The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1884-06-07

The objection raised that gas
should not now be encouraged, but |
that electricity should be the future
public light, is we think. founded on
no good basis.
The company do not ask any sub
sidy, nor that the Government bind
itself to use their gas for street
lighting.
There is nothing to prevent an
electric company setting up its ma
chimes at any time and supplying the
electric light to whosoever desires it.
If such be the case, and the electric
light is preferred to gas, so much the
worse for the gas company. But
meanwhile gas is better than kero-
,sene, and if the public can have the
opportunity of choosing between
kerosene and gas, at no greater cost
than temporary disturbance of the
streets, we can see no valid obiec-
ton to project which will give them
such q choice.
OBJECTIONS TO THE Bill.
There are however objections to
the bill in its present form, which
should be amended before it Is
passed.
1st. There should be provision
making it obligatory upon the COM
pany to furnish gas to every one
who wishes it and offers to pay for
it. Otherwise the company might
arbitrarily refuse gas to one whom it
disliked. This would place the COM
pany upon the same basis as common
carriers, who are obliged to take all
freight, if pay is offered therefore.
2nd. Section requires that the
Minister of the Interior shall keep
street lamps and posts in repair.
The argument in favor of this is,
that the company should not be
made responsible for accidents which
may happen through collision OF
otherwise. 1t would seem however
that as the company is receiving q
valuable franchise, some return
should be made to the public there
fore, and that this section should be
reversed.
3rd. Sec. 9 gives the company the
right to charge for making connec-
tion with their mains, and for supply
pipes, at price to be fixed by them.
This would give opportunity for
charging Il higher price than others
would do the work for. The eX-
planatlon made by the company is
that they will simply connect with
the main, and carry the gas to the
limit of the street, and that from
there on the consumer may employ
either the company's men or not at
his option. This does not remove
the objection. The company should
be limited to charging the market
price for any work DONE
4th. Sec. l5 provide that the
Government may acquire possession
of the property of the company upon
payment, ETC., and provides fol
reference to three commissioners tc
decide the price. The last clause
reads, "and the agreement or deci,
sion of any two of such commits.
sioners shall be conclusive ant
binding upon both parties" This
might be construed to mean thai
after submission to the commits.
sioners, the option of the Govern,
ment ceased, and that it would ther
be compelled to buy the property a
the price fixed. There should be nc
room for doubt that the purchase is
entirely optional with the Govern
ment at any stage of the proceed
ings.
Concerning the request of The
company for an exclusive right fol
twenty five years, we think there is
II room for question. AS the stu
alton now is, we are without gas
and are likely to remain so unless
this company supplies it. 1t i.
doubted by many whether a gas
works can pay expenses here, mucl