The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-04
WITH NEW
IDEAS.
Louis kenake Back
From the
Coast.
IMPROVEMENTS IN
| LOCAL POSTOFFlCE
A..:.x,1k Noe&po ackor Of HonoI,,l.,
Assistant Postmaster Of Honolulu
Tells Of His Trip to
California.

| y1ouis kenake, assistant postmaster
ibf Honolulu, taller but fatter than
lever, returned on the Mariposa from
a two weeks visit in California. He
went at once to the Office, rolled up
his sleeves and began his work where
| he left it several weeks ago.
/ Prior to the departure of the Maripo
1 sa from San Francisco he was a con-
slant visitor at the morgue in the hope
lof identifying the bodies of Honolulu
victims of the Rio disaster should they
be found But after the first bodies
were brought ir whose names have
been published, none other was discov
cred Mr. Kenake who is a Mason
left orders with the San Francisco
Hodges to keep a close watch for the
body of William A. Henshall and to
take charge OF it if found.
4 AS to the mail the Rio carried Mr..
iKenake says that most of it will prob
ably be a total loss. A few sacks were
recovered. Some of the registered
mail pouches were found but they had
been cut open and the contents stolen.
The value of this mail is problematical
and may never be ascertained.
Kenake says he saw more California
postmasterS than he ever expected to
meet in his lifetime. He journeyed
from one end of the state to the other
land visited every postoffice that his
itinerary would permit. He was greet
ed everywhere and given every courte-
lsy and returned chock full of informa-
ton about the running of postoffices.
Before long there may be a number
lof changes here beneficial to Honolu
llans
Il went through the San Francisco,
Los Angeles and dozens of other post
ioffices in the state" said Kenake, tie
lsee how they work the office, mails and
money departments. The general sys-
tenn followed in the local poStoffice is
about the same as those | visited.
There are a Few changes which could
be made here, especially in the regis
try division. which would greatly i'm
lprove our service.
''As to the free delivery system. |
saw J. n. Erwin, chief of the western
division Of free delivery systems, and
consulted with him on the needs of Ho-
nolulu in that regard. From what he
told me I am convinced that nothing
will be done about it before July. Mr..
Erwin said that so far nothing had
been done about it and he was doubtful
If the matter would receive much at
ltention before the middle of the year.
From our conversation and from
what ] saw in California, the free de-
livery system in Honolulu will be a
very hard proposition as compared
( with that elsewhere. This will come
on account of the irregularity with
which the mails arrive in Honolulu
For instance, the mails arriving here
on Sundays will have to be delivered
mot from the general delivery window
but from the carriers window The
whole system will have to be changed
land will require careful study. Then
there is the difficulty of receiving SO
much mail in bunch. The carriers
Will be overloaded op such days, while
on other days they will not have
enough work to keep them busy during
the requisite number of hours.
1T may be that some special legisIa-
ton may be required in regard to Ha-
waits free delivery system. The sys-
tenn in other cities is that the carriers
work eight hours day. If by chance
he. has sufficient mail one day to make
him work nine hours. the next day he
Twill work only seven hours. if the bust
mess permits. By law he is required to
work only forty-eight hours week.
Mr.. kenake was entertained at Los
Angeles by Inspector Flint, who took
charge of postoffice affairs in Hawaii
when the group became a Territory.
The Southern Pacific gave the genial
Louis pass over its system during
his entire stay and Louis says he
worked it overtime" The night be
fore he sailed for Honolulu he met Ben
ANapthaly in a very genial mood