The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-08-24
CARTER TELLS
HIS OWN VIEWS
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF
THE PREPARATION OF A COUN-
TY ACT-GOvERNOR's IDEAS.

Governor Carter appeared before the
County Act Commission in the gulse of
"1uke-warm war-hor3e" last evening
His mission was to tell the commits
sioners what he Thought about the
| county system as applied to the Ter
ritory of Hawaii and when he had con-
cluded the expression of his views there
could have been little doubt that he is
anything but enthusiastic over the pos
sibility Of framing an act which will
satisfy existing complaints.
The governor admitted that he was
not competent to pass in the legal sta
tus of the question as to whether Off
GERS should be appointed or elected I'M
der a new County Act but he urged
caution IN the matter. The whole
question was he said, one of people
trying to get relief from a centralized
form of government, the people on the
other islands and in the more remote
districts feeling that they were not in
close enough touch with the center of
government in Honolulu, at the same
time the difficulties surrounding the
erection of counties with their execu-
tive JUDICIAL and Legislative depart
ments were tremendous. He thought
that possibly a leaf might be taken out
of Porto Rico"s book by beginning with
municipal government for such towns
and villages as desired it and from that
work to county government.
Coming to the questions of the con-
troll of utilities the governor said that
certain roads should lie under terrific
rial control if the island of Hawaii were
to be cut up into two counties. Wharves
he thought, should remain under ter
ritorial control as also should matters
concerning health and education. He
then drew attention to the question Of
the distribution of property now be-
longing to the territory among the diff
ferent counties and the difficulty of
doing this with fairness to all concern
ed. Il certainly think" he said that
if we establish a county for Oahu that
we shall have no right to turn over to
it the assets or the property of the
Territory without a return. 1t might
be the county could issue bonds and
give them to the Territory. 1t is ar
gued that the transfer of property to
the counties is for the benefit of the
difference. Such arguments show that
the people giving expression to them
have no idea of county government
is as absolutely separate in it's opera
lions from the Territory as the Federal
is from the State.
II am in hearty accord with the feel
ing of the people of the Territory in
their desire to bring about such changes
here as will give them an opportunity
for advancing the interests of the outer
districts. If you can arrange some form
that would tend to that end we will do
great good to the people.
Whatever form of Act the commits
sion passes upon 1 hope it will be as
simple as possible and with as few Off
Gals as possible"
A letter was read from d. H. Case of
Waikiki giving his views on county
government He believed in the ad-
ministration of education, health, roads
bridges and wharves by the counties.
The Hilo Board of Trade submitted
a lengthy document in support of the
proposition to have but one county for
the Island of Hawaii "a document which
came a little late as the commission de-
cided in that way a week ago.