Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-15
P.L. WEAVER, NOPINIG9NV, GRiHGlSEIS
OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

Id3HCu NINAI oil
Sc Ear as the commission reports
Recommendations for the improvement
in the equipment CT the fire and police
departments, suggest that this board
should listen to their request only as
they would heed the advice or private
citizens Interested with the board in
the Improvement of the city and that
such suggestions be taken up by the
board in due course when planning for
the general welfare of Honolulu
therefore suggest that the report,
together with the statement Of the
commission as TO what they have done
in regard TO rules and regulations, be
received and placed on file That the
commission be informed that the
beard Of supervisors will consider the
recommendations made by them on
pages to 16, inclusive, as suggestions
coming from them as citizens, and not
emanating from the civil service com.
mission and that the same will be
considered when the board is passing
upon the yearly budget.
| also suggest that the commission
be informed that. in the opinion of the
board they should not request the SUI
perintendent OF police and fire alarm
and the chief engineer of the fire de-
partment to report to them, since the
same is not in their jurisdiction under
act 81 of the session laws of 1913.
/ would suggest that copy of this
opinion be sent to the commission tn
inform them Of the reasons for so
receiving the report. Ny reasons for
these conclusions are stated more at
length hereafter
/ am OF the opinion that the many
recomrn endations contained in the
yoluminous report have no place
in such report. The act Of
1913 gave the commission the
duty to enforce civil service
rules in the police and fire depart.
ments. The pertinent matter is dis
cusged in the first page or two. The
subsequent matter treats of recon-
mendations as to equipment and is
irrelevant, being outside of the scope
of the powers of the commission. For
instance, the commission recon-
mends,
First: A new organization of the
police department. naming the off
GERS in detail with their salaries at
an increased cost of $4,000.
Second They recommend a de-
tailed schedule Of the employees of the
fire department, with their salaries
at an increased expense of about
$4,000.
Third: They recommend detailed
extension of the police and fire alarm
system, with "a new police boxes and
$50 new fire alarm boxes.
Fourth The commission recon-
mends that the board Of supervisors
grant request made to the commits
sion by the chief engineer. of the fire
department for additional fire houses
and equipment, giving a list In detail.
The commission urges that the
board grant the recommendation of
the superintendent of police and fire
alarm made to the commission for
new hydrants.
Fifth: The commission urges the
board to make an immediate request
to the territory of Hawaii, asking that
the territory put in at once, at terri.
torial expense, 300 new fire hydrants,
pending the transfer Of the water and
sewer systems to the city govern
ment. i
Sixth: The commission urges I'm:
provements at the police station, In
GLIDING an emergency hospital
Seventh: The commission urges
the introduction of the Bertillon
measuring system, as well as the
thumb, or finger-print system, into
the police department.
The report contains verbatim cop
les of reports by the superintendent
and chief engineer above named,
made direct to the commission The
commission has received and consid-
cred these reports, formed their opin-
ion thereon, and now requests the
board of supervisors to grant their
recommendations .s-.
T. do not perceive that Act 81 of
the session laws of 1913 contemplated
any such sphere Of activities for the
commission or that they were to re.
quest or receive or consider reports
from heads of departments upon the
subject Of equipment, with which
they could have nothing to do. 1t is
as If the superintendent of the street
railway system were requested by the
stockholders to formulate regulations
regulating the employment and dis
! charge of the conductors and motor.
! men on their lines If the superin.
tendent reported to the board of di
rectors that he had made rules gov.
erning employees and then submitted
voluminous report, criticising the
rolling stock and tracks of the con
Germ, and recommending improve
ments therein, it would be a parallel
case. 1t is plain to see that the. re
! port is too broad -... = -.
The act of the chief engineer and
; the superintendent in reporting to the
commission is ill-advised. 1t is theil
| official duty to make their re
quests direct to this board Any