Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-03-16
INSPECTOR NECESSARY

lulu to register a protest against the
wiping out or existence OF the office OF
Government Electrical Inspector by the
law-making body of this Territory. In
striking the first blow to accomplish
this object, the Senate acted without
giving the matter the careful study and
thought it's importance deserved. The
reasons given by the Senators who in
stigated the action are not weighty
enough to dispose of the recommends.
ton of the superintendent of Public
Works for maintaining the office. Sim
ply to say that II is an unnecessary
expense and that the duties of the Of
fee can be performed at odd times by
the superintendent of Government cleo
trio lights does not answer the public
reasons for having electric wires in Ho-
nolulu under constant and strictly indie.
pendent inspection.
Had the Senators who voted to strike
out the salary for the Office taken the
trouble to inquire into the causes that
led to its creation, | am satisfied the!
would have acted differently For the
information Of the public in general
and members of the Legislature in par
tiCular, | would here state that the Of
flee of Electrical Inspector was created
by the Superintendent of Public Works
upon the recommendation of a Coro-
ner's jury summoned by the High Sher-
IN to inquire into the death OF an ems
ploye of Mclnerny's store who. while
handling the lever TO turn on the store
lights, dropped to the floor and expired
soon after falling.
During the sessions of the jury.
which lasted several days, a number of
electricians were examined and gave
expert testimony. These and other
witnesses, employees of the electric and
telephone companies, gave overwhelm-
ing evidence that gross carelessness eX-
listed in the electric wiring of tho
houses and streets of Honolulu. They
also called the attention of the jury TO
other deaths that had occurred hero
and on the Mainland from similar
causes, besides number Of mysterious
fires that could only be explained on
klN vi uflfNNlNt Nl'NNllN VII nus
The minutes and report to the High
Sheriff of this Coroner's jury ought to
be on file in his office, showing the
names of the experts and others who
testified together with the substance
of their testimony. Three Of the cleo
triCal engineers called were strangers
to me. but from the employs they were
in | feel justified in Judging them as
reliable and competent men. One was
in the service OF the United States
Navy. another was the electrician who
installed the Gamewell fire and police
nectcd with the Board Of Underwriters,
while four or five were local men well
known as practical electricians.
The suggestion that the two positions
can be filled by the superintendent Ot
the Government electric light plant w
Nuuanu valley Is utter fOolishuess. His
present employment Is no sinCCure and
to think he can do justice to it,, with
its cXaCting night work, and at the
same time look after the wires of the
Rapid Transit Co, Hawaiian Electric
Co. and Mutual Telephone Co. besides
inspecting the wiring of all buildings
under construction or repairing, Is
nothing but prcpOsterOus. 1t is hard
to believe that the Senators who sue
cessfully advocated striking out the
item could take such shortsighted
view of the matter and give utteranCG
to such shallow arguments rs they did
1t will be well for the reputation OF
the Senate and the good standing OF
its members in the minds Of those who
elected them, If the hasty step OF
Thursday last Is reCOnsidCrcd and due
deliberatiOn taken over the important
service in question before the salary
appropriation bill goes to the House Of
Representative The safety of tn,
lives and property Of the citizens Of Ho
nolulu is involved.
The electricians who testified at the
coroner's inquest already mentioned
were unanimous in the opinion that the
positions Of Electrical Inspector anC
Government Electric Light Superinten'
dent should be separate and distinct, II
good and honest work was to he eX,
pected. ! know that the inspector Of
electric wiring has no bed of roses Il
lie on, II he do his duty faithfully ant
fearlessly, and it should go without
saying that he must be an expert eleC
trician, well educated and Of praCtica
experience. For such a man a gooC
salary should be appropriated. but it II
not only false economy but madness t
abolish the Office.
c. b. w.
Honolulu. March 10, 1903.