Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-04-17
MERCHANTS Want
STEAMER SUBSIDY
encouragement Suggested
For HonoIulu.-San
Pedro Line


The matter .of subsidy for a
steamship line between Honolulu
and San Pedro was brought before a
special meeting of the Merchants AS
ISOLATION held In their rooms in the
Young building yesterday afternoon.
Owing to the fact that there was
not quorum of members present the
meeting was changed to one of
directors of the Association, at which
the members were requested to stay
and also to take part In the discuss
sion.
The matter of the subsidy was
brought before the meeting by Pres
ident G. w. Smitt. who said:
The matter Of asking the Legis-
lature to substitute steamship line
between this city and Los Angeles
has been brought up mainly through
the efforts of Mr.. J. o. Lutted, who
has taken great interest In the
matter. II is proposed to offer a sub
sidy of at least $1,000 per month to
any steamship company which will
put on line between the two ports
which shall have a fast boat Of suf'l-
Client passenger capacity, with fruit
carrying accommodations, the same
to be conditional on the offering Of
at least like amount by the city OF
Los Angeles or her merchants. The
speed Of the vessel. her passenger ac-
commodation, tonnage, etc. will of
course be definitely decided before
any action Is taken.
This meeting has been called
that we may consider the matter and
take action before the adjournment
OF the Legislature. We. Mr.. Lutted
and myself have talked the matter
over with Governor Carter and feel
that we have his approval Of the
plan"
W. w. harris said: There has
been a bill introduced In the House
on this subsidy matter. the outlines
Of which can give you. II proposes
u subsidy of not over $4,000 per
year for steamer to carry fruit
from the Island of Hawaii to the
| Coast. This bill was introduced by
Representative Akau and is ut pres.
ent In the hands of the committed. in
the House and will be reported In q
few days"
+. W. Macfarlane said: II cannot
say that ! approve Of the bill which
Ia of nj tnp nod hv Mr In
ris. In the first place, II Is for thu
\. Island of Hawaii alone, and then
. too, | think the amount Is excessive
1 In regard to the plan proposed for /;
! line to San Pedro wish to call YOU
attention to one thing. Is II no
strange for commercial body sucl
as this is to discriminate between tn,
cities of the Coast by wishing to Of
fer a subsidy to one and not to an
other? do not know, of course
that city has always been our frien,
! commercially and would hardl.
feel that we would be treating he
4 right to offer subsidy to Los An
4 geles trade"
4 Mr.. Lutted made long speech ex
planning some Of the points OF hi
4 suggestion and laying particula
stress on the fact that he wished I
see boat which would carry ba
Z nanas under modern arrangement
! run from these Islands. He state
4 that also with subsidized lin
cheaper rates might be expected an
rate of 80 cents bunch on ba
& nanas would make the business prot
Z table to even the smallest of shiI
y pers while at present II was almos
impossible to send bananas to til
Coast and get any profit whatever.
J. ID. Paris offered his ideas as 70
lows: Il do not think that offerin
subsidy for line between this cit
and Los Angeles can be classed q
discriminating against San Francis
co. What we want Is to get int
connection with Los Angeles, as {
present 1t Is the tourist center OF TIL
United States. II we can do this an
at the same time get cheaper rat,
for our fruits and open up ne
market It will be doing u great DEF
of good to the entire Territory. I'll
bill that Mr.. Harris has mentions
Is, believe, too broad, and II
amount asked, $4,000 per year,
excessive. Mr.. Lutted's suggestiG
of $1,000 per month gives us som
thing tangible to work on and maxi
a basis on which the Los Angel
Chamber of Commerce may work"
w. w. Harris stated that he d
not believe that IL would be possib