Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-04-20

public utility Is not to make money.
but to give the best service II pos
sibly can with the means at its dispos.
al. In the face of such a profit think
there should be no increase In rates
as 1t will work hardship on the com.
munity at large"
81 think the scheme for raising the
water rates OF this city for irrigation
Is rotten proposition, although tina;
1t not a very delicate way of putting
It," said leading financial man this
morning to the Bulletin man
Il would like to see the water sys.
TEN of this city developed on a broad
business-like plan, but | am certain
that raise In the rates Is the last
thing to be done. not the first.
so much Juggling has been done
with the figures OF the water depart.
ment In times passed that ! am not
sure that the best accountant In the
land could go into that Office ani
properly demonstrate whether the bu.
reau has been run at loss or a profit.
do know this however, that In COM
munity like this, with its cosmopol-
itan population and Its great need for
cleanliness, and its constant need for
water to make its homes attractice, In
a city like Honolulu the last thing
that should be stinted is the water.
II is the last thing on which the rates
should be raised.
In all these various explanations
that have been made Of the need for
an advance, the Superintendent OF
DuhIia WnrEu IN hat
although we have paid year after year
the full price for the use OF water
twenty.four hours In the day, with
two hours at night and two hours In
the morning for irrigation, year after
year the order has gone out restrict.
ing and even forbidding the Use oi
water for irrigation. The department.
has not kept its contract with the peo.
pie. II has not furnished the water
as practically agreed upon with the
householders, and now on top OF that
It is proposed to raise the price OF
water.
Not long ago the Superintendent
OF Public Works made speech In
which he proposed to stop the waste
Of water by installing water meters
That sounds very well but experience
In other cities has proved that the
installation Of meters has increased
the expense OF water to very marked
degree. Meters mean increased taxa
ton.
"These people seem to forget that
the water department should be con
Quoted for the benefit Of the commun.
ity and not as a money-making propo
sition.
II believe there should be general
reconstruction of the city water sys
TEN. | understand that the piping f.
not what II should be and this should
be corrected. But this work should
be carried on In the proper business
like way. Raising the writer rates
will not do II. There Is no justice In
trying to saddle onto the people OF
this day and generation the expense Of
work that should last for many days
and generations.
II am In perfect sympathy with the
protest against the raise In the water
rates. II is III advised and strikes at
class of people who should not be
forced to restrict their use of water
III the people are wasting water II
seems to me the water Office has
enough assistants to keep watch of
the MASTERS, and II the water IL vast
ed In the tenements the city plumbing
inspectors Office should cooperate
with the water Office to stop that"
Much the same Views as regard
the error Of increasing the cost of
water In tropical city were voiced
by Ex-Governor Cleghorn In comment
ing on the recent notice Of the water
office. I'VE should not stint the peo-
Pile in the use OF water for identifying
their homes, and we all know that to
Increase the rates Is to make the i'm
provement Of home surroundings less
We are paying enough for water nov"