The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-03-24
FIRST ROUND TO
SLAP MAYOR LOST
BILL TO CURrArL ms PowHRs
~ TABLED AFTER A
HOT rIaHT.
(From wodnesday'a Adverli1or.)

AAIom WtuutHAaN AoNHftihofil
Almost the entire day yesterday was
taken up in an effort to strangle the
bill introduced by the judiciary com.
mitteo and known as house bill No. 16i,
which proposed to take away from the
mayor the power Of appointing the road
supervisor and other officers Of the
county.
1t was in committee Of the whole
that the house tackled the problem
and in the end and with the assistance
of Speaker Holstein on the floor, with
Representative Archer presiding, the
bill was killed and then buried.
Today the Judiciary committee win
introduce two bills in place OF the dead
one, but accomplishing practically the
same purpose, that of giving the board
of supervisors greater power and sub.
ordinating The mayor as fgurehead
with veto on ordinances.
Reception to Delegate.
Soon after the fight began in the
morning Prince Kalanianaole dropped
into the chamber and Representative
Rice presented the representatives to
him and there was a short reception,
after which Delegate Kuhio sat beside
the Speaker and listened to some of the
hot arguments and oratory, every dele
gate who had a chance speaking his
best in honor of the distinguished visi
tor.
Mahoe said the present law seemed
to be working all right and did not see
any good reason for change, holding
the county act was good enough in
itself. Kawewehi also opposed any
change, but wanted to know what real
reason there was for the bill.
Coney explained the present dead
lock, but added that the veto power as
a check was good clause He stated
that at present it was case of " hold
upn in the board of supervisors, while
the proposed law would work out salts
factorily whatever party was in power
and should pass.
Watkins and Alfonso discussed the
veto power of the mayor under the bill
and argued in behalf of the bill as
whole. So did Hale, at first.
"Dog Is Growing"
Sheldon thought that there should
be more heard from the Oahu members.
" We've tried this law on the dog and
the dog is growing, and l would like
to hear unanimous voice from Oahu,
he added.
Towse stated that at the present time
it was one man against seven with the
result that the one man was holding
up the budget and everything else and
nothing was being done, also that the
road money was cut from $4,000 a
Makekau voiced the sentiment that the
bill gave the supervisors great power,
''more than they deserve, possibly -
and he advised Honolulu to hereafter
elect mayor and board of supervisors
of the same political complexion.
Keliinoi submitted an amendment to
the effect that the mayor should submit
new name for an Office every time
the supervisors refused to indorse one
nominee. He believed that two years
from now the legislature would be ask
ed to again change the law if the bill
passed.
On a vote the amendment was lost.
Supervisors Condemned.
At the afternoon session the fight be-
came more condensed and the outside
representatives lined up solid against
the bill, test vote on an amendment
by Castle to give the board Of super
visors of Honolulu the same power as
that now held by the supervisors of
other counties being lost, Castle, Mar.
callino, Towse, Watkins, Williamson
and Kamanoulu voting in the affirm.
ative.
Keliinoi held that the mayor wa!
| elected by the Deople for two wears and
the Legislature had no right to take
elected him to perform.
This seemed to be the key note upoI
which the representatives from tn,
other islands combined.
Holstein in Ring.
Speaker Holstein spoke at length OF
: the granting to the supervisors of ex
traordinary powers ard stated he wa
not in favor of the bill. He called at
, tention to the fact that they had no
exercised the sanitary powers entrustet
to them under the law.
Rice offered an amendment that tn
bill take effect the first Monday in Jan
uary, 1913.
Sheldon replied that they might a
J well table the bill and Castle suggestet
, that it might be well to make tw
bills of the one.
! Rice withdrew his amendment for
motion to report in favor of tabliDl
the bin and this carried by an almos
unanimous vote.
Then the bill was tabled and naile
! down.
/