The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-01-05
COUNTY
MEETING
Discussing the Work
Of the Charter
Makers.

police riot alarm last night the Coun
ty Act Commissioners, sitting in th'
old throne room of the Capitol. We're
unsuspicious that they were playing
a part in the little comedy.
The commissioners We're quietly, al
though not secretly organizing a new
government for these islands. This is
not the first time band of men here
| have plotted in the formation of 9
| government, and possibly in the Palace
itself and it 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 it with their
lives. theoretically. This they did. The
unsuspecting pIotters. 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
the guards and then learned for the
first time that for a brief period they
had been prisoners.
The commission met at 7:30, 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
and was read by its 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 its 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 defni-
tions.
Maui was to include that island, Ka-
loolawe, Lanai and that portion of Mo
okai not devoted to the leper settle |
nent, the county seat to be at Wal
uku.
The commission ran up against a
;nag when the question Of a county
or the settlement came up. Stewart
avored making a separate act cover
ng the settlement, under the rules and
equations of the Board of Health. The
hair did not favor this method, but
eened it less dangerous to insert the
ettIement county, with its different
orm of government, in the regular
ounty act.
Mr.. Stewart favored waiting for some
,ord from Commissioner BecIzley. The
natter is passed temporarily.
Hawaii to be one county with the
Ounty seat at HilO. n
Kauai. including Niihau, with coun-
V seat al Lihue.
Mr.. Stewart said that he had it on 5
he authority of Carl Smith of Hilo
nat Hawaii favored two counties. The I
hair stated that the conservative eIe- I
rent favored but one county.
The ques ton of a division of Eva c
nd Waianae, on Oahu. into two dis a
lets was widely discussed. Mr. /
ooper did not favor Stewards pro- V
osal to divide Geographically. it
ould be better to retain them as they I
re. Furthermore, the districts as il
vided, gave four supervisors to the e
land at large and three for HonoIu- o
The other districts follow the old a
visions. as generally known.
POWERS OF COUNTIES. L
Under the powers and liabilities of :,
unties, Mr.. Cooper brought out a -
elton which he deemed most inn
'rtant. The construction of roads. =
ying of grades should be under the -
rection of the Superintendent Of Pub
Works. The counties should have CO
e free use of all roads, streets and HI
in counties, to occupy build
ss in same, and maintain them. Ia
BY this he said he believed he ap-
cached as closely as possible to ac- Vi
al possession without doing so. or
stewart said his ideal was to give NJ
counties the opportunity to &C