Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-02
Committee REPORT SCATHES
STARRETTAND INTERISLAND

cial house committee an its invests
cation of the Inter-Islanl Steam
Navigation Company and the worl
CT Market Superintendent 5. T. 1Sta-.
lett, which was submitted to the
house Saturday morniag, was quoted
in part in the Bulletin Of tha;
cate .-...-... 49,
Its charges against both these con
Germs and its recommendations are SO
important, however, that it is again
given below, this time i'll full:
Your special committee, u which
was referred House Resolutions Nos
SO and so, the former whereof in
structs this committee, in conjunc
ton with the market superintendent
to consult the officers of the Inter
Island Steam Navigation Company
with view to the resumption by said
company of the periodical carriage
of freight between Maui parts and
hilo-and the latter whereof requests
information from the market Superin-
tendent as to the authority whereby
he has charged, and is still charging
a commission of ii e per cciit on all
produce handled by the marketing
division of this territory under the
provision of Act las, of the laws of
1911-respectfully report that they
have had said resolutions under con;
sideration, with the following results:
The Starrett Conference.
+First-As to House Resolution No.
so.
"Your committee had a full confer
ence with Mr.. S. T. Starrett, superin-
tendent of the marketing division Of
the board of immigration, etc., in
which we inquired of said superintend-
ent, generally, as to the administra-
tion of his said office, and especially,
to the charge by said division of the
5 per cent commission upon sales of
produce referred to in the resolution.
''The superintendent justified said
charge under that clause of section 8,
Act 1913, of the laws of 1911, which
provides that the marketing division
may charge reasonable commission
on the amounts realized from sales of
produce made by it or through it's
agency
at is somewhat remarkable that
the office held by Mr.. Starrett appears
to have dual basis, one under the
section last cited, and the other under
Act 148 of the laws of 1911. In Act
1913, the appointment of this official
is confided to the board of immigra-
tion, labor and statistics, while, by
Act 14S, the appointment rests with
the governor"
"Starrett's lnaptitude.
1t is further remarkable that the
superintendent himself, according to
his own statement, had never heard
RI Act 14S, and did not know of its
existence, although it is an Act spe-
cially passed to facilitate the market
ing of fruits and vegetables grown in
the Territory of Hawaii. In fact, and
in brief, your committee discovered,
upon its conference with the superin-
tendent, that he appeared TO know as
little as he possibly could know con-
corning the matters and duties per-
tanning to his Office, as provided by
either of said Acts. The conclusion at
which your committee arrived, as
result of said conference, is that ow-
Ing to the apparent inaptitude of the
for the duties of said
office, the purpose of che legislature
In creating said Office has entirely
failed of realization, and said official
has left record of expense, but not
Of efficiency.
This topic will be further dis
cussed in connection with House Res
Diution No. SO, next herein mentioned.
rhe Inter-IsIand.
AS to House Resolution No. SO, in
structing your committee to confer
with the Inter-Island Steam Naviga-
ion Company, concerning the cessa-
ion, and the possible resumption of
freight carrying between Maui ports
Ind Hilo.
"Your committee have to report
hat. in company with the superin
.endent of the. marketing division,
hey conferred at length with Mr.. ]. A.
Kennedy, president and general man
iger of said company, with reference.
% the exchange of products between|
Maui farmers and Hilo, and the mar
1eting of Hilo products on Maui. 1t
to come as revelation to
said superintendent, that any such
conditions of exchange had in fact ex-
sted, although your committee would
suppose that 1t, lies peculiarly within
he scope of his official duties to
earn and know all about such mat
ers. The facts are, that previous to
December last, the steamer Claudine
lad made weekly trips between Homo
ulu and HiIo, touching at the Maui
,orts either way. whereby large
rade in taro, poi, and Ito a lesser
,xtentl other products of Maui had
,een developed in the Hilo market.
Ind whereby considerable quantities
VI the products of Hilo and vicinity,
domestic wine and other
liquors, had been marketed on Maui.
Said arrangement afforded a regular,
convenient, and reasonably cheap
means of transportation between the
Inherent ports mentioned. But in or
.bout the month of December last,
aid. steamer was withdrawn from
aid route. and although the Mauna
<ea now makes semi-weekly trips be-