The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-18
POSTOFF|CE
CHANGES
Inspector N. H. FIint's
Accomplishments.
HAWA||'S NEW SERVICE
Something About the Man who has
Put the Department in
Shape.

I w VI ho"dii 10 the authority OF the
United States government. NJ. III.
Flint. Post Office Inspector, has had
charge of the important matters con-
nected with the change, and in the two
months which have elapsed since tn.
Hawaiian government ceased to have
direct jurisdiction over the postal de-
partment of the Islands, the transfer
has been complete and successful while
none of It's important work was re-
tarded in the slightest detail.
To change over into an entirely new
system, seventy post offices, many os
them far removed from landing ports
TO create new postmasters, secure bonds
Tor each and forward the same to
washington; to give each office com
plete outfit of United States stamps,
money orders. blanks and all the min
ute paraphernalia which Uncle Sam
requires each postmaster to possess be-
fore he can go on readily with his
work: To instruct the clerks of the Ho-
nolulu Office in the mysteries of hand
ling the mall sacks of the United States
government: all this has required sys-
tematic handling and energetic super
vision. Mr.. Flint has been entirely sue
cessful In his two months efforts and
VIII leave the local field on September
for Los Angeles where he has his
headquarters. Mr.. II. b. Hall. who has
been assisting Mr.. Flint, will accom-
pany his chief at that time.
Hawaii has been made a permanent
separate postal district and will there
fore have an inspector In charge, with
headquarters in Honolulu. w. A. Rob-
inson, from San Francisco. will sue
coed Mr.. Flint A travelling inspector
viii also be allowed this district. Had
II not been that civil service examina-
tons are necessary for every man who
enters the postal service, Mr.. Flint
would unreservedly ask for the ap-
pointment of Louis Kenake or the local
post office to the position of travelling
inspector. Although inspectors and
travelling inspectors do not undergo
civil examinations. yet they take such
an examination when first entering up
on postal service from which they are
later promoted, IL fit, to become inspec-
tors.
Mr.. Flint has been in Uncle Sans
post Office service for fourteen years.
He was first appointed bookkeeper and
cashier in the Los Angeles post office.
and later as assistant postmaster, re-
tanning these positions for three years,
when he was appointed inspector. his
division formerly took in the entire Pa
cific coast and as far east as Montana.
The present limits Of his work are con-
fined to Nevada, California and Arizo-
ma. Hawaii is a separate division.
Among the interesting Cases in which
his skill was brought to a full test, was
u train robbery on the Atchinson, To-
peka * Santa Fe Railway. two years
ago. between Victor and Aleck, Califor-
MIA. Two men robbed the train. One
was mortally wounded by the express
messenger and the other was captured
by Mr.. Flint's posse. They also took in
a saloon keeper and an accomplish who
was Deputy Sheriff of the county. 1t
was developed in the trial that the lat
ter two were the men who worked
the robbers to perform the deed 1t
was one of the hardest fought trials in
which Mr.. Flint ever figured, but he
secured the conviction OF the unwound-
ed robber. the saloon keeper and the
deputy sheriff, all of whom are now
confined at San Quentin. AS inspector
Mr.. Flint was appointed by President
Harrison. although he entered service
in the first Cleveland administration.
His division takes In nearly 600 offices.
Speaking of the Hawaiian Offices the
inspector said he hoped to have Lihue
in the presidential offices this year but
by reason Of a lack of full data the Of
flee was not listed In that division, as
are Honolulu. Hilo and Kohala. He
also hopes by next year to raise to
presidential appointments the Offices
at Lahaina, Waikiki and Honokaa.
The failure of Civil Service Commits
sioner Higgins. who was ordered to
Hawaii to supervise the examinations
for the carriers for the free delivery
system. will probably delay the putting
into operation that important branch
of the postal service here. Mr..
Flint. however, believes that another
will be sent here and that
before many months expire the grey
coated mail carriers will be making
house to house visits. Everything Is
ready for that work. The maps, dis
tricts and routes have all been prepared
and authority Is awaited from Wash
ington.
Under the civil service rules a carrier
or employe of the department cannot
be removed until charges are preferred
against him, a copy thereof being de-
livered In his hands. and the inspector
viii listen to the charges and take tes-
timony. The inspector takes minute
details i'm all cases, no matter how
large or how small the salary may be.
After n civil service examination the
postmaster makes request upon the
secretary of the commission for names
In the order of their standing at ex-
aminations. The three highest names
are handed to him. The postmaster
takes his choice of one name. Suppos-
ing he choose number 3. The secretary
next makes certificate of numbers I.
? and Z. II number 2 is selected. the
third certification Is sent up to him
with numbers 1, and 5. If number 5
Ia chosen number mama % tHan