The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-05
Would Discontinue
the Board Of
Health.
Ia COMMISSIONER
| IS RECOMMENDED
The Independent Legislators Ask
About Leper Settlement
and Poi Contract.
RAYMOND of the
II Board of Health is not in favor of

u Board of Health is not in favor of
continuing the affairs of that de-
partment under a president and board.
his health department report to Govern
or Dole that the Legislature should pro-
vide only for a Health Commissioner,
who would have control of the health af-
fairs of the community in which he
would be assisted by an advisory board,
which would meet only sonce in every
two months or when an extraordinary oc-
casion arose.
This statement was given out yester-
day afternoon to the Senatorial and Rep
resentative Committees of the next Leg
Iislature. headed by Kalauokalani and
DR.. n. Russell, which called upon Presi-
Ident Raymond at his office and confer
red with him upon matters relating to
Ithe department. About twenty legisla-
tors We're present and propounded
running fire of questions to President
Raymond ranging from the affairs of
lthe Insane Asylum and poi contracts at
the Lepei' Settlement to the cost of the
treatment of individual INDECENT Hawaii
i
country districts.
| Kalauokaiani was deeply interested in
! the qstestions and answers and did not
himself put many questions until toward
! the close of the meeting, when he evinc-
ed considerable curiosity as to the con-
tents of President Raymond's report and
| recommendations to the Governor.
copy of which lay on the table in front
lof him. The Independent leader seemed
! iespecially anxious to secure copy of
the report prior to the opening of the
| Legislature, when it will be embodied in
| the Governors message to the Legisla-
lture.
! He explained that as the Legislature
sat but sixty days such voluminous re-
ports would not be considered fully in
that time. He declared, and DIR. N. Rus
sell voiced a similar sentiment, that If
these reports were received on the day
of the opening of the Legislature, that
body should in reality adjourn for
month to study them over before at
tempting to pass laws bearing upon pub
lie veal. President Raymond replied
that to give him copy of the report
would be an act of discourtesy to the
Governor, who alone was supposed 10
know it's contents until his message was
made public. Kalauokalani and DIR. Rus
sell compromised by asking the presi-
dent to request the Governor to allow
hand, in order that they should be fully
acquainted with the recommendations
and lose no time in preparing their bills
for consideration.
{ A great many questions concerning the
treatment of INDECENT Hawaiians by the
Territorial physicians We're put, one OF
them being a query to what the pres
ident considered an INDECENT person. He
replied that a man who was earning but
s45 a month for himself and family and
spent every dollar of it in necessities
was entitled to be termed an INDECENT
and to receive gratuitous medical ser
vice from the Territory's physicians. The
physicians We're also pledged to go at
the call of sick indigents and treat them.
He said if the Board became cognizant
of the fact that doctor in the employ
of the Board did not do his duty in this
respect he would be severely censured.
HAS the physician any right TO
charge for services so rendered." asked
a legislator.
phatic answer "If he does he breaks
the law and is subject to a peremptory
discharge I have not heard that pay
ment has been so asked"
Two or three legislators stated they
had heard of this being done. DR.. Ray
mond said that 1t was the duty of every
good citizen, upon hearing these
y
to the Board. The Board could not act
unless specific charges were brought. The
cost of treating patients varied. In one
district it cost 10 cents per man; in an
other, 70 cents.
Upon being questioned as to the
amount of money expended by the Board
of Health during the plague epidemic
Dr. Raymond said he could not speak
for the work that had been done in the
past He was ready to answer questions
relating to the work during the time he
had been it's presiding officer. Such
questions he would refer to the secretary
and would keep the books open for M
spection If he answered questions con-
cerning the affairs of his predecessors IL
would be criticism of their work
The questioning then turned to the
Leper Settlement and the recent scandal
J relative to the poi contract. DR.. Ray
mond made the statement that the Leper
Settlement was the most important iac-
tor in the health departments work. w
are now working upon plan, salu ne
ITO prevent any such trouble In the fu-
ture that we have had in the past Two
months I have been given to under
stand that the trouble originated through
contract given to native to supply
POI. who had underbid other competitors
three cents. The question arises wheth-