The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-08-13
NOT A RIPPLE
RUFFLES CALM
tcontinued from Page One. }


Of sS56.25; 3OO maple folding chairs,
for delivery in fout.doKen lots. as 10.
quircd, $500 dozen, total, $4,000
To Arlcigh a CO., lao No.Noisc desks,
various numbers; total amount of bid,
$5SS.sS.
Grand total, Si,67O.i3.
.. A communication from the De.
partment of Public Instruction, dated
July 10, 1909, informs the Board of
Supervisors that, sat meeting Of the
Commissioners OF Public Instruction,
held July IL, 1909. resolution was
passed requesting the several counties
to furnish requisition blanks to the
principals of schools in their counties
and asking the principals to make
acquisitions to the counties direct for
supplies to be furnished by them and
to forward copies of such acquisitions
to the Commission of Public Instruc.
| ton of their county,
On this resolution, so communicated,
we wish to report:
That the word supplies is too
comprehensive, as the Department of
Education has been granted $4,000 a
| year for supplies and cognate OBJ
jects, in one item, showing that the
Legislature did not intend that the
counties were to furnish ordinary school
supplies.
Moreover, the education office sells
school supplies for cash, the proceeds
going into the Territrial Treasury, and
it would be impossible for the coun-
ties ito take over this traffic without
specific legislation.
What the Legislature transferred to
the City and County of Honolulu of
the powers of the Board of Education
is contained in the following provisions
of Act 101 of the Session Laws of 1909.
''To build, rebuild, equip, maintain
and regulate schoolhouses I"
1t shall be the duty of the Board to
provide for the maintenance and re-
pair of all existing schoolhouses other
than the Normal School and the Boys
| and Girls Industrial Schools
There are here the power to "build "
and the duty to "provide for the main
tenance and repair of schoolhouses.
1t does not require legal opinion to
see, therefore, that any school supplies
which the city and county is obliged to
furnish must be confined to such arti-
cles as may he necessary to keep the
schoolhouses in habitable and sanitary
condition, such as brooms, buckets,
mops, etc.
While it is quite legitimate no doubt
for the city and county also to attend
to the care of school grounds, it is real.
ly not obligatory under the law just
quoted, yet your committee, having
funds available for that purpose, and
the Committee on Roads, Bridges,
Parks, Garbage, and Public Improve
ments cooperating on the principle that
school grounds ought to be treated as
parks, work has been undertaken and
materials have been furnished for
placing school premises in condition
presentable to the public eye.
AS the resolution Of the Board of
Commissioners of Public instruction
has already proved misleading, al
shown by the acquisitions already re
ceived from school principals, which
include ordinary schoolroom supplies
and even material for lacemaking, your
committee would recommend that nc
blank acquisitions be furnished to prin
cipals excepting for such implements
and utensils as may be required fol-
keeping schoolhouses and grounds in
good condition.
The appropriation for the Depart
ment of Education referred to will be
found in Act $50 of the Session Laws
of 1903, making appropriations for cur
rent expenses for the biennial period
ending June 80, 1911, the item being OIL
page 1913, Laws of 1909, and reading
Industrial training, school supplies
books, Libraries, and lacemaking
$26, 100000"
If this item is inadequate for it,
purposes, that is not matter for tn,
Board of Supervisors. This Board ha,
voted an amount for maintenance ant
repairs of schoolhouses proportionately
of equal liberality with the appropria
ton for that purpose, which the De
partment of Education had for tn,
same purpose from the Legislature OF
1907, for the past Territorial fisca
period. The Legislature has asked NJ
more from the city and county thar
! what is being done for the schools by
this Board.
Claim Is Unjust
In the matter of the request from
) the Kapiolani Estate to curb the side
walks of the land owned by Prince j
X. Kalanianaole and the late Prince
d. Kawananakoa, fronting on Souti
i and Halekauila streets, the Committe,
? on Roads, Bridges, Garbage, Parks ant
!. Public improvements gave as its opin
g ion that this is an obligation whicl
i the former Superintendent of Publ,
Works had entered into with the Ka
: piolani Estate and which the City ant
County is not bound to fulfil. How
ever, as the curbing would be quit
an improvement in that section of tn
city, the committee said it would try
as soon as possible, to have the curb