The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-11-27
OvERSP[ND|NC
THOUSANDS
ON ROADS
(From Thursdays Advertiser.)

It costs money to build roads in and
around Honolulu during election months
and it would have cost more probably,
tif Chairman Charley Hustace, of the
Board of Supervisors, hadn't dropped
to the-fact that there was something
doing and came down with his foot in
the matter As consequence of what
had gone on before he made the drop,
some five thousand dollars of county
money over the appropriations had been
spent. AS further consequence there
win be considerably less road work for
the balance of this month and all of
next, in order that the overdrafts can
be made up.
This interesting little sidelight on the
work of the road department for the
past six weeks came up at the meeting
of the Board of Supervisors last night.
1t was fairly warm little meeting,
with Chairman Hustace expressing him
self freely about departments that over
/ draw their appropriations and officials
who do not attend the board meetings.
He had just delivered little homily on
the necessity of economy and the beau
tiful thing it would be to go out of
office leaving a neat little surplus for
the new board to fall heir to. He had
It figured out that at the end of the
term there would be something over
thirty-two thousand dollars to leave as
n parting benediction. "And next
! month we can only give the road de-
partment twelve thousand dollars" he
L said.
"'That IS not enough" objected Su.
pervisor Dwight, who heads the road
committee.
"Well, it has to CO." said Hustace.
off Mr.. Dwight wants to make any
statement about what has been going
on, we will hear it. But I insist on this
| thing stopping right now.'
Dwight became all of sudden the
center of attraction, but declined to
answer the cue and come forth with
"a statement A statement was about
the last thing on earth that he wanted
i to make, if his face was any indication.
4 There was brief period of silence, to
fey. with a trace of pleased curiosity
\ an it.
"And what is this all about, Mr..
j Chairman7'' he asked.
4 "Well, as a matter of fact, gentle
men, during the past two months the
road department. has been overdrawing
and have spent $500 over the appro-
priations. Now l think that that ought
to do the road department. I didn It
9 know this condition until very recent
Iy. AS a consequence the road work
s will have to come to stop now until
the end of the MONTH
"Don't you know, Mr.. Chairman,
that it takes thousand dollars just to
keep the streets clean, alone?" inquir-
ed Dwight, in an injured tone of voice.
"Well, we III vote you that thousand
extra this month to sweep and water
s and pay the stable men, said the
8chairman.
elbow did it come that they ran over
the estimates and appropriations so
much?' inquired Harvey blandly.
cit IS up to Mr.. Dwight to explain, -
said Hustace, and being up to him, Mr..
Dwight explained.
Afraid of New Board.
"Well, the reason is just this,' said
: Dwight, with look around that dared
s contradiction, "there has been so much
work going on. Everybody wanted a
road built. They seemed to be under
the impression that unless this board
s built their roads they couldn't get the
incoming board to do anything. That IS
the reason, gentlemen.
Fern, Harvey and Cox gave little in
credulous chuckles.
"Of course, / told them that the
board was composed of businesslike,
capable men, who would do what was
right added Dwight in modifying
sort of way. "but they didn't seem
to think 500
It's been poor management, said
Hustace. 81 must say that it's been
very poor management The payroll
was $500 day alone and the bills run
this month are $31O6 Anyone could
tell that eouldn t be kept up. On the
8 twentieth of this month there was just
s sl4 left of the appropriation"
eyes. but where are the roads this
s money has gone ONT" asked Harvey,
who seemed the only really curious one
at the meeting.
Dwight gave a list of roads which
s we're being worked on and Tommy
'ummins supplied other information.
The questions Became general Cox
wanting to know why the matter had
{ never been preached before. Hustace
explained that his book hadn' been
made up and he had been kept in the
lark about it.
eff / hadn't found out and taken
he matter, up when / did they would
rave run up an overdraft of $4,000 this
month"; he stated. Everything is
III right, though, ! will say that"
''Of course. we believe the money
las been spent on the roads all right, 4"
s aid Harvey, ..'but having to shut
.own now we will not have made any
s ,reat showing
"The roads show for themselves"
aid Hustace.
""They nhow mighty little,'' said
Harvey, and that matter dropped.
Treasury Surplus.
The ambition of Chairman Hustace,
tated at various times during the
ERIN, to go out of office with some
honey left in the treasury, seems
bout to be realized. In giving f.
ancial summing up last night he
tated that the Territorial Auditor has
old him that in the cleanup at the
nd nf fha war thara xUould ha AIT