The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-27
PLUMBING
LAW NEEDED !.
Urgent Necessity Of
Rigid Rules.
EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT
Changes Suggested in Act Which
Failed Of Passage in the
Last Legislature.

prevent a recurrence Of the conditions
which have taxed the time, energies
and finances of Honolulans during the
last three months. The good work of
the Board of Health and the Citizens
Sanitary Committee in the combating
OF the plague and the insanitary con
ditions which fOstered the disease has
left the city in a position, from a san
itary standpoint, to choose its future.
It's a notorious fact that the regula-
lions issued by the Board Of Health |
are daily violated in spirit and in fact
-well-intentioned though they are
and conceived in a desire 10 further
the best interests Of the people; yet
they are lacking in those essentials rec
ognized in the best-Tegulated commu- !
mites as necessary to a proper safe
guarding OF the public health. Until
the sheet-iron vent pipe, the galvanized
iron hopper, the trapless sink and the
tin urinal are relegated 10 the limbo,
from which they should never have
been brought. sanitation mus be
preached.
In the Legislature Of 1898 an act
was introduced for the creation of
plumbing rules to govern the district
of Kona. The rules had been prepared
by skilled men and were at the time
all that could be desired. They did
not become law on account Of an op-
position that did no credit TO those who
/ l.. "a l.. II oil n
Congress in giving Honolulu some tom
OF government under which Legislation
| can be had. and the the necessity of
immediate action on account of the
early completion of the sewerage sys-
tenn now contracted for, places an OBJ
litigation on the Government either 10
llegisIate plumbing regulations through
1.-The Council of State, or to issue them
as health regulations through the
Board Of Health. Whichever course Is
pursued the situation demands imme-
date action.
Various changes are suggested in the
act which failed in the Legislature OF
1898. These are made expedient by lat
. er experiences and especially by the
crisis through which we are passing
now. A leading sanitary authority,
. who Is thoroughly familiar with past
and present conditions, has reviewed
r the act for the Advertiser and makes
the following criticisms:
There are thirty-four sections IN
the act of 1898 and only few OF them
lneed material alteration. Section
= lprovides that on and after the day that
the law goes into effect any person de-
string to engage in work as master
plumber or journeyman plumber mus
be examined by a board OF examiners
This board is TO consist OF three mem
bers: the superintendent OF Pubic
Works and two master plumbers, 10 %
q appointed by the president OF IN
Board OF Health. / think there SHOULD
ID be five members-one TO be the Super
intendent Of Public Works or, in cas-
Z we have a municipal government, III
city engineer. one a master plumber
one a jOurneyman plumber, one a.
architect. and the other a physician
member of the Board of Health. Th
would be in line with the experience q
the past few months. which has show
the desirability OF breMth in the selec
ton of such a board. Five member
would be better than three, as the
d. would embrace a breadth of interest
sufficient to prevent selfish or narro'
restrictions and TO give the board
knowledge not possessed by the al
rangement under the act.
- Section 4 provides for the appoint
ment of an inspector OF plumbing
Prudence would suggest that a claus
be inserted that none shall be appoint
~ ed who is in any way interested IN u
v carrying on or profits Of a plumOln
1 business. Municipalities Of the Unite
States have suffered greatly from u
IS. beStowal Of this Office on merCenar
men who used 10 20 serve their OW
OF purposes.
Section y provides that no mast'
d. lpIumbsr-that is. no emplOyer-sna
C., have in his employ an unreglstert
plumber. one who has not passed u
requisite examination. \ safeguard
thrown about all work by the entorc
msnt of this provision, a violation
- which is sufficient cause for the revo
"A. ing Of the master plumbers license
do business.
IN Section II. which says that all faul
I'LL or defective work performed under q
w act which may be discovered at al
time is TO be remedied 70 the SAT-
faction of the inspector. Pending a
proval no further permit is 20 De
sued to the party az fault. Section
saws in part: That portion OF Z
house drain which is inside the va
and underneath the building and II
ties feet outside the area or fOundal.
walls shall be constructed Of cast II
pipe free from holes or cracks ana
Inc grade known in commerce as ext
heavy. This should be altered 20 pr
init the use of lighter grades OF :
. nine in situations open % inspection
Section Is is as follows: No PR
vault shall be connected 20 house Ora
or with sewer. \ running trap with
fresh air inlet on house side OF -tr
shall be inserted in the house drain
ore near the outer wall OF house as pral
cable and the fresh air inlet VII
shall not be less than four inches int