Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 156, 6 July 1894 — HAWAII’S “BLUE” LAWS [ARTICLE]

HAWAII’S “BLUE” LAWS

C0NST1TUTI0X and LAWS Framal bv the Missiomirios. LAWS of tlie HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 15. Of the Diti3ios or Wateb fob Ikiuoauon. ln all places whieh are watered br irrigation. those farrna whieh have not formerly receiveJ a tlivision of water, shall when thia new regnlatiou respecting lamla is circnlated, be supplied in aeeonlanee with this law. the de- , s ig a 0 f whieh is to correct in full ali those abnses whieh men introduced. All those farms whieh were formerly denied a division of the water, shall receive their equal proportion. Those bounties whieh God has provided for the several places should be equally distributoJ, in ortler that there may be an equal distribution of happiness among all those who labor in those places. The allowanee of water shall be in proportion to the amount of taxes p«id by tho several lands. For it is not the design of thīs law to withhold unjustly from one. in order to unjustly enrich another according to tho old systom whioh has been iu vogue down to the preseut time. That the land agents and that luzy class of persons who live about ns shouIJ be enriched to the impoverishment of the lower classe» who with patience toil uuder their bnrdens and in the heat of the sun is nct in aecordance with the designs of this law. lhis law condemns the old system of the King, chiefs, land agents and tax o(ficers. Tbat merciless treatment of eommon poople must 1 end. If the Governor think proper to adopt a protectire policy, let him protect all alike, and there sball bo an equal i division of protected articles, iu order that every man may obtain the object of his desire according to the amount of his labor. Such is consideretl to be the proj>er courso by this law, regulating the property of the kingdom: not in ae- | cordance with the former customs of the country whieh waa for the chiefs and laml agents to monopolize to them»elve3 every source of profit. Not so with this law. Here follow some (orther expl*n«tiona re4pecting th« syatem o( UMlion Thoae seren whieh (ollow, «re d««Kne«i to eiphūn *nd enforre wh«t I haa be«n previonsly a*id. 16. REsrEcrrxo the Vabiatioxs ix Taxes. The first year after the promnlgation of this law, throughont the different islands of this group, the poll shall pay but half tax, thns: a man, half a dollar; a woman, a quarter of a dollar; a child over fourteen years of age. one eight of a dollar. On that year the lands shall pay a full tax. Tho fatbom swino shall be but a yard length. tbo three cubit swine shall be a cnbit and a half. and the swine of a yard s length sball be only one cubit long. In failure of tho yard 1 swine, five dollars. in (ailure of the cnbit and a half. three dollare and three qnarters; in failuro of the one cnbit, two ; dollars aml a half. The rule shall be the same if the tax ' be paid in any other properh- than the two articles meotioned. On that year, the poll shall pay a fnll tax, and this yearly vari«tion shall be perpetnal. If the poll pay a full tax, the poll ahall pay only half in that year. 17. The BrsiXEss or the Chiefs. Te chiefs of the nation. refloct well on theso (ondame D tal laws of tho kingdom. From this timo chango your courso of procedure. A change in accordance with this law, will be both more jnst and b« really better for yonrselvea. 1ho mnltitude of people who live with us in idleness. or do bnt little whieh we falsely snpposed to be a bn»jness style of liTing let that cease. The perqnisites of yonr office held in this country from of old. are to be the aT«iIs of yonr i lands obtained on all yonr working days. Those are yours ! —«Uo one tentb part of the yearly taxes collected fromyonr lauds. is yours, not bowever the poll tax. Bot the ch»efs who do not belong to the eonneil. are not inclnded; their 1 standing shall be that of the iandlords. tbongh by improT6ment in their manner of condacting basiness they will iise to the samo rank, by seeking the welfare of the Uboring clas8cs ihai they may enjoy foll proteclion, and also by promoting the hāppineea of the weak. and o! strangers from other lands.

(To Be C<miinu»d.)