Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-11
ADVISES LIQUOR
And FOOD LAWS
Strengthened
Grand Jury Would Give License
Commission and Board of
Health More Power

government the 1914 territorial grand
jury in its final report to Circuit Judge
Ashford Friday afternoon. advises
action by the coming legislature for
the betterment Of existing conditions.
II recommends that the power of the
liGuor license commission be strength
enPd: that il have authority to place
under oath all witnesses summoned
before II. with power to prosecute for
perjury: that II NAV subpoena anv and
all Witnesses desired and be able to
enforce their attendance. and that it
he given additional funds If necessary
to increase its force Of inspectors.
| The grand jury advises that the
/ department Of food inspection be Civ
| en- sufficient funds more thoroughly to
! watch over the quality of fish. meat
and other cnmestihles sold the pub
, lie and that the work no placed en-
I tirelv under the board Of health. 1t
would thus take awav the dual resp0n-
, sibilitv between that board and the
, supervisors. which has caused much
conflict and dissatisfaction in the last
year or two.
The first hit Of legislation suggested
undoubtedly is the result Of the iurv's
t investigation of the alleged ScuIlv-
/ Fisher-ChiltOn conspiracy several
months ago, resulting in the indict-
ment Of the trio named on a charge
Of cnnspiring to prevent Fisher from
testifvinC before the linunr commits
sion in tho notorious Waikiki Inn case
IT was discovered at that time that
the commissioners had no authority
tn c"mnel attendance or testimony
and that it could not place a witness
under oath to tell the truth
Amendments Needed.
On the general subject the grand
jurv'S report saws:
"The present liquor law is acknowl-
edged to be above the average. hut
conditions constantly arise where i'm
provements can he made.
1--WE would recommend that the Log
islature. at. it's next session. amend
the present law. so that the liUUnr
commissioners will have the mower
to subpoena witnesses and nut all wit
nesses or interested parties coming
before them under oath. in snch a way
that thew can he prosecuted under
ing the true facts concerning anv and
all matters pertaining to the auplica-
ticn end granting of liquor license.
1--WE would further recommend that
more attention be maid to Infringe
mentS of the law. and that If the pres
ent force EMPLOYED bv the commits
sinners is not sufficient. that the leg
ielature be asked to appropriate a suf-
firient amount so that proper and
ADEQUATE force can be employed.
"The stricter the present law is en-
forced. the more respect the licensees
will have for their privilege. and one
or two cancellations of license for
ignoring the law and regulations adopt
ed hv the commissioners will have a
wholesome effect. =~.. .-." --
More Men for Food inspection.
Discussing the general subject of
food inspection the inquisitors make
the following comment: .&
"a very important department of
this territory, and one which is little
known about or heard of, is the de-
partment where the food commission
er is working under the pure food
law -:
'The work falling upon the should
ers of the head of this office is more
than any one man can successfully car
Hawaii this Office seems to have been
practically forgotten.
Mr.. Hansen, the present incumbent,
is doing all that any one man can
to carry out the law regarding poor
foodstuffs, but is terribly handicapped
by insufficient assistance -.
''The welfare and health of his ter
ritory, not Honolulu alone, is depend
ent upon this department, when it
comes down to whether or not the
people are getting what they should
in the line of good and healthful food.
"The milk. beef, fish, medicines and
drugs all come under the inspection
of this office, and representatives from
this Office should be stationed at all
important places on the other islands.
"As it is, an occasional visit is all !
that can be given outside of Honolulu,
and even this city cannot have proper
attention, owing to lack of funds and
competent workers. .~...."
"An occasional visit to the fish and
meat markets is not enough, and the
present system of having policeman,
who is on duty, take few minutes a
day to glance over the market is worse
than nothing. 1t gives the impression
that protection is being given, when
in fact such inspection is worse than
a farce.
"In order to have this important !
work effective, trained men should be
employed.
Chemical analysis and bacteria
work are not only important, but ne
cessary to obtain effective. work in
this department, and it is quite i'm
peratiye that an experienced chemist
and bacteriologist be provided. With
out competent assistance in this line, !
important work must be left undone.
I'VE recommend that the legislature
give this matter careful attention and
appropriate sufficient funds so that the |
work can be done in a proper and
thorough manner. We also recon-
mend that all inspectors for local pur-
poses be under the control and pay 4,