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

cial house committee IN its iDyesti
cation OF the Inter-Islanl Steam
Navigation Company and tie work
CT Market Superintendent. 5. T. Star
lett, which was submitted to the
house Saturday morning. vas quoted
il part in the Star Bulletin Of that
cate. 49,. ....,-. IL
It's charges against both these con-
Germs and its recommendations are SO
important, however, that it is again
given below, this time iii full; ~.
Your special committee, To- 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 Mai pits and
hilo-and the latter whereof requests
information from the market superin,
tendent as to the authority whereby
he has charged, AMI is st;ll charging
a commission of II e per ccnt on all
produce handled by the marketing
division of this territory uuder 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.
60.
"Your committee had a full confer
ence with Mr.. 8. 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-
ton of his said office, and especially,
to the charge by said division of the
per cent commission upon sales of
produce referred to In the resolution.
The superintendent justified said
charge under that clause of section 8,
Act 123, 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 its
agency
ct 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 las of the laws of 1911. In Act
1913, the appointment of this official
is eonfided to the board of immigra-1
ton, labor and statistics, while, by
Act las, the appointment rests with
the governor.
"starrett's tnaptitude.
1T is further remarkable that the
superintendent himself, according to
his own statement, had never heard
81 Act 148, and did not know of its
existence, although 1t 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 a
result of said conference, is that ow-
ing to the apparent inaptitude of. the
for the duties of said
office, the purpose of the 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
oiution No. SO, next herein mentioned.
The inter-island.
"As to House Resolution No. SO, in
structing your committee to confer
with the Inter.Island Steam Naviga-
ton Company, concerning the cessa-
ton, and the possible resumption of
freight carrying between Maui ports
and Hilo.
"Your committee have to report
that, in company with the superin-
lendent of the marketing division,
they conferred at length with Mr.. J. A.
Kennedy, president and general man
ager of said company, with reference
TO the exchange of products between
Maui farmers and Hilo, and the mar
keting of Hilo products on Maui. 1t
appeared to come as revelation to
said superintendent. that any such
conditions of exchange had in fact ex-
listed, although your committee would
suppose that 1t lies peculiarly within
the scope of his official duties to
learn and know all about such mat
ters. The facts are, that previous to
December last, the steamer Claudine
had made weekly trips between Homo
lulu and Hilo, touching at the Maui
PORTS either way, whereby large
trade in taro, poi, and Ito a lesser
extentl other products of Maui had
been developed in the Hilo market,
and whereby considerable quantities
Of the products of Hilo and vicinity, |
domestic wine and other
liquors, had been marketed on Maui. |
Said arrangement afforded regular, |
and reasonably cheap |
means of transportation between the
different ports mentioned. But in or
about the month of December last,
said steamer was withdrawn from |
said route, and although the Mauna |