday. In contradiction
with this. the restaurantkeeper gets
the Sunday privilege, and, in fact, runs
regular saloon day and night md all
the time. He pays the same license
fee-S15O--as the saloonkeeper. The
restaurants certainly have all the ad.
vantages in so far as the sale of liu-
uor is concerned. Either one of two
things is wrong; the saloonkeeper pays
too much or the restaurant man paws
toe little. The wholesale liquor man,
who pays a license of $1,000 per wear.
has an advantage, too. in the fact that
he can sell in quantities as small as
gill, SO long as it is sold in con-
F., tainer. This works out to the effect
that he can practically carry on n re-
tail business in addition to his whole
| Suit. ~ Inc ne
between the wholesaler and the re-
taller.
"The saloon man can sell in any
quantities, but he cannot make de-
| liveries other than on the premises. The
restaurant keeper sells at any time and
all the time. The law should specify
that liquor may be sold in restaurants
with meals,-and only with meals. This
| tbn -
any Entertainments on the rights of the
saloon man.
'The powers of the License Commits
sioners are arbitrary, if they are so
exercised. But it is taken for granted
that the board will exercise this power
vested in it iudiciously. / want to i'm
press on you the fact that it is this
power only that controls the liquor
business in Hawaii. Take away this
arbitrary power and you take away the
control. 1t is not the fear of present
punishment which keeps the liquor man
hwithin his bounds but it is the fear
of failing to secure a renewal of his
license. If the right of appeal were
given, taking away the power from
the Commissioners, it would mean that
we would have wide open town here.
1t would then be practically impossi-
BILE to get anyone to serve on the Board
of License Commissioners.
81 have noticed in the papers of late,
| believe, something to the effect that
it would be well to dispense with the
services of the inspector employed by
the board. This would be a serious
mistake. There is not one liquor man,
or any clique of liquor men here, who
can in any way influence the man we
have. 1t has been through his tireless
efforts and energy that the board has
been in so great measure successful.
81 do not intend to take sides in
:. this controversy, nor do / intend to ex-
press my personal opinion, which / be-
lieve is already known, in the matter.
AS one of the Commissioners l believe
that it would be inconsistent for me
to take sides in the question as to
whether the law should be amended or
remain as it now is. However, / will
say that if the people here are satisfied
with the way the present liquor law
has worked out, if they are satisfied
that it is for the greatest good of all
coneerned,-it is time for them to get
move in opposition to the amend
ments now under discussion. On the
other hand if the people are Indifferent
on the subject, are willing to allow
change to come, little can be done,
: It's for them to take the action, and
, it is about time. that they were prepar'
! ed for the fight"
: Mr.. Ballentyne was thanked for the
r information he gave the members by
Chairman Castle, who then called upon
2 ! l.. A. Thurstou.