The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-12
FERN AND HIS
APPOINTMENTS
The Mayor Tells Why He Made
Them and Speaks of
the Law.


great many people have an entirely
wrong. idea of the appointments made
by myself under Section LAG of tie
Municipal Act in December. / find
that many people think that l appoint
ed practically every employe 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 a matter of fact, the appointments
made numbered relatively only a
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 90 on
without interruption.
For instance, I appointed captain
Berger bandmaster, but did not go into
the personnel of the band at all [
appointed the chief and assistant chief
of the hre department, but did not go
into the personnel of the department
further. In the county engineer of
fee, though the law seemed to require
that | go farther in the matter OF APP
pointments, / only made two changes
IN ho ola o+ria inb nd
alarm system, l 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.
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
| lie service in regard to road repairs
| 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 ]
Ewents 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
edly authorized to take their positions
at II o'clock noon on January f. Al
least such is my understanding of his
3 position. In any event, he denies that
the Board of Supervisors has any ap
pointing power under the Municipa
Act. Yet, what have they attempted
to do? They have attempted to give
their committees practically unchecked
appointing power, and these committee
have actually undertaken to make a
least two appointments for every on
that l made, and among the whole lo
there are very few-searcely any
Democrats.
i, There can be no doubt, as judge
Kingsbury, w. R. Castle and W. G
Smith at the Men S League meeting tn,
other night all agreed, that the Legisla
ture not only intended that the Mayo
should have the entire appointin;
power, subject to the approval of tn
Board of Supervisors, but that it &C
tually SO enacted. That is the Who'll
tendency of present day municipa
legislation. In contending for tina
construction of the act, [ am contend
ing for what the Legislature intended
not for me, but for whomever the pee
pie should elect Mayor, not only 70
| this term of the office, but for all sue
] ceeding terms, and whether sue
l mayors should happen for the time be
( ing to be Democrats or Republicans.
Very truly,
JOSEPH J. FERN.