Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-04-13
BUSINESS MEN
ON POI CONTROL
Chamber of Commerce Is for
Authority BY Ter
ritory.

oNluHb wi 'll'
Capitalization of all health and sani-
tary power in the hands of the Terri
torial Board of Health we're made at
a special meeting Of the Chamber of
Commerce held yesterday afternoon
following the discovery of new case
of cholera.
A resolution was adopted as fO'-
lows, expressing the sentiment of the
Chamber of Commerce in that re-
gard:
Whereas, The need Of conserving
the public health requires that su-
preme control of sanitary matters be
placed under one body, with author
ity to enforce laws, rules and rcgull-
tons rendered necessary by local
conditions; therefore be 1t
Resolved. That the Honolulu Cham
Der of Commerce. now In special
meeting, request the Legislature Of
the Territory of Hawaii. now In sCs-
sion, TO at once pass an act, with
amendments. now before 1t, placing
poi shops and other sources of food
supply. as well as all sanitary mat
tCrs, including garbage and cXCava-
tor services, under the control of the
board of health of the Territory, and
that early action be taken by the leg
islaturo to enact into law the various
bills and appropriations now pending
before It submitted by the admins
tration.
DR.. Carl Rnmus. OF the United
States Marine Hospital service. In a
statement before the Chamber. as
serted that It would again be ncccs-
sary to place quarantine upon lI"-
nolulu shipping, this time for a pc
riod of thirty days. DR.. Ramus said
that longer period than that APPROX
ed during the last epidemic would BE-
necessary this time.
In connection with a resolution Of
fercd by Robert Cation, favOring Fed
eral control of health matters, DR.
Ramus was asked what steps would
he necessary to secure action by the
United States authorities. He replied
that there could he no dual au ihority in
the proper administration of health
matters and that the quickest way &c
! get Federal control Is to go on Just
as you are"
T.. d. Tenney declared emphatica!'
ly for a Capitalization of power II
the hands of the Board of Health ant
presented the resolution, a portion %
which was prepared by George w
Smith. chairman of the health com
mipcc. and which was adopted un
animously.
| In giving his views on the problem
George w. Smith stated that he con
sidered It absolutely essential tina
| the enforcement Of health regulation
should be in the hands of persons whit
do not owe their positions to politica
causes and can enforce the laws with
out fear or favor. He stated that thu
present situation was a menace t
commerce and urged that pressure b'
brought to bear upon the Legislature
to cause It to take action In approx
ing necessarily bills.
President Mott-Smith of the Terri
torial Board of Health then proceed
ed to explain the difficulties whicl
he had encountered and which he be
lieved to be n constant impedimen
to the proper administration Of healtl
matters in Honolulu.
| l.. 81 fan
damental principles to be considered
one being the power to he given Il
| the counties and the other the OK
tension of powers to the county gov
ernments. This, he declared tina
| powers should not be taken from thu
Territorial health department, bu
simply meant that the county coul,
exercise duties In certain department
of the work where II could be dom
efficiently.
Mott-Smith stated that he ha'
drafted the poi ordinance for thu
Board OF Supervisors and also th'
poi bill that was tabled yesterday b!
the Senate.
But an ordinance unapplied is no
worth anything" he said III yol
take all the ordinances which tn
Board of Supervisors have passe'
they will form tremendously wld'
range of subjects. The impression
seems to be that nothing should b
done after an ordinance Is passed
The idea seems To he to pass 1t an
/ then let II lie dormant.
what Is the situation today? w
have a poi ordinance in the county
On April the power OF the Terri
tory with regard to poi shops ceased
and the county assumed control. w
have no more power to close up tn
poi shops than to close mp a hote
under similar circumstances, The las
Legislature repealed every last yes
tiage OF power the board of healu
possessed over poi shops"
81 have been informed that the pc
bill was defeated because the terri
torial board of health wished TO tax
over the garbage and cXcayator dc
partments," said Mr.. MOtt-Smith.
was asked to withhold any effort