The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-03-12
CHART E r
REPORT.

TSuE Republican Charter Commission
held meeting last night VIII
the chairman, Col J. II. Fisher, II
the chair Ed Towse was elected
secretary pro TEN. The following mem.
hers were present. Or. G, II. Hubby
Enoch johnson, Geo a. Davis W. q
Smith, j. A. Gilman, Chas. wilson, co.
j. II. Boyd, l.. L. McCandless, w, G
Roe. a. v Gear Fritz Wilhelm anc
Chas. Motley.
w. O. smith, as chairman of the sub
committee on draft, submitted the fol
lowing written report:
Colonel j. II Fisher, Chairman char
ter Committee.
Sir: The undersigned members OF the
subcommittee appointed to prepare a
draft OF charter, or act of incorporation
for the city and County of Honolulu
respectfully present their report
After their appointment, on the 2Oth oil
December last the committee proceeded
to consider plans for municipal govern
ment which in their opinion would be
suited to existing conditions, and to map
out the work The facts that there were
no special statutes of the Territory gov
erning the establishment of such organl-
zations and no such governments had
heretofore been created in these Islands;
and the conditions were unique, present.
to the difficulties of the case.
After a discussion of the provisions
which were deemed of chief Importance,
the committee engaged G. A. Davis, ESQ,
member of the committee, to prepare
a draft of the proposed Act; and r. Nc
Giants Stewart. Esq. another member, on
his own behalf also prepared draft.
Both of these drafts were before the
committee, and from them the draft now
submitted to the General Committee has
been prepared, and we herewith present
the same for consideration.
The drafts prepared by both of these
gentlemen followed the same general
plan I'm noet particulars, hut different in
detail me draft B.. cared by Nj stew
art was however largely followed
The rt now ~ seuted. after defining
the boundaries of tbs Civ and County Of
HonClu'U. and OF me wards and pre-
cincte 1rescrlbes tho form OF severn
ment aad then provides somewhat IN de-
tail for the powers and duties of officers.
1t will he observed that an effort has
been made to follow, in many respects,
the provisions of the existing laws of
the Territory.
Upon the following subjects the provi-
sion of the present laws have been fol-
lowed as far as seemed practicable,
namely:
Department of Finance
Auditor and Public Accounting
Police Department and CorOners
Sales and Leases of Public Lands
HIGHWAYS
Department of Water Works
Fire Department.
Department of Taxes and Assessments.
Department of Public instruction.
Department of Health,
Election Laws
The committee believe il better. SO far
as feasible to follow the methods and
regulations with which the community is
familiar. rather than unnecessarily tc
present new and untried schemes
Among the new subjects presented are
proyisions for.
Department of Buildings
Department of Parks.
Law Department and Corporatior
Counsel.
Granting of Franchises.
District and City Courts
Income Tax.
The draft of the Act presented is oper
to criticism. The members of the com
mittee do not consider 1t finished work
Had there been more time, and the cir
cumstances less urgent, we would have
again revised 1t. corrected some errors
which have crept in and altered some
what the order of the subjects. A more
clear division of the topics could have
been made. and an index prepared.
The work has been pursued under, diff
culties. The time for meetings has been
taken from busy hours and at night. The
committee has held twenty-seven regular
meetings besides many conferences.
Before closing this report We would