The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-08-14

OVER TWO
RESERVOIRS
DAM WORK AND MAKIKI,
RESERVOIR BOTH HELD UP IN
AUDIT OFFICE.

AS briefly noted in the Star yester-
day there is a very excellent prospect
that work on the Nuuanu dam win
have to be entirely suspended within
very short time. Already all the money
available for the project has been ex-
hausted with the exception of about
10000 which applies on the contract
of Whitehouse who has the contract
for the work, and out of this has yet
to come the last months pay roll and
other expenses of the contractor.
Outside of this Auditor Fisher
stated yesterday that there is no
money with which to pay any outside
bills in connection with the dam, and
because of this decision on his part
his Office has been besieged for up
wards of two weeks by laborers and
others with warrants from the Super
intendent of Public Works for work
which they have done, or material they
have supplied, but which he feels that
he is not justified in honoring These
demands amount to between $500 and
$4,000.
AS a result of all this there is a
bone of contention between Superin-
tendent Holloway and Auditor Fisher.
The warrants which the former has
been issuing are acquisitions on the
appropriation for running expenses of
the Honolulu Water Works. After
passing perhaps $500 of these de-
mands, Auditor Fisher called a halt
and has since refused to honor any of
them. In explanation he gave two rea-
sons for his stand: First, because the
appropriation for running expenses
would not naturally be supposed to be
used for dam construction purposes;
and second, because of a clause with
regard to this appropriation requiring
that in expenditures from it of over
$500, competitive bids must first be
called for
An opinion of F. w. Miverton, for
the Attorney Generals Department
furnished at the request of Superin-
tendent Holloway, holds that the rum
ming expense fund may be so used, for
the reason that most of the work COW
cred by the demands made was for
the purpose of installing a pumping
plant at the Nuuanu dam for sluicing
purposes, and as this plant was de-
signed to obviate the use of the water
from a natural fall which up to this
time has been used for the work, the
water of the fall is to be diverted to
augment the supply of city water, End
hence, the expense necessary to secure
this end might be legally allowed.
In spite of this opinion, Auditor
Fisher is standing pat Even if this
should make it all right, he contends,
the amount has been much in excess
of $500, and by the provision govern |
ing the expenditure from this fund |
can only be spent when the work has
been done after submitting the propo-
sition for general bids.
Work on the Makili reservoir is an
other proposition which has struck
the same snag and stopped. The work
on this project was carried on from
the Honolulu Water Works general
as long as this lasted
and then an item was had inserted and
passed the Legislature il Act 81 pro-
viding $4,000 for the completion OF
The Makili reservoir" This appro-
priation act was approved April goth,
but has been used up with the excep-
lion of 81 cents.
Labor pay rolls to the amount of
several hundreds of dollars have since
come in for work done on the Makiki
Di oject, to be cha!ye to the running
expense account of the Water Works,
and these the Auditor Is turning
Town, also
Auditor Fisher stated that he wants
a decision OF the Supreme Court on
The matter before he places himself
liable for transportation of funds,
put unfortunately the disorganized
of this court, owing to Chief
Justice Frear's stepping down to ac-
'ept the Governorship, will cause
some days delay Governor Carriers
illness has made il impossible for him
70 be consulted, and Judge Frear has
not yet qualified, or had time to look
INTO the situation. Therefore for some
lays at least, Auditor Fisher does not
expect that any action will be taken,
and that the men who have money
due them for work done in July will
have to wait until the matter is set
led
The amount of the appropriation for
expenses of the Water Works
about 1900, and this amount was
igured would be sufficient for two
Years To use Il for other purposes
win be to cause a certain shortage be-
ore another appropriation could be
made for the same purpose,
The only outlook for securing a legI-
innate appropriation for carrying ON
he Nuuanu dam project Is In the APP
roprlaton item for the purpose IN
erted IN the loan fund act and even