Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 196, 19 May 1891 — CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE. [ARTICLE]

CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.

Last Friday night a poor unfortunate, although he ia a Chituunaii, called at the Poliee Station for protection and for redress against the miirderous intentions ©f his countrymen, who had already attacked him, ae his p«rson showed every evidence of ill trefttment. On the application being ittade kaown at the central Poliee Station the poor wounded ehinamaii was told to go home, and eome again in tho morning. The sequel has shown that the poor fetlow was in imminent danger. The question arises, who is to blame? Tt appears that the Marshai and his Dequty were both in towo, but were »ot informed by their subordinate on duty at the time. Of courfie, no one is toblame> as thia is only a case in whieh a ehinaman is c«ncerned; but Chinese haVe feelingB as well as ether mortais, 'with equal right to proteeti»n of life aad property fr«m this governEoent as ather citizenB, they paying their ahare towards the support of the govērnnaent. We arenot favorable ta the importation of Chinese into the eountry, for several reasons. They are brought here to work ia coinpetition with those who are already here, ©f all classes, for no good eause exoept to help enrich those who are already wealthy and help make the poor of the laiul poorpr. But we are sympathisers of allclas6es of poor people, whethcr Chmeae or Hindoo, or any other nationality, and for this reason, will always raise our voice in dcf«nee of the rights of the foor and unfortunate whenever good cause is given. This is one of the occasions in whieh the t police department has beerr cnmhmllr negligent and has laid ita officers open to the just censure of the communitv.

We publishe<l a week ago, Sume Btricturee upon the acti©n of the Board of Education, in whieh we | referred more particularly to the aeiion of s®me one of the Board by proxy. This actina, we are informed, was don« in the election i of the 2nd Clerk or Socretary of the Board, there being an equal division the tote of the President was cast in 'fa?vor ofthe present Clerk ! Ai hnre said, this transfer rby yroxy •£ authojrity may be yery piop» for a,;. t peraou in his oWn personal āffairs during his ābsence; but we are certain it is c«ntrary to la# ( iii that ol a pnblic The app*iutrae»t ia a pab!io one, and ia miiele by the sovereign at the BUggestion of the Cabinet, and no delegation of power ean be eoa--BiBteutly made by the President to any person to act f«r hiua in his public capacity T any more than ean the Judges of the Supreme Conrt. As was urged, if an officer of the government is oblged to be absent T beyond a reasonable time, he shbuid. in honor resign from his 6ffice, and some one appointed protem until he ean again assume his duti«B. A delegation of power by proxy, as in this instance, is an as«umption of power not within the gift ofthe person so delegating it, and therefore wrong. A great deal of £miH finding has been charged by the Party to whieh Mr. Bishop has gi*en his infl«ence, and itis nothing uiore thaa just to Mr. B. and hie friends, that the public should know how well virtue and pietyis preachod bysoi»e people, and how little they practice their own doctrines.