The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-04-15
The KiIauea.

The unlucky steamer KiIauea is in trouble
again. OF all the various speculations by the
Ministry In laying out the public funds, this
Inter-island Steam Communication Enterprise,
while from its nature it has been a great and
valuable convenience, has always been a most
costly, ill-managed, and unfortunate one. From
the time of her arrival here in 1860, up to the
present date, the Kilauea has cost a vast deal of
the public money in one way and another, so that
to-day it may be fairly stimated that every man,
woman and child in the country is interested in
her to the amount Of Sl.33 each, as she lies
piled up ON the reef of Molokai. The only conso-
Iation in the matter is that the money has been
mostly expended in the country. AS to the mis-
management, that has always been patent, when
ever the Government has had the control of the
boat. The idea appears to have prevailed with
those who have had the direction of her affairs,
not particularly that she was public property,
and that they as the paid servants of the public
were to run her for the public benefit and accom-
mediation, but that she was a sort of an GPpdn0ge,
or perquisite of Government officials, maintained
primarily for their convenience and pleasure in
their journeys from island to island. and seconda-
rily, to serve the public in such degree as whim
or caprice might dictate. Suggestions or COM
plants as to routes or timetables were alike
treated with contempt, or created astonishment
that the public, like the boy at Dotheboys, should
have the sudacity to ask for more.
If we are correctly advised, there has been no
necessity for the Government to undertake the
business of running the steamer. Private and
responsible parties, whose previous experience
and success in the business were sufficient guar
antee of their ability to perform the service salts
~factorlly, were prepared and proposed to take the
entire management of the steamer and pay
expenses for a term of years, for a stipulated sum
per annum, which was quite reasonable, and a
vast deal less than she COSTS in Government
hands. Besides which, the agents proposed to at
once insure the vessel against loss-a precaution
which strange to say, has never yet been taken.
The omission to secure against loss, by insuring
in one of the companies represented here, is
simply a ~culpable neglect on the part of the Min
istry, for which they must and will be held
accountable by the people. But had Government
acceded to these very advantageous terms, while
the object for which the Legislature has so liber-
ally devoted money would have been attained,
yet the Ministry would have been deprived of the
privilege of debating the movements of the boat,
of dabbling in a business with which they were
totally unacquainted, and of " dead-heading
Government hangerson about the country. We
hope, in common with every one, that
the efforts being made to save the boat will be
successful, but should they fail, the Ministers
will be directly responsible to the country for the
dead loss of $4,000 OF the peoples money. II
on the other hand, the vessel is saved and brought
to Honolulu, a pretty bill of expense will be
added to the long list of sums which this. little
with Il remarkable appetite has gobbled
up.
As to the circumstances connected with the
running on shore at Molokai, numerous
rumors are of course afoat respecting the mis-
in some one which must have been
the cause of the accident. But comment must
be reserved until all sides are heard.