The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-06-18
LAWYERS TOAST
PRESIDENT
TAT t
Annual Dinner of the Bar Asso-
citation Brilliant
Affair.
THEY DISCUSS BIG QUESTIONS
Chief Justice Talks on Subject
of Water Rights in
Hawaii.
THEY DISCUSS BIG QUESTIONS
(From Sundays Advertiser.)


The thirteenth annual dinner of the
Hawaiian Bar Association in tho Alex
ander Young Hotel last evening was one
of the most enjoyable ever held by the
lawyers and Judges of the district.
Covers were laid for twenty-six mem
bers who gathered around one large
table beautifully decorated with red
carnations and gfeenery. A Hawaiian
orchestra furnished music throughout
the evening
President F. E. Thompson, of the
association, acted as toastmaster. Stat
ing that he had asked six different
members to speak ON the toast, "The
President of the United States,' and
was unable to get anyone to talk, he
suggested that the members drink to
the toast in silence. All members arose
and glasses were lifted in perfect
silence.
An Intense Moment,
1t was an intense moment. Judge
Stanley then arose and declared that he
believed the lawyers were towards to
drink in silence, especially when the
Republicans had sent delegation to
Chicago instructed to support President
Taft in the coming Republican conven-
ton.
81 think that we should drink to the
office of our present President regard
less of any fight now being made" he
said. cit is to the high office of Presl-
dent of the United States that we drink
on every occasion similar to this one. -
With the exception of just two men
every member then arose and toasted
the President.
At all dinners given by the Hawai-
ian Bar Association it is the custom
to first toast the President and then
to listen to the two toasts on the bench
and bar.
The toast, s'The Bench was re-
sponded to by Judge w. j. Robinson.
In fitting words Judge Robinson COM
mended the just, apt and well rendered
decisions of Chief Justice Lee and JUS
tice Robertson of the supreme court of
Hawaii and their associations and sue
cessors during the formation and de-
velopment of political entity
Toast, The Bar.
Chief Justice Robertson responded to
the toast, ''The Bar" and told several
interesting comcal incidents in the
trying of cases that he has expert
enced. One of these was that of a
replevin suit to recover the Holy Ghost
ana another about much legislation
which started when a Chinaman was
arrested for the larceny of horse and
there were considerable arguments
through several courts as to whether
the brand on the horse was ON the right
or left side.
Judge A. Perry read a brilliant paper
on "Hawaiian Water Rights which
showed considerable research work to
obtain the data. The members believed
this paper as well as one by r. w.
Breckons on "Recent Changes in the
Federal Judicature were of especial
historical value and voted to have the
entire addresses printed in pamphlet
form and distributed among members
and persons especially interested in
these subjects.
The officers of the bar association
are F. L. Thompson, president; G. r.
Hemenway, vice president; Z. w. SUIT
ton, secretary; c. II. Olsony treasurer.
Members of the dinner committee were
+. L. Thompson, Alex. Lindsay Jr. and
Lyle A. Dickey. The committee on
speakers lnCluueu -. II. W
t. Smith and r. B. Anderson.
Traces Water Rights.
In his interesting paper Judge Perry
traced the disposition of the water
rights from the earliest times and at
the opening of it stated that any his
tory, however brief, Is forcible re-
minder of the material progress of the
Islands.
Judge Perry said in part:
'0The titles to the water in the early
days were rendered secure by the act
of King Kamehameha Ill, but the
process of ascertaining and defining the
precise extent and limits of those rights
has not been as brief and decisive as
was that relating to the land.
SIN furtherance of the relinquish-
ment by the king of the great bnlk of
the lands in his kingdom to his chiefs
and to the common people the land COM
mission was by the Act of April 81,
1916, created to receive, hear and pass
upon the claims of all those who under
the terms of the royal gift, deemed
themselves entitled to portions of the
land. The water rights, whatever they
were, in existence at the time of the
awards of the land commission passed
to the awardees as appurtenant to the
land.
Unwritten Laws,
''From very early days, long prior
to the Mahele, the distribution of wa
ter for the purposes of irrigation was
the subject of unwritten legislation.
The very first laws or rules of any con-
sequence that the ancient Hawaiians
ever had are. said to have been those
relating to water. The supply of water
was usually ample to satisfy the re-
quirements of the land.
''Most important in the system of
distribution of water for application TO
the soil were the main bitches diverting
the water from natural streams Each