The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-11-11
An Absurd Economical Scheme.

EDITOR BULLETIN
Last nights meeting of the Board
of Representatives of the Honolulu
Fire Department, who represent
every section and shade of opinion
of our volunteer fire laddies, showed
that it is their unanimous sentiment
that the offices of Chief Engineer
and Fire Marshal ought not to be
amalgamated as is proposed to be
done for the ostensible sake of
economy by bill now before the
Legislature and having the seal of
the approval of the partisan com
mittee which endorsed it without
due and proper investigation.
Everyone in Honolulu is aware
that the safety of our lives and pro-
perty from danger by fire is and has
been from the beginning in the
hands of our volunteer fire com
panies. The men who compose the
department have grown up in the
midst of these conditions and pos
sess a practical knowledge of the
needs and requirements of the stu
alton and, when they unanimously,
without any personal object, re-
affirm the necessity of keeping the
two offices distinct, their opinion as
experts is entitled to great if not
overwhelming weight with the com
munity and the Legislature. 1t
should settle the question for ever
or until paid fire department is in
stituted.
Every unprecedented man of sense
will at once, on becoming acquainted
with the qualifications required of
ard the duties to be performed by
the two officers, admit that the
opinion of the Fire Department is
both logical and sound; good sense
and true economy. The Chief Engi-
neer is selected every two years by
ballot by the members of the differ
ent companies as executive head of
| the Department, from their desire
! to honor him and to secure an eff
Gent director at fires and other
work of the Department. No provi-
! sions in law exist for his removal in
case of incompetency or failure to
perform his duties. Every member
of the Department is eligible for the
Office no matter to what company
he belongs, or what his occupation
or capacity may be.
The Fire Marshal, besides having
many duties conferred by law on
him outside of his purely freman's
work, is the paid servant of the
Department appointed at present by
the Minister of the Interior to look
after and care for and keep in order
the property of the Department
and must from the nature of hi;
duties as well as by law be com
| petent mechanic who understand,
the nature and care of engines.
To combine these two offices woulC
either place the department under
the full control of paid officer o.
the Government acting under hi:
superior's orders, which the volun
teer boys would never submit to, OF
would limit the choice of the depart
ment for its executive head to sucl
members as were practical engineers
which would prevent all possibilit,
OF the satisfaction of that ambition
which the present chief has declared
is the hope that burns in every fire
mans bosom, to be some day Chic
Engineer, and which for so many
years led him to struggle till he sue
cessfully reached the coveted posi-
ton.
The proposition to amalgamat,
the offices, like many others of thu
hasty absurdities originating will
the Mean Ways COMMITTEES, onl.
needs to have its inevitable result
considered to meet the just con
domination it merits.
A FIREMAN.
Hnnnlnl11 Nov Ill 1000