The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-10-20

easily explained The blame did moi
rest upon them. He himself had only
been at one meeting, although he had been
frequently in Honolulu, and could have
arranged to attend. Others, too, had
/ actually been in Honolulu without know
ing there was a meeting Ii the Trustees
were not notified, they could not be
blamed for non-attendanCe. He had
+ spoken of it, and had been informed that
I no matters of Importance were likely to
/ come up. That was q very poor excuse,
T because any Trustee might bring matter
not thought of by any one else. The idea
had certainly got abroad that the Trustees
were DESTROYS of the company being dis
solved. He thought il would be a great
mistake to reduce the number unless there
were some real disadvantage in the larger
number. There should be members at the
meetings to represent all phases OF thought
among planters. The Honolulu residents
cannot properly represent country feeling
They look at things in a different light
Hon. c. r. Bishop asked if there was no
provision i'll the constitution for members
of the Board to be notified.
The President replied there was a pro-
vision that all important business should
come on at quarterly meetings, and that
the members be notified
The Secretary said that was contained in
resolution.
The President said the idea of that was
that all important business should be mott
fed. 1t was calculated that there were
enough in Honolulu to do any business
that might come up incidentally. People
had the idea that the Trustees should be
thoroughly representative, and therefore
the number was increased. He COnsid-
cred a Board of seven would be too small.
Mr.. HOrner considered there would be
as much difficulty in getting a quorum of
four out of seven as five out of thirteen,
perhaps more. There were always five of
the Trustees in Honolulu. He had been
notified time or two, bur it had not been
convenient to attend. He knew the others
were capable
The Secretary said that the reason mott
fications had not been sent out was be-
cause the resolution said all important
business should be attended to at quar-
terly meetings, to give the Trustees in the
other islands an opportunity to attend.
There were important matters at the time
that resolution was passed which had not
come up since-getting laborers, for ex-
ample. Almost the only business during
the year was the passing of bills. The
question outside this was whether the
company should bear the expense of the
book by Mr.. Whitney. If it were stated
definitely that there should be a meeting
every quarter, whether there was any
business or not, the Trustees would then
be summoned, but it was not worth while
to take planters away from their work to
audit bills
Colonel Spalding was satisfied there had
been too many meetings at which the
business was not important. The Board
should not be obliged to run around to get
a quorum to audit bills. If member
comes up and finds that his time has been
frittered away, he is going to be very care
full the second time. When he was Presi-
dent of the company they frequently had
meetings when he happened to be in Homo
lulu, but they could not have them regu-
larly, because they could not tell when
they would be here. The idea of reducing
the number was-nOt to make it easier to
get quorum; they might even delegate
unimportPnt business to an agent for the
year Mr.. Jones could have done it just
and they are obliged to have the meetings
in accordance with the charter. But sup
posing question of some new experiment
came up, the members would be there to a
man if it were anything important. They
would not, however, come simply because
it was the quarterly meeting. Now that
1.-The Planters Monthly" had been separ-
ated from the Board OF Trustees, he hoped
there would be no occasion for meeting
more than once a year. If anything of
real Importance comes up, by all means
bring them to Honolulu, first inquiring of
them whether it was of sufficient interest
The question of immigration might have
to be considered. No one could tell what
was of interest except practical planter.
If men accepted the office of Trustees, let
them do SO with the idea of carrying out
the duties pertaining to the office, not
leave them to others.
Mr.. Macfie conceded with what had been
said about the multiplicity of meetings.
He would suggest quarterly or half-yearly
meetings, as the case might be, at a known
date. With regard to this matter of con-
tracts, it had been spoken of at nearly
every meeting. One of the greatest ad-
vantages OF the company is that it has
great influence in obtaining for the plan
tiers contracts which are really satisfactory.
All Government contracts were more or
less unsatisfactory, and last year it was in
tended to draw up a model contract and
submit it with the expressed desire that it
be adopted. He was not aware whether
anything of the kind had been done
The Secretary said nothing had been
done.
Hon. c. r. Bishop said people had come
here with different contracts, and planters
were glad to take them. 1t was Hob
sons choice" But when important mat
tiers such as labor contracts came up, there
should be considerable representation.
The whole thirteen Trustees should be
notified. though there would OF course
always be some unable to attend.
The President said that at the time this
rule was made there was more business
than now OF course, it may not be neees-
sarv to call the Trustees to Honolulu for
a whole year With regard to what had
been said about it not being necessary to
have a quorum residing in Honolulu, there
was many a time when some item of bust
ness would come up which needed attend