The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-28
COUNTY HEADS
RUNNING ON
BEDROCK BASIS
Retrenchment Discussion Finds Police Depart
ment Alone Willing to make Cut--Under-
writer's Kick at Fire Department Proposals.

Money and how to save it was the
theme at the meeting of the Board of
Supervisors last night.
1t will be a difficult thing to econo.
rnize in the running of the county, II
the statements of the heads of depart
ments. made last night, count for any
thing
Sheriff Brown said that by hard
scratching he could save 5000 a month
in the police department. This was ex-
pected, however.
The bosses of the road, garbage, hre
and electric light departments declared
that they We're already running things
on bedrock basis and had been doing
SO all along. They didn't see where
they could reduce expenses in any way.
Then the Board of Underwriters was
heard through a committee, and ex-
pressed itself in no uncertain way that,
whatever happened, the wages of the
fire laddies must be preserved intact
unless Honolulu wished to take the
the department and increasing the
number of serious fires
Retrenchnent in county affairs would
therefore seem 20 have been counted
out in the first round.
THE GANG
Among. those present were Chairman
Smith, Supervisors Moore. Cox, Arch
er. Lucas. PaeIe, Dwight; Clerks Ka-
Iauokalani, Buffandeau, Hanalei; Ste
nographer Aea, Frank Harvey, a. r.
Gurrey, A Berg, J. A. Gilman, w. II.
Cornwen, Jr., w. Crawford, w. L.
Frazee, Sheriff Brown, c. Hustace,
Chas Achi, L. L. McCandless, Detec-
tive Lake, Treasurer Trent, Capt. Sam
Johnson.
SINEWS OF WAR.
The following bills We're passed:
Fixed saiaries $3.50.
County Clerks office, s310.
County Auditors Office, sl20.
County Attorneys office, S135.
County Treasurers office, Sl20.
Keepers of parks, $500.
Poundmaster, $50.
Electric light department. s6SS29.
Police and fire alarm system, SloI.
kapiolani Park, $356.50
Road department, $2C2566.
Police department, S7565-6o.
County Engineer, S425.
Garbage department. $500. !
Eva road district, S125-
Waialua road district, $50
Road department, $77S26.
Koolaupoko road district, $135.
UNDERWRITERS HEARD.
The regular order of business was,
susnended 10 allow a deputation from
the Board of Underwriters to address
the meeting.
p Gurrev said that the Board OF
Underwriters strongly objected to any
reduction of the members of the hre de-
nartment. Such reduction would oe-
crease the efficiency of the department.
and would tend to retard the progress
of the city The fact that the city hau
so few serious fires was because II
had a good fire department. the pol
lev should be TO improve 1t rather 'hah
lower its standard of efficiency py
cutting down the wages of its metloers'
AZ If was it was difficult to get the
high class of firemen that the poaru
desired. -
T.ucas wanted to know if the board
xvouId raise insurance rates in the event
of the departments efficiency peins
impaired.
A. r. Gurrey did not care to give
definite answer. He pointed out now
ever that an increase of risk would Do
followed by an increase of Insurance.
rates.
A Berg thought that the hremen
were not paid any too much as IL
was.
] 4. Gilman also opposed any reduc-
ton of salaries. Able-bod1ed men were
absolutely necessary to the department.
and il would be almost Impossible TO
get them at wages lower than those
at present being paid.
The chair thanked the deputatlon Ior
its expression of opinion and promised
that it should receive careful attention
when the matter came before the ooaro
for action.
THURSTON'S REPORT
Chief Engineer Thurston of the t1re
department sent in the following re-
port:
Honolulu T. H. Nov. "a. 1soo.
Mr.. John Lucas, Chairman, Fire De-
partment Committee, Board OF Su-
pervisors, County of Oahu
Dear Sir: / beg to report that TINS
department has responded to -FOUR