The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-04-01
Mail Special to the Advertiser. ]

MAIL SpeClal 10 Iile AuNtTllstG.I
WASHINGTON, d. c., March 49,
The House Committee on Territories
has finally ordered a favorable report
on the bill to grant n franchise to the
Hawaiian Electric Company CLimited)
and that report, drawn by Representa-
tive Robinson, Democrat, of Indiana,
has been printed. The friends of the
bill hope for it's early consideration in
the House, but there are some obstacles
in the way Two of the Democrats of
the committee are somewhat an
tagonistic. Representative Lloyd, of
Missouri, thinks the rate of seventeen
cents, fixed by the committee, is not
low enough and inclines to think that
the term of the franchise ought to be
specified. Representative Moon, of
Tenn, another Democrat on the COM
mttee, holds somewhat similar views.
Much credit is due Representative
Robinson, of Indiana, who has an in
telligent grasp of Hawaiian affairs and
has considered Hawaiian legislation be-
fore the House on a high plane free
from politics or demagogy. He has
managed several Hawaiian bills on the
floor. Although a Democrat Republi-
cans have confidence in his business
judgment. He has done splendid work
as chairman of the subcommittee on
the franchise bills
1t does not appear yet how serious
the opposition to the franchise bills
will be. The difficulty, as l intimated
in my letter several days ago, is chief
ly in the political tangle in which the
committee finds itself There is a big
quarrel on over the Statehood bills and
tot.
on the Republican program by discour.
aging the passage of all bills from the
House Committee on Territories. Sena-
tor Foraker, the chairman of the SEN
ate Committee on Pacific Islands and
Porto Rico, said today that he expected
to take up the electric lighting and gas
bills very soon. This statement was
made on the strength of the informa-
tion that the bills had been favorably
reported to the House. Hon. w. o.
Smith believes both franchise bills will
soon pass the House.
The reprint of the electric lighting
BILL which came from the Government
Printing office yesterday, was with
drawn because of an error which rep
resented the price at sixteen cents
where it should have been seventeen
charges for electric service, this para
graph has been added: provided, That
power is hereby conferred upon the
courts of appropriate Jurisdiction at all
times and upon the petition of any
consumer or the company to hear and
determine from time to time what rate
or rates are reasonable and to enforce
the same by appropriate judgment or
decree" The title of the bill has also
been amended so as to read "A bill to
ratify, approve, confirm and amend an
act duly enacted by the Legislature"
etc, the word amend" having been
added. Otherwise the bill is as was
indicated in my letter of some two or
three weeks ago which is probably al
ready printed in Honolulu.
ROBINSON'S REPORT.
Representative Robinson's report on
the bill, after citing in detail the
amendments to the bill, as originally
introduced by Delegate Kalanianaole,
has this to say about the company:
The Hawaiian Electric Company
Uimited) is corporation duly incor-
porated under the general corporation
laws of the Territory of Hawaii with a
paid-up capital stock of $500,00O over
SO per cent of which is held by residents
of the Territory.
"A certified copy of the articles of as
sociation of the company with its
amendments, also a copy of the gem
eral corporation laws of the Territory
of Hawaii, are appended TO this re-
port.
The company was Incorporated
October lS, 1891, with capital stock of
100000. on May 3, 1898, they We're
granted an exclusive franchise to sup
ply electricity in the city of Honolulu
for n period of ten years. upon the pay
ment to the government of a royalty
of 2la per cent of the gross receipts.
This required an increase in the plant,
and the stock was therefore increased
June "a, 1898, to $lj0,0OO, and on March
"A, 1895, to $25O.0OO. The demand for
electricity rapidly outgrew the plant.
and the stock was further increased on
April 6, 1900, TO $S5O,OOO. on December
g. 1900, it was increased to S425 900, and
on July %, 1901, 10 100000, all paid up
except $4,000 paid to Peoples Ice Com
pany for property purchased.
The company was Incorporated in
the year 1891 and began business in
1892. The capitalization has been here
tofore gwen, and the dividends that
have been paid TO the present date, COW
ering a period of eleven years. are as
follows:
Dividend Per cent
less ''' .''''''''''''''.' o