Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-07-29
NOT ALE after
Federal EXPERT
Some Of Hawaii County's Cit
liens Want to Be "Sh0Wn"
BY Board.

Hilo people apparently are not uni
ted on the WISDOM of bringing a fed
eral expert from Washington to
watch over the construction of Iia-
waits belt roads. News comes by
the Mauna Ken from Hilo that Hawaii
! county citizens are pretty much d.
vided, and that County Engipeer
Southworth has many warm adher-
ents, who believe that he was pur-
posely sidetracked by Superintendent
of Public Works Marion Campbell, as
the result OF GOODNESS between the
two men.
The Hilo Tribune. discussing the
matter editorially. says:
In regard to the purported wisdom
of the action of the board of loan COM
missioners in declining to take ad-
vantage of the services of the county
engineer, the Tribune still reserves
the right to exercise the Missourian
prerogative. The causes. personal or
otherwise, which may have governed
the commissioners, are not, now that
|
great importance to the general pub
lie. The reasons for the non-employ-
ment of the county engineer which
were given ut the public meeting last
Thursday, both by commissioners and
citizens, were, however. sufficiently
curious to bear bit of analysis.
The first reason urged against the
taking over Of the county engineer
was directed against Mr.. Southworth
personally. 1t was argued that he
was necessary for the handling Of the
work. The only man on the board
whose opinion on the matter of tech
meal qualifications could be of any
great value was Marston Campbell,
none of the other members being en-
gineers. And Campbell had passed
on Southworth's qualifications when
he recommended him for the position
of county engineer, stating that he
had "all the qualifications that would
fl him for the position"
Another reason for not employing
the county engineer was the fear that
politics might creep In and interfere
with the work Of the board. This was
probably more than anything else re-
sponsible for whatever support the
commissioners action met with
among the citizens In general.
One great argument which was
used repeatedly, was that the county
engineer would have all the work he
could attend to under the county.
even though the belt road work was
placed in the hands OF separate or
lganizatiOn.
But the greatest argument of all,
the prize which was held forth to the
admiration of the multitude. was the
promise of an engineer from Wash
ington. From Northumberland.
magic word! The county engineer
holds a Recommendation from his
strongest opponent In the commission.
he holds records for good work In the
Islands; and still we must forsake-
excuse the smile-the bird In the
hand for the sake Of the unknown
quantity In Washington.
But we were told that whoever
comes will come with the recommen-
dations of the authorities In Wash
ingtOn.
In conclusion there is no getting
away from the fact that II the county
engineer had been employed, work on
tho holt road could have bpen begun
forthwith, while now we are waiting
for this malihini engineer. no matter
how expert he may be. to familiarize
himself with the local conditions,
valuable time will be wasted and the
money which is even now available
for road construction, will lie inactive
in the vault.