The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-05-14
NE v BOARD
ORGANIZED
Health Matters in
the Charge of
Cooper.
Committees Are Named
For Next Two
Years.
President Cooper Makes an Ad-
dress 20 Board of Health in
Assuming Duties.

The new Board of Health formally
assumed its duties yesterday and or
ganized for work by the selection of
committees who viii in the future have
charge Of the Territory's health.
President Cooper in assuming charge
made a brief address to the other mem
berz of the Board which was as fol-
lows:
I'VE meet under new conditions. for
the Board today is differently consti-
tuted from that which adjourned three
weeks ago. Led by what would appear
to be more of unreasoning prejudice
than deliberate. thoughtful considera-
ton. the Legislature has seen fit to
eliminate one Of the medical members
OF the Board and we meet today with
DR.. Mays and myself the sole medical
representatives of a Board of Health
composed of seven members. During
my membership and incumbency as
president I have been closely drawn
into contact with the lay members
and ] take pleasure in now testifying
to the earnest, capable service which
has rendered the work of the board so
efficient in the past period. The loss of
the medical man to the Board as an
advisory member, a trained sanitarian
by education, cannot help but be felt
in this department. Heavy RESPONSE
bility rests upon the shoulders of the
two remaining medical members in ad-
vising upon the most effective scien-
tilic situation. 1 ask for the same loyal
support that has been accorded in the
past when so many trying emergencies
were and are constantly arising and
successfully met, and feel sure that all
viii cheerfully cooperate in conscien-
tious work that cannot help but prove
to the general public. cosmopolitan as
it is. each nationality with its diverse
superstition and ignorances, that we
are factor for the preservation of
public health.
THE position of President of the
Board of Health is now appointive by
the Governor. to be confirmed by the
Senate. The honor has been conferred
upon myself, with I understand your
own approval. The duties in the act
creating the office are not clearly de-
fined by law, but 1 believe the intent
to be, to have a responsible salaried
head of the Board with executive pow
ers. he to have the heads of the diff
ferent departments of this bureau to
report to him daily and always be in
close touch, they being directly respon-
sible for the conduct of their depart
ments to the President who is the chief
executive officer of the board, and in
return the President is responsible to
this board for the work thus perform
ed and presided over by himself and
the Chief Health officer who is his re-
sponsib1e. agent in carrying out instruc-
lions. An acts of the President being
subject 70 the approval Of this body.
There are at least two departments
in the Government that should be clear
Of politics and these are the Bureaus Of
Health and Education. It has been the
policy OF the board in the past to keep
out OF politics and feel that this
policy should be continued. when a
vacancy may exist the position should
be filed by merit of ability and per-
sonal worth rather than political afil-
iation-"
DR.. Cooper also submitted a list Of
the duties for the presiding officer
which were not however. acted upon.
The following are the standing COM
mittees appointed for the next two
years:
Committee on Kalhi Receiving sta
tion-Dr. W. II. Mays. Mr.. N. P. Rob
inson.
Committee on Kapiolani Girls Home !
DR.. W. II. Mays. Mr.. E. c. Winston. |
Committee on Insane AsyIum-Dr. w.
n. Mays. Mr.. F. c. Smith. Mr.. NJ. p. |
Robinson. Mr.. z. c. Winston.
Committee on AIolokai-whoie Board.
Committee on Government Dispen-
sary-Dr- ". H. Nays, Mr.. 5. K.
Kane.
Committee on Office and Morgue-sIr. |
z. c Winston, DR.. W. H. Mays, Mr.. F.
c. smith
Committee on Kewalo and Kakaako-
DR.. W H Nays. Attorney-Gene
Andrews. Mr. NJ. P. Robinson.
COMMITTEES on Petitions-Mr. NJ P.
Robinson. Mr.. E. c. winston, Mr.. s. K.
Kane. !