Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-14
CONTROL FO
UTILITIES IS
SUGGESTED
Secretary Fisher Gives lntima-
ton of Possible Action
Later On

public service corporations in this
territory was suggested so strongly
and frequently by Secretary Fisher
during the course of the hearings be-
fore him this morning that the inti-t
nation seemed plain of an intention
in the secretary's mind to determine
very thoroughly whether or not such
a system is not needed in Hawaii.
Again and again he referred, in his
questions put to various witnesses, to
the fact that on the mainland public
service commissions have been found
desirable. He even suggested this
morning the possibility Of regarding
sugar mills as public utilities in Ha-
wall.
The suggestions came naturally, as
the secretary devoted much of his
hearing today to transportation mat
ters. With ]. A. Kennedy, vice presi-
dent and general manager of the In
ter.Island Steam Navigation Company,
in the witness chair first this morn
ing. Mr. Fisher queried him closely as
to- the operations of the company.
Mr.. Kennedy during the course of
his testimony said that no complaints
In regard to rates have reached him
and that he did not know Of any such
having been made. He declared en-
phatically that the Inter-Island Steam
Navigation Company viii not oppose
public service commission here pro-
vided 1t GOULD be assured such q COM
mission would be competent and TN
biased and In response to one of Mr.
Fishers questions, be said he would
regard the naming Of such commits
sion by the governor as appropriate,
He did not look upon an elective COM
mission with favor, intimating that
local politics would have too much tc
do with it Replying to a question BY
Attorney Ashford, representing the
delegate, he declared that the opposi-
ton Of the Inter-Island in the past
TO an extension OF the interstate COM
merce act to Hawaii so far as the
steamship company Is concerned, arose
from the belief of the company that
the commission in Washington could
not possibly legislate wisely for condi.
tions here. knowing nothing about
them
Fishers Idea.
At this point Mr.. Fisher said:
''Isn't it q fact, Mr. Ashford, that Il
these abuses that are talked OF exist
the way to remedy them is by secur-
ing q public service or public utili-
ties commission ?''
Ashford readily agreed to this.
A little later on, when A. Lewis
Jr. OF the Bank of Hawaii was on the
stand, Mr.. Fisher suggested the pos
sibility OF treating the waters of the
lands as public utility and legislate
for control OF the waters more FUZZY.
Mr.. Lewis talked at length upon
conditions here, urging the encour.
agement of demonstrating, but he
granted that there were difficulties
in the way, and he said that any real
progress can be made only by cooper.
alton between the government, the
plantation and the homesteader. Gen
orally speaking, he thought conditions
are no worse here than on the main
land, and he said he felt quite sure
that there is no systematic endeavor
on the part of the plantations TO
discourage homesteading.
F. G. Krauss, agronomist Of the Col
lege of Hawaii, was called upon tc
tell of homesteading experiences and
his own ideas.
Passages at Arms.
The hearing this morning was un,
eventful, but enliyened by passages
between Attorney Ashford and Pres
ident Kennedy, in which the latter
did not have any the worst of the
exchanges with the sharp-tongued
lawyer. s-..s. --. -.
At the conclusion of the morning |
hearing, Secretary Fisher announced
that the hearings will be continued |
at. $3.50 o'clock next Monday morn |
ing. 1t has been expected that owing |
to the fact of the Territorial conven
tion meeting that day, there would
be no hearings, but Mr.. Fisher evi.
IDENTIFY wants to follow up his present |
course pretty Systematically. 1t is
expected that A. w. Carter will be
called upon next Monday.
]. A. Kennedy, president of the In
terlsland Steam Navigation Com
pany, was the first witness called
this morning. He detailed the hold
ing of the big concern, stating finally
that it owned nothing outside the
Island of Oahu.
, The dividend the last year he sai6 |
was 81 per cent, and recited the fig
Tres showing that the revenues Of
i E