The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-06-15
sEvBREsT oENsURE.
The Special Committee Of the House
Makes a Report Condemnatory
Of the Superintendent of Public
Works.

ported for the special committee on
road contracts 81 pages OF type
written matter. The findings Of the
report are as follow:
THAT your committee has endeav-
ored to obtain and present a state
ment OF facts may be easily perceiv-
ed when review is had of the many
matters which occupied their very
careful and impartial consideration.
The complaints, so numsrously pre-
sented, of poorly constructed and
improperly completed roads, in
fringement OF private rights of way
and the illegal exercise Of the right
OF eminent domain by the Superin-
tendent of Public Works, all OF
those complaints, also others re-
lative to the apparent favoritism
and utter disregard OF the interests
Of the Government and of the rights
OF the taxpayers, have been care
fully Investigated by your commit
tee and the result of their inves-
LEGATIONS appear in the recommends
tions respectfully submitted herein
to the consideration of the House.
The Superintendent of Public
Works has been himself heard and
his personal evidence hereto at
tached presents very clearly and
plainly the manner in which both
he and his trusted subordinates on
the other Islands have conducted
matters connected with the Bureau
Of Public Works, with regard to the
public interests, during the past
biennial period at least. The COM
mittee present Mr.. Rowell's testi-
mony as taken and transcribed by
the stenographer OF the committee
and desire to state that all questions
asked the Superintendent OF Public
Works, were upon the subjects
which the committee had deemed
to DO right and proper to present to
him as the said questions, each and
all, bore upon SUBJECTS which had
received adjudication at the hands
OF Mr.. Rowell, but his action thereon
had been adversely commented on
by the committee.
"Your committee in now present
ing its final summing up and find
ings respectfully present, they find
that:
1st.-"Petitions exist and have
been presented to the consideration
of this House, for road damages
which claims, from the manner OF
conduct Of the business Of his
Bureau by the Superintendent Of
Public Works, by seeming willful
negligence, offer opportunity for
vsxatious and unnecessary litigation
with the Government.
2nd.-"Payment has been wrong
fully withheld and is still withheld
for labor done on the roads under
contract, even when the said work
seems to have been faithfully per-
formed.
3rd.-"It is found that complaints
from numerous residents OF the Isl
and of Hawaii are we'll grounded in
cause; and relate
(a)-"Bad construction OF roads.
(b)-"Favoritism in the distribu-
tion of awards Of road contracts.
(c)-"Negligence, or incompetence
displayed in the preliminary surveys
and final examination before accept
ance of the road work performed
under contract with the Govern
ment.
(d)-"Illegal seizure OF private
rights OF way and private lands for
road purposes
4th-"Public moneys have been
withheld from application to the
legitimate object.
5th--"A system of private banking
OF public funds has been carried on
by the Bureau Of Public Works and
which action is deserving OF the
ssverest censure.
6th-"Contractors have been
wronged by the non-payment to
them of moneys legally due, and