The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-11
ALL OF REFORM
Research Club Discusses Num-
cipal Politics.
new YoRK's new CHARTER
A Clear Synopsis Of lt-Remarkable
Power Given the Mayor-Parks
and Fairgrounds.

Ilor6 was muC0 entertaining Cdlk Ou
municipal reform and municipal poll
tics of the day, at the home of Rev. D..
P. and Mrs. Birnie last evening. There
was an unusually good attendance Of
members of the Young Mems Research
Club. Attorney Phillip l.. Weaver
spoke upon the charter of Greater New
York and as we'll read the paper of An
drew Adams, on City Parks and Play
Grounds. The discussion followed
ahead of refreshments, and was kept up
for a couple of hours. Among those
who offered views were Professors
Hosmer and ingalls, of Punahou, Pro-
fessor French of Punahou Prepara-
tory, w. A. Love, Attorney Peterson,
Mr.. Pond, Rev. DR.. Birnie, Mr.. Hob
son, w. G. Parke, H. D. Johnson and
verse. Some thought that municipal
politics should be non-partisan, others
that the parties should be purified.
Some believed that New York City had
made mistake in electing Van Wyck,
others that Low would have been a
calamity. There was unanimity on the
subject of recreation grounds for chill
dren of cities and it is proposed that
the club devise a definite plan for Ho-
nolulu. Following is the synopsis of
the charter of Greater New York as
read from the Argonaut by Mr.. Weav-
er. What was considered most re-
markable was the great power vested
in the Mayor. He has more to say re-
latively than the President of the Unit
ed States, has even more authority
than the Emperor of Germany:
Mayor Van Wyck, of Greater New
York, will have more effective control
| over the affairs of the city than Presi-
dent Mckinley has over the affairs OF
| the nation. He will control, through
his unqualified power of appointment
| and removal, an army of between 25,-
600 and 1000 office-holders. His direct
appointees will number more than 240
and their aggregate annual salaries
| will exceed half a million dollars
| These appointees of the mayor will
appoint 13, 500 office-holders, with sala-
ries aggregating more than $4,000, 900
besides an undetermined number oi
minor officials.
| The charter of Greater New York
goes further in concentrating the exc
cutives power in the mayor than any
similar instrument that has heretofore
been adopted. 1t divides the city into
| five Observation-Disclosures including
that portion of the present city south
of the Harlem River; the Bronx, in.
Guiding the portion north of the Har.
lem and East Rivers Brooklyn, com.
prising the present city of that name
Queens, comprising the portion Of
Queens County outside Of Brooklyn
and inside Of the city limits; and Rich
mond, covering Staten Island. There
will be municipal assembly of two
houses, representing these boroughs
Each borough will have a local legis
lative board presided over by borough
president elected for four years
In the executive department of tn
city, the mayor and controller are elec
ted. The general executive administra
| IlUu Will Dc III uuulUcT OI cXeCuUlV
departments, the heads of which ar
to be appointed by the mayor TIL
two most important of these executiv
boards are the board of public improve
ments and the board of estimate an
apportionment. The former board wi
be composed of the mayor, controlle
the presidents of the several borough
and the following nine appointees {
the mayor; the president, corpOratio
e counsel, and the commissioners
r water supply, highways, street-cleal
ing, sewers, bridges and public built
ings, lighting, and supplies. TT
: borough presidents have no voice
}. the board, except as to matters rela
: ing to their respective boroughs. TIL,
. the mayor, through his appointment
controls three-fifths of the boar
: Public improvements must be autho
lied by an ordinance of the municip
assembly and approved by the boa
of public Improvements before it
lawful for any department to proce'
with the work The board thus exc
/ cises a veto power, but has no pow
! Of initiative without the consent of Il
0 Legislative department.
O The board Of estimate and apportio
ment is composed of the mayor, co
troller president of the council. al
the following two appointees of Il