The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-04-10

CATION that the item is made up as fol.
I lows:
One inspector, per month. sl75: two
dynamo men. one at $50 and one al
sS5. s145; one line foreman. s65: one
station keeper. s55; two trimmers. al
SIS. $40, Total. $3.50,
Twelve months at $3.50. s1S.200.
"we also find that the inspector
drawing a salary OF s1T5 per month
from the Government is employed BY
the Telephone Company at a salary OF
| $500 per month.
Your committee are OF the opinion
fill two positions Of the kind and do
justice 10 both.
we are also OF the opinion that the
salary paid is entirely out Of proper
tion TO the work done, as an examina-
tion Of the lines will prove; also. that
it is out Of proportion to salaries paid
for the same class of work elsewhere.
We therefore recommend that there
be inserted in the Appropriation bill,
in place Of line 1. the following:
Line Electric light regular pay
roll. $4,000; one inspector at s125 per
month. SIPS; tand that he devote the
whole Of his time TO the care of the
Government electric light plant); two
dynamo men, one at $50 and one ar
s65 per month, s145; one hneman at
Sos per month; one station-keeper ar
SIS; two trimmers at s55. $40.
We recommend the other items pass
as in the bill
In speaking of the matter Rep. Rich
ards referred TO the present system of
electric lighting in the city as being
dangerous both to life and property.
Honolulu was in possession Of the
worst system that he had ever seen.
The lines were in all sorts of eondi-
tions and shapes. They were nailed to
houses. telephone poles, electric A,hI
poles of the Hawaiian Electric Com
pany and some were nailed TO nothing
AT all. Rep. Richards referred TO a wire
that had lost its insulation While
looking at ii he saw child catch hold
Of the wire. Had current been pass
ing through the wire, the child must
surely have been killed. 1t was as
tonishing that such a dangerous thing
had been allowed TO 90 on. The COM
mittee had not considered il necessary
to visit the electric light station; an
inspection Of the wires on the streets
was enough Rep. Richards said that If
he had his way about it he would i'm
mediately give orders TO stop the Gov
ernment electric lighting plant In his
opinion s175 was too much pay for a
man attending to the running of that
place. Men could be obtained for s125.
Rep Rycroft said he had been around
with Rep. Richards and had found the
electric lighting system in a most dan
gerous condition. In referring TO the
present inspector he said that the pri-
yate corporation or company for which
that man was working would surely see
that their work was properly attended
10. Where did the Government come in d?
Minister Smith said that the state
ment that the system in Honolulu was
a dangerous one was news to him. He
had always understood that there was
a great improvement. He thought il
was certainly an overstatement Of facts
u lAGl l1C y SlSul " dS Odu-
gerous to life and property. There might
be certain places that needed repairing.
Minister Smith, continuing, said he
hoped the salary Of the inspector would
not be cut down to s125, as was recon-
mended- He had had experience with
cheap men before.
Rep. Richards was confident that a
good man could be got for s125 month
The matter was further discussed,
and Rep. Rycroft accepted an amend
msnt made by the Attorney General
that the salary Of inspector be placed at
$50. He insisted on the rider intro
iuced by the committee TO the effect
that the inspector attend strictly 10 the
fUties Of the Office.
Rep. Rycroft objected to the change
when the committee had recommended
1925 as q salary sufficient TO get a good
man There was no money to be thrown
about in any such reckless manner.
Item carried with the inspectors sal
ary at s125-
House adjourned at 1885 D. m.