The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-10-13
r. K. Bishop Attends Public Meet
ing and Road Matters Are
Talked Over.
Mail Special to The Advertiser

mail Special to The Advertiser.)
HILo, October s.-Robert X.
Bishop, the belt road commissions en-
gineer from New York, arrived last
Friday in the Wilhelmina, together
with Superintendent of Public Works
Campbell They, and Supervisor Lewis
and Commissioner Horner, made an in
speetion per automobile of the road
between Hilo and Bolabola on Friday,
and the following day trip was taken
out towards Puma.
In the afternoon of Saturday n pubiic
meeting was held by the commission, at
which the road problems which the
commission is to solve, were discussed,
the commissioners giving the public
every possible opportunity to express its
views. Much important matter WIS
thus brought forward, although towards
the last the discussion wandered Il hit
far afield. However, the meetiog with.
cut doubt accomplished much real good
and assisted materially in strengthen
/ ing the feeling of confidence in the
commission which its continuous open
and frank policy has done. SO much to
inspire. -a" ~, ~
The meeting was opened by HOrner
as chairman of the commission. He
stated that the main purpose thereof
was to introduce Bishop. He thought,
from what he had seen OF Bishop, that
the board had made a wise selection,
and asked that the public give him its
support. He then called upon those
present, one by one to express their
opinions.
Among those who spoke thus were
G. G. Kennedy, c.. E. Wright. E, N.
Holmes, DIR. Elliott John A. Scott, II.
s. Lyman, John 4. Moir, Judge Wise,
NJ X. Lyman, David Ewaliko, D. X
Metzger, DIR. Irwin, d. s. Bowman, @.
Z. Mcguire and r. w. Filler.
No Labor Holdup.
Most of the speakers confined their
remarks to short expressions of con-
fidenee in the commission and Bishop,
as well as of desire that the work
on the roads would go forward as soon
as possible.
There was some divergence of opin-
ion as to where the start should be
made. Kennedy believed that the
Volcano road should be the first TO be
tackled. Doctor Elliott believed that
Wainaku would be better place to
start. Scott believed that it would be
~ good plan to begin at the Puma
boundary and keep working northward,
and this view was favored by Moir.
The matter of the contracts was also
discussed, Scott saying that he favored
giving all the work to citizen laborers,
as the law provided, but he did not
favor having it held up, even by citizen
labor. The citizen laborers must ex-
pect to get their proper pay, but not
to see the entire appropriation get into
their own pockets. He also favored
giving out the work in large contracts,
but not to allow any subdivision of
these, as the best work would be
secured when the commission would
have only the original contractor to
deal with.
Large Contracts Best
Moir expressed the same view in re.
gard to the size of the contracts, and
stated, in answer to question. from
Campbell ms to what he would consider
as such, that he thought contract in
vOlYing from $4,000 to 100000 was
q large one. That would warrant the
contractors spending money for
modern plant, which would enable him
to do the work in the most economical
manner Ewaliko, the union leader,
answered the reference made by Scott
by stating that citizen labor would not
hold up the commission. He also spoke
against allowing subcontraeting.
Campbell said that enough money
work at several places at one time. A
very important point was to try to get
the supervisors to agree to establish a
definite system of maintenance of the
roads which the commission built. On
Kauai it cost $500 a year to maintain
the roads. That would make the cost
of maintaining the road between Hilo
and LaupahOehoe $4,000 a year. The
100000 for belt road construction
around this island was merely a starter.
II would probably mean the ultimate
expenditure of about $4,000 for the
purpose. There was other money
available for the construction of roads
on this island, for instance. the money
derived from the sale Of homosteads.
which Campbell had An his hands, ami
which he would expend through Bishop.
Engineer Pleased.
Bishop was called on. and spoke wish
appreciation OF tho treatment afforded
bin BY the Island people with whom ho
had come into contact Ho would ray
nothing about the road problem here.
as ho had atill 10 learn considerable
shout the local conditions. With re
gard 10 the question 0f the aiao Of thn /
contracts, liitbop WIS., glad Ia lenrn /
thai the fenilmeni wa IN favor 81 !
large nnes, ~ he knes that such we're
ne iaesi patitiaefoFy, - they enabifd
fenilafion with good plants Rnd on
fieai efganitailonn 70 TAXA bold ~