The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-12-20
MAY FORM NEW
PLUMBING TRUST
Opposition to Ordinance Fails
But Mayor Says He Will
Veto Measure.

Denounced as being the basis for the
formation of new plumbing trust, un-
| fair and discriminating, and of the
fabric that would permit it to be shot
full of holes in the courts, Mayor Fern,
Supervisor Low and Attorney Magoon
were a forlorn hope in an attack led
upon the plumbing ordinance yester-
day, which, however, was passed for
third reading by vote of five to one.
The mayor IS parting shot was that he
would veto it.
That there els niger on the
fence" is the opinion of Supervisor
Low, and although he mentioned no
names, he felt that behind all this
movement to create an examining board
consisting of contractor, architect,
sanitary engineer, a journeyman plum
Der and master plumber there was
move on foot to shut out a number
of competent plumbers, because they
would be unable to take the prescribed
oral or written examination, and give
satisfactory answers as to the sanitary
rules, regulations, laws and ordinances
on the subject.
Mr.. Magoon felt that while plumbers
were being so examined and certificated
that the same should be done with the
carpenters and blacksmiths. He ven
tured the opinion that the law would
not stand the test of the courts, just
as another similar law failed, and both,
he said, were drawn by the same man,
Deputy County Attorney Milverton.
"This law doesn t look right to me, -
said Mr.. Low; at the noon meeting of
the supervisors, which lasted an hour
and half. "The idea of placing a
: contractor on an examining committee
of that sort, one who might be interest
ed. What does contractor know about
plumbing, except in theoryi What does
an architect know, except in theory
Why not place the carpenters and
blacksmiths in the same category
Passing this ordinance means that we
are preparing for trust. 1t will bring
the plumbing business down to the con
troll of few men,"
Plumbing Trust Prices.
Attorney Magoon referred to the sit.
uation which prevailed in Honolulu ten
years ago when plumbing trust sent
prices for master plumbers TO $40 a
, day and journeymen plumbers to So a
day, and the new ordinance would in
effect create another similar situation
! pN TtdsOH VI lHt dputSS VI pay lOi
plumbers and carpenters cottages were
. springing up all over the city for the
poorer classes.
"You want more cottages so that the
people can go out of the so-called OBJ
iectionable tenements into decent cot
tages SO that we may have different
class of citizenship. You are going tc
,, make it harder when you pass an ordi
nance which creates conditions that
make things different. You know this
is so. You say there will not be G
plumbing trust. say there will.
r "What is the necessity for this ex
aiming boardi Has there ever beer
an epidemic due to defective plumbing
). You know there has not. Plumbing has
a been done before, as now, by contract
{ ors. There is no more occasion fol
:. licensing plumbers than for the mar
: who saws a board with square. Why
1 pass the bill now. Let it go over t.
8 the next board Why make fish of one
Y and flesh of anotheri Why not license
a everybody who helps build housed
v "I venture the opinion that if this
4 passes that the ordinance viii not stant
4 the test of the courts. You will fine
S after all that it is illegal. Your at
torney, perhaps, drew this bill and h'
k will naturally say it is all right, al
n ibis legal opinion. He also drew th'
g other one and said it was all right, but
,, the courts said it was not. "
o Knocked Out Before.
Supervisor Murray said he was per
fectly willing to stand by any opinion
Milverton gave.
i "You did that before, - answered Mr.
/ Magoon "and the ordinance wal
G knocked ont. -
e Murray insisted that much of th'
c tuberculosis in the city was due 10 de
G fective plumbing. Msgooa laughed ane