The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-03-30


Latterly the salaries OF department
clerks have been raised with consider
able frequency and Trent boosted mis-
mans screw from s120 TO $3.50 per
month without first asking the board (
permission so to do.
Last night the matter was brought
TO the attention of the board and Trent
was criticized, questioned and unsus-
tained. His action was branded as ar
bitrary.
Moore, who is said to have raised
seven salaries in a recent week, de-
clared that the finances of the county
didn't warrant wage raising, but
rather a reduction OF the same.
Trent explained his action by stat
Ing that his clerk was such very
good clerk that he really merited more
money than he was getting and that
as other good clerks in county employ
were receiving extra remuneration, he
had resolved to secure same for his
man and 10 bring this about had taken
the matter into his own hands.
The board generally was of the opin-
Ion that the proper way would have
been for the Treasurer to have made
a request to the board.
Trent then meekly hinted that there
were several salary-raising incidents
that he VOTED OF which were not
recorded on the minutes and Of which
the public had not been apprised.
This remark had a strangely wither-
Ing effect on the discussion, which
ended in the matter being referred to
the Committee on Public Expenditure.
About the only other business OF any
Importance was the introduction OF
an ordinance by Supervisor Lucas reg
hunting with guns. Lucas also
gave notice that next week he would
an ordinance to prohibit the
OF impure, unsound food to
Honolulu from the Coast
Present were Chairman Adams, Su-
pervisors Lucas, Moore, Archer Paele,
Clerks Kalauokalani and Buffandeau,
Aea, County Engineer
5ere, Treasurer Trent, Capt. Sam
Johnson, George Nawaakoa.
The minutes OF the last meeting were
read and approved.
APPROPRIATIONS.
The following appropriations were
made:
Fixed salaries, $3.50.
County clerk, S235.
County auditor, $120.
County engineer, s265.
House numbering, s20e.
Keepers of parks, 5000.
County attorney, $685..
Police Department, $7S35.65.
Poundmaster, $50.
Fire Department, $3672.9I
Electric Light Department, $771.50.
Police and fire alarm system, $780,
Pail road, $6S.
Hawaiian Band, $1S62.50.
Road Department, $2l25.30.
Waialua road district, 1915.
Garbage Department, 5000.
Koolaupoko road district. s272.50.
Koolauloa road district. No. 2, sl7.
Koolauloa road district, No. /. $4
TRENT AND HIS CLERK.
Attention was called to the fact that
Treasurer Trent had raised the salary
If his clerk, Manley G. Hopkins, from
'l2O to $3.50 per month, on his own re-
possibility.
Trent explained his action by stating
hat other departmental clerks had had
heir salaries raised of late and as he
considered that Hopkins was deserving
IF the increased wage, he had raised
ais salary himself and trusted that the
board would look at the matter in a
generous light. He had requested more
money for his clerk once and had been
refused.
Lucas said that If anyone deserved
'aise it was the County Clerk.
The chair thought that the board
should have been consulted by Trent
before he took the step he did He
wished Trent had not acted in such an
arbitrary manner.