The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-03-31
OAHU DELEGATES
Divide ON BILL
PROPOSAL TO ELECT A STREET.
SUPERINTENDENT LOSES
ON CLOSE VOTE.
LTrom wednegdayIa Adyertlser.l

(From Wednesdays Advcrtiser)
Members Of tho Oahu delegation
were put on record yesterday by the
representatives from the other islands
in regard to the election of a superin.
tendent Of streets and highways for
Honolulu. The bill providing for this
new officer by election was introduced
by Representative Fernandez and prae-
tically took all power over the roads
out Of the hands Of the board Of super
visors and vested It IN the proposed
superintendent.
Opposition to the bill developed early
in the discussion of the house, which
went into the committee Of the whole
with Representative Waiaholo as chair
man. Williamson stated that the roads
as we'll as the schools should be taken
out of politics, but he did not seem to
think this was the way to do it.
After some desultory discussion Rep
resentative Rice Of Kauai moved that
the committee of the whole rise and
be tabled. But this summary action
withdrew his motion.
Speak Out, Gentlsmenl"
Alfonso and Kawewehi both insisted
i that the members of the Oahu deIega-
tion speak out about the bill and espe-
cially they wanted to hear from its in
PRODUCER Rice added that If the people
of this county wanted the bill they
should speak out, but he refused to
waste his time over something that
they did not want.
4 Both Sheldon and Kawewehi opposed
snap action and there was n call for
: Fernandez to defend his bill. Fernan-
dez stated that there was too much poll
itics in road work and that this bill
was intended to take the road depart.
ment out of politics and place the
power in the hands of the people.
For time none of the other 0ahI
men were anxious to get into the ring
and Coney remarked sarcastically that
Z if they did not want to speak there was
no way the house could make them.
For Political Machine
! Then Representative A. l.. Castle,
chairman of the Judiciary committee,
which had reported in favor of tabling
the bill, made the address which killed
the measure.
"This bil,'' stated Mr.. Castle,
"would create the most powerful polit-
ical machine ever seen in this Terri
tory. The bill does not even provide
/ that this proposed superintendent shall
be a competent man and he could be
simply political CRATER. Creating
this new Office and taking $2400 away
from the roadwork would be equal to
| = IL.
Honolulu docs not want any more
officers, for 1t has enough now, and
this superintendent of public roads
would simply appoint engineers under
him to do the work, something which
the board of supervisors can do at this
time. The legislative committee Of the
board came before the committee and
is against the bill.'
Fernandez again defended his bill,
stating that the supervisors Lriod to
get all the power themselves, while the
bill puts it up to the people.
Get All the Power.
Archer held that if such a superIn.
tendent was elected he would soon get
all the power and control the super.
visors.
Rice again moved that the committee
as whole recommend that the hill be
tabled and a call was made for the
ayes and noes. This followed, although
not according to HoyIe in committee Of
the whole, and the vote was fifteen to
twelve as follows:
Ayes: Alfonso, Archer, Castle, Conoy,
Cooke, Hubby, Long, Marcallino, Mo.
anauli, Rice, Ricard, Sheldon, Tavares,
Watkins and Williamson.
Noes: Cockett, Correa, Fernandez,
Hale, Kanekoa, Kawaakoa, Kawewehi,
Keliino, MahOe, Makekau, Towse and
Yates.
The house Immediately reconvened,
the report was made and the bill was
tabled,