Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-25
LOWERING Of WATER RATESIS
VICTORY AFTER LONG CAMPAIGN

Marston Campbell. ESQ, Chairman,
Board of Harbor Commissioners,
Honolulu, T. H.
Strive beg leave to submit for the
consideration of your Board the high
charge for water which the steamers
visiting this port are obliged to pay.
For such water as the Government
can supply through its water system
charge is made to the Canadian
Australian Royal Mail Line of NC per
gallon-$2.50 per thousand gallons.
When the Government system Is un-
equal to the demand on it, recourse
has to be taken to the Water Boats
Of private concerns, who charge &c,
or $3.50 per 1000 gallons.
When the +Zealandia' was last in
pert the Government was unable to de-
liver more than 43,309 gallons in the
time the vessel was in port, say 61s
hours or at the rate OF $3.50 gallons per
hour, consequently it was necessary
to take water from Barge and $500
gallons were so taken! The total water
taken by the -Zealandia" on that oc-
casion was therefore 101, 1853 gallons,
which cost $542.97 of 5.96e per gallon
or $685. per 100 gallons.
1t would seem superf1uous to make
any comment on such charge; it is
So obviously out of all reason. In ex-
plantations of this charge we can only
state to the Steamship Company the
simple facts, which are that even at
81 SO per 1000 gallons the Government
cannot supply steamers visiting this
port with water unless :hey can stay
long enough to take 1t at the rate at
which the Government can furnish il,
which in the case of the "Zealandia"
above quoted would be approximately
Is hours. : ii -. {
We strongly represent first that the
Government should without delay get.
its water system so arranged tnat it.
can delived to visiting vessels such
water as they require within a reason
able time. and secondly, thar the
charge for such water be reduced to
say one-tenth of the present rate.
We are,i Sir, : - -
Your .obedient servants
Theo. Fl. Davies & Co. Ltd.
pe. March II, 1912.
To the President and Trustees of the
Honolulu Chamber OF Commerce,
Gentlemen: Complying with Your
request, your Committee on Harbors,
Shipping and Transportation has had
a conference with the Board of Har.
Dor Commissioners on the subject of
rate on water furnished to vessels at
this port. b = .y..,-;... ~ a.%ss
The present rate to vessels is $3.50
per NJ. gallons, Which is certainly ex-
.erbitant, especially when compared
with the rate Of 7lkc. to city consum-
ers. This rate has been in force ever
since the Honolulu Water Works sys-
TEN was CONSTRUCTED and of course
was originally imposed under condi-
tions very different from those exist
ing at the present time. 1t has, how
ever, been the subject of continual
complaint and dissatisfaction on the
part of ship owners and masters who
make Honolulu a port of call. r. -
The San Francisco rate is on a slid
ing scale basis, varying from about
&c per M. gallons for the first 1000
ICSl SuOWH To- O6C. lOE ally 1
amount in excess of 10000 cubic feet,
or 523,636 u. 8. gallons. This makes
the rate for a vessel taking, say $685.
900 gallons, about 43c per M. gallons,
as compared with our rate of $3.50.
The rate at Sydney is 25c flat per M.
gallons and the same at Suva. At
Tacoma, Washington, We are told
that the rate IL only $40 for each yes
sci, regardless of the amount sup
piled. :,
1t is therefore evident that our rate
is exceedingly unjust, so much so that
one of the large transportation COM
panies has under serious considera-
ton making other arrangements here
for its water supply. Unless a very
material reduction is made. The en-
cessive charge for water was given
for one of the reasons why the cable
ship "Restorer" ceased to make her
headquarters at Honolulu.
In view of the important part which
it is hoped that this port may play in
the future development OF Pacific
Ocean commerce, the harbor condi-
tions and port charges in general
should be such as will tend to attract
shipping rather than to drive it away.
We can see no valid reason why water
should not be supplied to vessels at
=. !.