The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-03-07
NEW
DEPARTMENT
PLAN
(FrOm Thursday Advcrtiser)

Notwithstanding reports which have
come to the board of harbor commits.
sioners of opposition TO any attempt to
revise the present harbor Laws of the
Territory, that body yesterday took
prel minary steps toward asking for the
repeal of practically every obsolete
harbor law now on the statute books
and the substitution of law which
Will revoutionize the old method of
| handling the harbor business. About
forty sections in all would be affected.
Discussion of the proposed measure
with Attorney General Thaver occupied
practically all the afternoon session of
the harbor commission yesterday. Most
ot the important features were decided
upon at that time. Attorney General
Thayer will probably prepare a final
draft of the proposed laws today and
the bill will be introduced as soon as
possible. The discussion brought out
the fact that the harbor commission
will welcome opposition at this time
rather than after the law goes into eff.
| feet.
! One feature, which it is said will be
| opposed, will be tFat providing charge
for incoming as well as outgoing car
goes. The sugar producers would feel
this, 1T is stated. In return it is claim
ed that one reason for the Territory
| going to such expense in improving its
| harbors and wharves is to facilitate
the handling of sugar as well as other
cargoes, thereby saving the big ship
pers more than wogld be the case with
obsolete facilities.
Proposed Sections.
The fixing of maximum rate for
demurrage, wharfage and tolls is not
definitely decided upon.
One section will provide that ten per
cent of the gross receipts from the
wharves and harbors shall be set aside
each year to pay the harbor and wharf
debt. Another section will make per-
sons attempting to evade payment of
charges subject to double rates and
make such obligations a lien on the
cargoes.
One of the main purposes sought, how
ever, is to have the harbor and wharves
of the Territory organized into sep
arate department, made self sustaining,
as far as possible, and conducted along
lines similar to those followed by the
water department under the direction
of the department of public works.
Commissioners McStocker, Mccarthy,
Wakefield and Berndt, who were pres
ent at the meeting yesterday, were of
the same opinion regarding the neces-
sity of remodeling the harbor and
, wharf laws and for placing those de-
! partments on an independent and self
supporting basis.
A letter of thanks was ordered sent
to Admiral Cowles for granting per-
mission to the Territory to.use land
i,r a1 6Nrt ha fa1a q,
period of six months to facilitate the
building of floating dock, now under
: course of construction by the Inter
= Island Company.
e Seattle Is Enquiring.
: Seattle is out in earnest after the
|. shipping trade of the Pacific. That
d city is preparing to spend millions Oh
3 harbor work, according to letter re
e ccived from that city by the commits
n sion. This was read Yesterday. The
5 letter asks for detailed information re
|. lating to the amount of shipping han
Y died here, the facilities for loading and
unloading ships, the charges made anC
other statistical information in general
Secretary Berndt was delegated to re
ply to the letter.
Assistant Superintendent Wheeler, o.
the department of public works, sub
p mitted number of reports on harbo
4 work now in progress and contemplat
ed. Harbormaster Foster was presen
to report conditions in his department
A number of communications o
st minor Importance were read and severa
n. bills We're allowed before adjournmen
was taken. One communication cam
- from Senator Rice, of the senate CON
y mittee on ways and means, announcin
s. that the members of the harbor con
a. mission will be asked to attend meet
ID ing of the ways and means committe
Il when the harbor improvement apprc
re priation bills are brought before tina
ar committee for action.