The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-01-06
COUNTY
MEETING
Discussing the Work
Of the Charter
Makers.
cFrom Thursdays Advertiser)

old throne room of the Capitol, were
unsuspicious that they were playing
q part in the little comedy.
The commissioners were quietly, al
though not secretly. organizing a new
government for these islands. This is
not the first time a band of men here
have plotted in the formation of a
government. and possibly in the Palace
itself. and 1t was generally done more
or less secretly. Occasionally plotters
in the past have been surprised while
at their work by being surrounded by
the armed minions of the law.
That's exactly what happened last
night. When the mounted police were
sent heller SHELTER away from the po-
lice station they were assigned to the
important duty of surrounding the
building and guarding 1t with their
lives. theoretically. This they did. The
unsuspecting plotters, by authority of
the Governor, however. went on franz
ing their governments for each of the
Islands, and the mounted officers, arm
ed with carbines, stationed themselves
at every gateway and silently watched
the doors of the building. When the
commissioners emerged they came upon
tne SudruS anu tHen iedrhcu LUZ thc
first time that for brief period they
had been prisoners.
The commission met at 1880, with
Chairman Cooper, Secretary Stewart
and members Watson and Crabbe pres
-ent.
The draft of the bill prepared by
Chairman Cooper was taken up for
consideration and was read by it's au-
thor.
His draft defined the boundaries of
the counties, commencing with Oahu
under the jurisdiction of the Circuit
Court of the First Circuit" eliminat-
ing all reference to it's political posi-
ton as a taxation and Senatorial cleo
ton district, as in the county act pass
ed at the last session. These, Judge
Cooper said, were territorial defini-
tions
Maui was to include that island, Ka-
hoolawe, Lanai and that portion of Mo-
lokai not devoted to the leper settle
ment the county seat to be at Wal
1uku.
The commission ran up against
snag when the question of a county
for the settlement came up. Stewart
favored making a separate act cover |
ing the settlement, under the rules and !
regulations or the Board of Health. The |
chair did not favor this method, but |
deemed it less dangerous to insert the
settlement county, with its different
form of government, in the regular
county act.
Mr. Stewart favored waiting for some
word from Commissioner Beckley. The
matter is passed temporarily.
Hawaii to be one county with the
county seat at Hilo.
Kauai, including Niihau, with coun-
ty seat at Lihue.
Mr. Stewart said that he had it on
the authority of Carl Smith of Hilo
that Hawaii favored two counties The
chair stated that the conservative ele-
ment favored but one county.
The question of division of Eva
and Waianae, on oahu, into two dis
tricts was widely discussed. Mr..
Cooper did not favor Stewards pro-
posal to divide. Geographically, 1t
would be better to retain them as they
are. Furthermore, the districts as
divided. gave four supervisors to the
island at large and three for Honolu
1u.
The other districts follow the old
divisions as generally known.
POWERS OF COUNTIES.
Under the powers and liabilities of
counties. Mr.. Cooper brought out
section which he deemed most i'm
portant. The construction of roads.
laying of grades should be under the
direction of the Superintendent of Pub
lie Works. The counties should have
the free use of all roads, streets and
highways in counties, to occupy build
ings in same, and maintain them.
By this he said he believed he ap-
preached as closely as possible to ac-
tual possession without doing so.
Stewart said his ideal was to give
the counties the opportunity to ac-
saying so.
transfer the title" was Mr. Cooper's .
rejoinder.
1t would save the possibility OF !
conflict between the Superintendent
and the counties to place the clause in ,
the section land maintain the same" ]
with reference to streets. G
Stewart read from the organic act I
that all such property should remain e
eminent and maintain the same. until I
otherwise changed by Congress.
1t proposed that Honolulu have four q
and the outside districts three super t
vtsors, tying Koolau and Koolaupoko
together as one district thereby giving s
each district a representative. 1t was
suggested this would be knocked to /
pieces by the legislature. a
Crabbe suggested that Honolulu as
the fourth district have four super o
visors and the fifth. three. n
Honolulu would get all the Jobs" I
said the chair IT am a countryman by o
birth, residence and disposition. and h
don't want to see the country places I
left out" a
Mr.. Walton advocated eight super h
visors. Four for Honolulu. and four II
outside. Stewart did not want an even c
+
he favored electing president OF G