The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-01-12
FERN AND HIS
APPOINTMENTS

Editor Advertiser.-I find that a
great many people have an entirely
wrong idea of the, appointments made
by myself under Section 146 of the
Municipal Act in December. / find
that many people think that | appoint
ed practically every employee required
in carrying on the public service of the
city and county, including road labor
ers and other minor employees. Even
w. o. Smith, judging from his letter
in the Advertiser ON Saturday, and from
reports of his remarks at the Central
Union meeting Friday night, seems to
have this impression.
As matter of fact, the appointments
| made numbered relatively only
small number of the entire public ser.
vice of the city and county, and for
the most part were such appointments
as were necessary to be made in order
that the property of the city and coun.
ty might be protected and the public
service of the city and county go on
without interruption.
For instance, appointed Captain
Berger bandmaster, but did not go into
the personnel of the band at all. 1
iappointed the chief and assistant chief
of the fire department, but did not go
into the personnel of the department
further. In the county engineers of
| fee, though the law seemed to require
that l go farther in the matter of ap.
pointments, / only made two changes.
In the electric light and police and fire
alarm system, | only made two changes.
| appointed park keepers, because
there was public property to be cared
for and public service to be carried on,
requiring the appointment of someone.
Poundmasters were appointed for the
same reason.
i Even in the road department. where
the largest number of appointments
were made, the great majority of them
were necessary, to have some one with
| authority, at the time the city and
county came into being, to care for the
public property and to enable the pub
| 5,
garbage collection, and street sweeping
to go on without Interruption The
city and county has livestock and road
machinery in many different places,
and it was necessary that this be look.
ed after. The Municipal Act absolutely
terminated the authority of county en-
ployes, hence there were stable fore.
men, road overseers and other like po.
sitions to be filed.
Where these considerations did not
control, the act itself seemed to indi-
cate that the appointments made
should be made.
In all / named seventy-six men, a
very large proportion of whom, includ.
ing all but one of the heads of depart
ments, and large number of principal
assistants, were Republicans. w. o.
Smith says that though he thinks /
went little too far in my appoint
ments, that as to those whom / had
the right to appoint the appointments
were undoubtedly legally made, and
though he thinks these should have
been submitted to the Board of Super.
visors, he says that they were undoubt.
eddy authorized to take their positions
at IL O'Clock noon on January 4. At
| $3.50 Sush 10 ia UNDERSTANDING OF MS
position. In any event, he denies that
the Board of Supervisors has any ap.
pointing power under the Municipal
Act. Yet, what have they attempted
to dot They have attempted to give
their committees practically unchecked
appointing power, and these committees
have actually undertaken to make at
least two appointments for every one
that l made, and among the whole LOT
there are very few-scarcely any
Democrats.
There can be ro doubt, as Judge
Kngsbury, W. r. Castle and w. o
smith at the Men S League meeting the
! other night all agreed, that the Legisla
ture not only intended that the Mayor
> should have the entire appointing
I power, subject to the approval of tn,
: Board of Supervisors, but that it ac
a tually so enacted. That is the who'll
+ tendency of present day municipal
legislation. In contending for tina
/, construction of the act, am contend
:. ing for what the Legislature intended
q not for me, but for whomever the pee
q pie should elect Mayor, not only TO
!. this term of the office, but for ali sue
ceeding terms, and whether sue
a mayors should happen for the time be
a ing to. be Democrats or Republicans.
!. Very truly,
JOSEPH j. FERN.