The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-31
Minimum Wage Debate
Occurs in the Senate
and Bill Passes on
Second Reading.

The question of a minimum wage
rate for laborers employed upon public
work was before the Senate for con-
Sideration yesterday, and after de-
bate a bill, fixing $3.50 as the mini
mum to be paid employees of the Ter
ritory and Counties, passed second
reading with four dissenting votes.
AS received from the House of Rep
resentatives, the bill simply specified
laborers employed on territorial work
as coming within the $3.50 minimum
clause. 1t was amended on the motion
of Senator Mccarthy to include pol1tl-
cal divisions or counties, and it is IN
this form that it will be considered
by the Senate for final passage.
The opposition to the amended bill
was not based on an idea that $1.5o
day was not little enough for labor
er, but was due to belief that worthy
neople. unable to do full days work,
would be prevented from employment
at all under the practical operation OF
the law. 1t was on this ground that
Senator w. o. Smith opposed it. SEN
ator Makekau made the additional
argument that the county of HAWAII
would probably be threatened with
bankruptcy if the bill became law.
Committee Reports.
Chairman Robinson of the Senate
Committee on Education submitted re-
ports on two petitions and one resolu-
tion, asking for appropriations to Fro
vide for the building of additional
SchoolhouSes.
The committee recommended that
Senate Resolution No. 43, asking for an
appropriation of $1,000 for school
house at Kahaualea, Puma, Hawai-, be
laid on the table to be considered with
the appropriation bill. The committee
recommended that the same disposition
be made of Senate petitions Nos. %
and so, asking for an appropriation for
a new four-room schooInouse at Napoo-
poo, South. Kona, Hawaii.
Senate Bill No. 122, providing for the
encouragement of diversified industries
by tax exemption on certain pfoducIs
of the soil, passed second reading with
an amendment submitted by Senator
Baker and reading as follows: Fro
yided further that no part of the land
so owned and used by any one person,
firm or corporation in excess of forty
acres shall be exempt from property
tax. by reason of the fact that such
land has been subleased or cultivated
nnder contract. =
This amendment is intended to meet
the views of the Senators who believe
there is tax lodging by the pineapple
corporations.
The Senate gave its final endorse
ment to Senate Bill No. 122, introduced
by Senator Moore, and providing pun
ishment for the wearing of badges or
military or fraternal organizations by
persons not entitled to do so.
House Bill No. 81, giving authority
to Territorial officers to deposit publlc
funds in banks of the Territory, was
taken UP on second reading and referred
to the WAYS and Means Committee.
House Bill No. 13S, regulating the
sale of iced fish, was referred to the
Public Health Committee.
House Bill No. 164, providing for the
restraint of insane persons and estab-
fishing a Lunacy Commission, was re-
ferred to the Public Health Committee
House Bill No. 90, providing for the
appointment of deputy sheritfs by the
sheriff, was taken up on second read
ING in the committee of the whole, Sen
ator Makekau being in the char. Inc
bill was read section by section and no
objections were advanced to it by the
members of the upper house. After the
committee rose, Chairman Makekau
made a verbal report, recommending
the passage of the bill. The Senate
then went through the formality OF
adopting the report, and the bill was
passed on second reading.
Judicial Circuits.
The Judiciary Committee recommend
ed the passage of Senate Bill No ll9,
amending subdivision of section l2o
of the Revised Laws of Hawaii, relating
TO iudicial circuits. 1t was taken up
with the favorable report of the com
mittee and passed on second reading.
House Bill No A passed second read
ing on the adoption of the favorable
report of the Judiciary Committee 1t
is measure to provide for the aequl-
Continued on Page Two.)