The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-03
MAY NEED
NEW MEN
The CustomHouse
May Receive
Addition.
WHERE ENLARGED
CORPS IS NEEDED
Special Agent Cummings Said to
Have Advised Better Condi-
tons for Workers.

Should the course suggested nv the
special agent of the Treasury, J II
Cummings, who has been in the city for
the past two months, be adopted. there
will be given to the custom house here
force more in consonance with its
needs, and the men viii be in every
way better equipped for their work.
The report of Special Agent Cummings
went forward yesterday in the mail in
the Zealandia. At the same time it is
understood there was forwarded a re
port by Collector Stackable, in which
practically the same recommendations
are made. This coming together of the
two men whose weight viii be felt at
the Department indicates that there
will be many changes in the customs
department before the end of the year
The service during the past year has
not been what was hoped, as when the
United States took over the customs
house the special agents who came
down to start the work on regular lines
arranged for its conduct on the basis
is taken into considera ton that up to
this time the collections have been at
the rate of nearly 800, 600 month, the
comments viii change to admiration
that so much has been done In addi-
ton to this there have been more
changes in the personnel of this office
than in many of the larger offices of the
country. This fact has been due in
part and perhaps entirely to the fact
that the pay of Governmental positions
is materially below what it was under
former conditions.
It is understood that this fact has
been brought home to Special Agent
Cummings with force during the time
he has been here, and that in his rec
ommendation to Assistant Secretary
Spalding he will propose an increase in
the forces of the collector amounting to
some % per cent. Further than this it
is the gossip Of those who should know
that he will recommend that many
salaries be increased, so that the earn
ings will be on the level with expendi-
lures, as they are in the older customs
houses.
1t is said that there will be the great
est change in the Iiquidating and APP
praising departments. The men VINO
have come in contact with these Of
fees aver that there is more work done
by the clerks there than by men in any
business house in the city. 1t is un- ,
derstood that there will be a great in
crease in the latter division, and, there
is some talk among the men at the
foot of Fort street that the two officials
have asked that there be erected
special department for this branch OF
the business. so as to relieve the col
Iector of the details Such a plan is not
generally favored at Washington, as
there are many of the Treasury De-
partment men who believe that there
should he only one head to an office.
There will be at least a dozen new
men needed in the event the plans
made bv the officials here are adopted
by the department. These may not all
come from the city, however, as 1t mas
been the custom in the opening or OF
the enlargement of, an office to nave
at least one expert examiner who mas
seen service at another port than thaI
at which he is to serve. Whether or
not this course will be followed is
matter which developments only VIII
settle.
1t is the gossip about the customs
house that there will be many altera-
tons in the building and the accommo-
dations for the clerks very soon. Inc
building is old and there has been noth-
ing done for it for many years. 1t Is
understood that there will be new
roofs and floors, and that the Internal /
ARRANGEMENTS will be materially al
tered