The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-11
TRAMCARS REFORM.

A couple of days ago The Star asked
il the Cabinet could do nothing in the
matter of the tranmcars. 1t is true
that the tramcar system is monopoly,
but the franchise which has been
granted contains penalties, which are
never exacted,unless a private individ-
ual takes the risk of bringing a suit.
Section $50 of Chapter "A of the Civil
Laws sets forward that the company
"Shall be required by the Minister of
the Interior" to do certain things.
Among those things that the Minister
of the Interior shall require" it to do
Is ''sixthly: That the cars must be of
the most approved construction for
comfort and convenience and safety of
passengers"
The Minister of Interior has looked
after the manner in which the tracks
are laid, though it would be no bad
scheme for him to look over them
again, for the tracks are by no means
safe in some parts and the cars fire.
Quently run off. 1t was only the other
day that there came very near being a
serious accident opposite where the old
Hudson Bay property used to be. The
jar in going off the track was so great
that the driver was knocked off his
feet and came within an ace of being
thrown under the wheels, from which
he would have been taken mangled
corpse. Sal 49,,
But if the Minister of Interior has
looked after the rails he has certainly
not looked after the paragraph COM
mencing "sixthly," as quoted above
The cars are not "of the most approved
construction for comfort and convent
ence of passengers" but this we might
put up with. What one objects to put
up with is the fact that they are not
safe. 1t is presumable that the can
allie" who have to use scent tramcars
are not worthy to be treated to such
things as comfort and convenience
and cleanliness They have no bust
ness to demand such things. If they
want these they should buy carriage
and hire a coachman.
However they are entitled to safety,
and the condition of the brakes on the
tramcars is such as to render many of
them unsafe. Day after day, there are
cases where the driver finds it impos-
sible to stop his tram, and the thing
goes slipping and sliding along the
track, carrying people far past their
destination. Such instances happen
not once but a dozen times a day Some
time the brakes will not act when It is
Wit oil y fhof che \
We shall have a smash-up, lose some
lives, have several with broken limbs,
and all because parsimoniousnes
characterizes the management of the
tramcars and laxity, the Interior office.
Reading the charter over it is clear
that the minister could insist upon the
cars being rendered safe for passen-
gers. 1t is no good waiting till the
pricks of conscience rouse the tramcar.
officials, their consciences don't exist
1t is also no use waiting till few citi-
zens are killed and a number are in
jured. Prevention is far better than
cure. 1t is very evident that the law
gives the Minister of Interior the right
to inspect the cars, to see that they are
safe. One would like to ask why it has
not been done 1t is a clear case where
the Government has not accepted the
responsibility which the law has laid
upon it, or upon one of its members.
In addition to this, surely the reguIa-
lions for street traffic give authority
for some department of the Govern
ment to prevent the use of mere boys
as car drivers. The men who drive the
cars should be responsible men. Many
of the drivers, now employed, are thor
oughly irresponsible, and are too young
and too unskilled to have the care or a
crowd of passengers. Moreover, if an
unruly passenger gets on the car they
can not protect ladies and children,
against insult. The Cabinet should put
on it's thinking cap and see what it can
do towards making the tramcar COM
pany obey the law.