The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-07-19

900, and the United States receives 81,
100000 approximately, or about five PEI
cent of our total exports, and prac'
ticaly has spent nothing here. In 9
letter to the Federal authorities We
ought to drive that matter home"
Mr. Lucas-"In all these matters We
should all work in harmony and we
would get along pretty well.''
Mr.. wakefleld-"I agree with Mr.
Harris. Money from the Customs
| House and Postoffice receipts should be
| expended here. The harbor needs large
expenditures of money to make it sat
| isfactory to the entrance of large ves-
sells. The matter of Federal buildings
needs attention. There is the Pearl
Harbor naval station to urge along"
Mr.. Dillingham-"Is the Quartermas-
ter's Department of San Francisco al
lowed to ship goods to the Quarter
master Department here?"
Mr.. Harris-"I know they have ship
| ped groceries here. In connection with
the proposed erection of buildings on
the Kahauiki army reservation. Captain
Humphrey, the new Quarttmaster,
| said the other day to Mr.. Cation and
myself that local bidders would be Civ
en- every opportunity to get contracts,
but being Federal jobs, he could not dis
criminate against mainland bidders
Mr.. Dilingham-"Every transport
that comes here from the coast brings
many goods for the local Quartermas-
ter Department"
ARMY SUPPLIES OUTSIDERS.
Mr.. Lewis-"The Quartermaster De-
partment does ship goods down here
for army use, and not alone that. but
they are selling goods to local people
not belonging to the army. How can
we, as merchants, who pay taxes and
have large expenses, expect to make
anything when the army sells to out
siders over our heads. That is being
done right along. We have never be-
fore made a kick against this. l can
prove this This is detrimental to local
retail business and should be stopped.
We are put to big expense and should
be protected"
Mr.. Lewis concluded his statement
regarding the sale here of army sup
plies by saying This sale is not con-
fined to people in the army. l am sat
isfied that l can be backed up in this
statement by other people in my same
line of business 1t is done by people
in the department for friends. The
goods are not sold directly to the out
siders but through the army people.
This is not only true of the grocery
business, but of other lines.'
Mr.. Waldron-"I move that a COM
mittee of five be appointed to make
note of these various suggestions and
make report to answer the Governor
in ten days
The motion prevailed and the chair |
appointed the following committee:
j. w. Waldron, chairman; e. A. Nc
Inerny 1. S. Dillingham;, Edgar Lewis, |
a. Gartenburg.
ROTHWELL ON SHIPPING.
]. G. Rothwell was called up to make
a statement relative to the report on
freight and passenger rates to and |
from the coast, which was published in
Advertiser. He went into
the matter exhaustively. He stated |
that the report was published in ad-
vance of the meeting in order that all
firms connected with the Merchants
Association could acquaint themselves
thoroughly with the subject before
coming to the meeting.
THE report presented for considera-
ion," said Mr.. Rothwell, lis one which
was adopted by your committee. There
nay be a great deal said in support of
hese recommendations, but it is a ques-
ion, whether at this particular time
t is advisable to bring out all the ar
that might be used.
The first matter that appealed to
your committee was the question of
steamship rates in which a very appar-
INT discrimination is shown against
Hawaii. 1t is not yet clear to your
committee why passengers paying for
'ound trip tickets to San Francisco
should pay forty-seven per cent more
han otherwise. The committee has
,lso mentioned the particular steam
snip company, principally for the rea-
;on that this report was based on their
schedule rates on which they are run
ling their local boat.
Honolulu has supported a local
teamship for more than twenty years,
eference being made to that of the
oceanic company. For a good many
ears a subsidy was paid by the Ha-
vaian government to the steamship
to keep this boat running as
local steamer. There is a subsidy
'aid now by the United States govern
nent for this special service. The point
5 that this particular steamer is run
ling full of freight both ways all the
ime, and for a great deal of the time,
With passenger lists full. 1t is proper
question for the merchants to ask why
hey should pay forty-seven per cent
more than the rate to Tahiti and other
,orts in the Pacific.
Your committee further recommends
hat negotiations should be entered in
o with the Oceanic Steamship Com
,any because they might be the first
o meet conditions. In former days
'ur profits We're of much larger dimen-
lions than now, but the earnings have
'een greatly cut down, and in reality
o the minimum. Steamship rates,
lowever, have been raised. The sug-
'estion is TO negotiate through the
oceanic company for reduced passenger
ates.
"A prerequisite to obtaining either a
lew vessel or securing "A definite con-
ract, would be some arrangement by
which we are enabled to get them re-
urn freight. There appears To be no