Thus, for
"furnishing intoxicating liquors to Hawaiians" 92 persons were
punished; for "exhibition of Hula," 10; for "selling awa without
licence," 12; for "selling opium without licence," 24. It is not
surprising to those who know the habits of the people, that the
convictions for violations of the marriage tie, though greatly
diminished, should reach the number of 384, while under the head
"Deserting Husbands and Wives," 67 convictions are recorded. For
"practising medicine without a licence," 56 persons were punished;
for "furious riding," 197; for "cruelty to animals," 37; for
"gaming," 121; for "gross cheating," 32; for "violating the
Sabbath," 61. We must remember that the returns include foreigners
and Chinamen, or else the reputation for "harmlessness" which
Hawaiians possess would suffer seriously when we read that within
the last two years there were 178 convictions for "assault," 248 for
"assault and battery," 12 for "assaults with dangerous weapons," 49
for "affray," 674 for "drunkenness," 87 for "disturbing quiet of the
night," and 13 for "murder." Yet the number of criminal cases has
largely diminished, and taking civil and criminal together, there
has been a decrease of 656 for the last biennial period, as compared
with that immediately preceding it.
The administration of justice is confessedly one of the most
efficient departments of Hawaiian affairs. Chief Justice Allen,
both as a lawyer and a gentleman, is worthy to fill the highest
position in his native country (America), and the Associate
Justices, as well as the native and foreign judges throughout the
islands, are highly esteemed for honour and uprightness. I never
heard an uttered suspicion of venality or unfairness against anyone
of them, and apparently the Judiciary Department of Hawaii deserves
the same confidence which we repose in our own.
The Educational System has been carefully modelled, and is carried
out with tolerable efficiency. Eighty-seven per cent. of the whole
school population are actually at school, and the inspector of
schools states that a person who cannot read and write is rarely met
with. Each common school is graded into two, three, or four
classes, according to the intelligence and proficiency of the
pupils, and the curriculum of study is as follows: -
CLASS I. - Reading, mental and written arithmetic, geography,
penmanship, and composition.
CLASS II. - Reading, mental arithmetic, geography, penmanship.
CLASS III. - Reading, first principles of arithmetic, penmanship.
CLASS IV. - Primer, use of slate and pencil.
The youngest children are not classified until they can put letters
together in syllables.
Vocal music is taught wherever competent teachers are found.
The total sum expended on education, including the grants to
"family" and other schools, is about $40,000 a year. {453}
It has been remarked that the rising race of Hawaiians has an
increased contempt for industry in the form of manual labour, and it
is proposed by the Board of Education that such labour shall be made
a part of common school education, so that on both girls and boys a
desire to provide for their own wants in an honest way shall be
officially inculcated.
