The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-10-13
NEW FIGURES IN
CONTRACT WORK
Federatlon's Protest Against lhc
Belt Road Extravaganza
Is Blocked.


ing nearly two. ffths Of the belt road
money on FIVE miles Of road, and the
committee which had investigated the
award by the loan fund commission
presented some interesting figures.
But +. NJ. SwanEy, Of t. Give Davies
& Co., and J. d. Dole, president Of tho
Hawaiian Pineapple Company, put a
stopper on the resolution introduced by
J. NJ. MeChesney, chairman Of the com.
mittee, and the entire matter was re.
ferred back to the committee with in.
structions to secure more facts and fig.
ures to act upon.
AS it happened this amendment to
the original resolution is bluff to save
the faces of the members of the loan
commission, for the committee present
ed as many facts and figures as could
be secured under the present methods
of secrecy which the commission has
inaugurated, and much more than such
committees usually secure in such cir
cumstances. The committee also invit
ed Chairman Adams, Engineer Gere or
any other commissioner to attend the
meeting and explain, but this would
have been too undignifed, apparently.
Still in the Dark.
Meanwhile the public, the people who
will have to foot the bills, are as much
in the dark as to the methods used by
the commission in arriving at the con-
clusion to spend about $4,000 a mile
for a county road as ever.
In presenting his resolution Mr.. Nc
! Chesney stated that with Professors
Gilmore and Bryan and Francis NJ.
Green, they had met Superintendent
Campbell, who gave his estimates of
the belt road and the reason why he
voted for the commission IS contract.
Engineer Gere also gave facts. maps
and figures. The figures, said Mr.. Ne
Chesney, were official and reliable.
Mr. Campbell's figures for the road
were $27 900 lower than Mr. Gere g
were, +" announced the chairman. CAL
together there are about eighty miles
of belt road, of which fortysix miles
have been completed. This leaves about
thirty-four miles to build, but after
spending $4,000 for the first five miles
it will leave only an average of $4,000
per mile for the rest of the road"
Deacit Near 100000.
Mr.. MeChesney explained that the
loan fund commission has estimated
that these thirty-four miles will cost
1924, 425, without profts,' added the
speaker, and he stated that the allow
ance for profits is twelve per cent, and
consequently the deficit will probably
be nearer 100000 than $74,425.
Mr.. McChesney referred to his trip
with the board of health through the
Kalihi district, and he gave a brief
recital of the insanitary conditions
there, where there were acres of taro
land.
cit seems to the committee, 4" stated
the speaker, "that any money the coun-
ty has to spare should be spent upon
new streets in this district rather than
to be used on belt roads.
Nothing to Say
He reported that Chairman Adams
had told him that he had nothing to
say to the civic federation about the
contract. Mr.. Petrie had told him that
he didn't think there was anything fur
bhCI W no bulh, db lnCIt ndu tlEtduN
been a good deal,
In conclusion Mr.. McChesney stated
that although the loan commission was
expecting the county to put up the
extra money needed to complete the
belt road he believed that all such
money, If the county had it. should be
devoted to the reclamation of insanity
districts in the city and the opening
of new streets. Then he introduced
his resolution, which was as follows:
Call for New Specifications.
Whereas, The last legislature appro-
priated the sum of 100000 for belt
road ON the Island of Oahu, which sum
has been raised by loan; and
Whereas, The estimated cost of said
belt road is 1914, 425, exceeding by $74,-
425 the amount available from the loan
fund for such purpose, and the county
of Oahu is to be called upon for an APP
preparation to cover this deficit of $74,-
425; and
Whereas, The loan fund commission,
under whose authority this road Is to
be constructed, is about to award the
contract for a five-mile section of said
road at cost of $40, 900, approximately
$4,000 per mile; and
Whereas, Suit is about to he filed in
the circuit court for an injunction TO
prevent such award, thereby causing
great expense and long delay in the
construction of said road; therefore,
Resolved, That the civic federation
] of Honolulu, at a regular meeting Of the
executive committee and members,
hereby protest against the loan fund
commission exceeding the available
funds in the construction of the belt
road. and urges that all bids be reject
ed, and new plans and specifications be
made that will bring bids within the
sum available, 100000.
Dole Speaks Plainly.
Mr. Dole then took up the cudgeIs
for the commission and the belt road
NJ ns,0O0 a mile, especially that Ave
miles, over which AZ least 10000 tons
Of pineapples aad freight for the plan.
taiion viii have 10 be carried every
year and ho wants the road 10 last
ile said that Honolulu public bodies