Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-10-22
wakefield SAYS
ACTION NEEDED
ON HARBOR WORK
Continued from page onel

Continued frosa page onel
reference to Honolulu and the Pana-
ma canal, with which he gave some
striking figures. He illustrated his
talk with references to q large map.
sof the harbor.
Commissioner Wakefield said in
part:
Wharves, Their Relation to Trade.
Good wliarves are as vital TO the
economies Of the territory as good
roads. The wharf system Of the ter
rifory Is the vehicle for moving APP
|proximatelyt IL million tons OF
freight annually The facilities provid-
ed to handle this tonnage economical.
Iy directly affects every person in the
country purchasing either the neces.
stiles or Injuries Of life; and conse-
|quently is of vital interest to all
classes of people.
TO provide the present wharf sys-
tenn large sums have been spent out
OF the general revenues secured from
general taxation In addition TO this
there has been spent from the vari-
Gus bond issues from 1903 to 1913 the
sum Of s1,245. 764.11.
Funds to cover cost of wharf OPP
erations and their maintenance are
provided by legislative appropria-
|tions. All income derived from the
wharf system is paid into the general
funds Of the territory. The best that
can be said of this system is that It
lis hoary and helpless.
/ aThe income is derived from one
source only, namely ship owners. Z
Consumes or consignors Of cargoes
nndersour. present system pay nothing
towards the operating and mainten-
ance of wharves for their use ana
j convenience, except that they may
contribute through general taxation.
I'VE have two distinct bodies using
/ our wharves for profit, ship owners
and merchant consignees or consign-
Tors; the value Of good wharves is as
| great to one party as to the other.
lIf ship owners cannot handle their
careoes over good Wharves, their
pockets are Immediately affected, II
merchant consignors or c0nsignees
cannot take or give delivery Of their
merchandise over good Wharves their
pockets are Immediately touched
too: our laws provide for q charge to
the ship owner but the merchant Is
handed q smanawahi.
This condition is distinctly Hawaii
ian. There are very few, II any, ports
IN the world other than our own,
!. where the merchant consignor or con.
signee does not pay q tonnage toll on
f4occ4tl f(unr
wharves, and foots his general tai
1 bill ct the same time.
Charges.
rionolulu port charges have been
i the subject Of some discussion; as q
j matter Of fact the only two charges
THAT are out Of line with commercial
lports the world over are water and
pilotage. The charge assessed against
/, shipping for water is public crime
The only apology for it Is that the
extortioh pays for the upkeep OF the
sewers of the city. his matter was
placed by the board Of harbor com
|imissiOners two years ago before the
superintendent Of public works, the
Fl Chamber Of Commerce and the Mer
chants Association. The result Of
Il these efforts was q reduction In price
to shipping from $3.50 to 81 per thou
4 sand gallons. The price is still sc
4 exorbitant that unless some radical
reduction in cost OF water IS arranged
for at an early date drastic remedy
j will have to be invoked, and In the
Implication OF this remedy we shall
: ask for your support
THE revision Of pilotage charges 4
now under consideration by commit
tee Of the board of harbor commits
3 sIoners. Pilotage fees at present FOL
large vessels of the type of the s. s
Mongolia or the S. s. Tenyo Maru are
really low. The present fiat rate oi
1 $50 for inward or outward pilotage O
steamers irrespective of size lets the
large boats down easy but works 9
Hardship on the smaller craft; while
the pilotage charge Of SC per net reg
Il istered ton Oh sailing vessels raises
their rate out of all proportion to that
charged to steamers. and entirely too
lhlgh for the services rendered. A
i good basis of charges win undoubtedly
be reached by the harbor commission
lcommfttee now studying the question
and an adjustment viii be made at al
early date that will be satisfactory t
i all shipping interests.
AT present there Is no wharf in thu
territory outside of honolulu harbo
that an ocean going steamer can til
Iup to for the discharge orlreceiving o
cargo. This condition will shortly b.
remedied at Hilo, where a good whar
Is nearing completion that will &C
j commodate two ocean gong steamer
at one time r
THE harbor commissioners will hav
ayailable after the next bond issue ha
been completed $4,000 for the cor
struction of a wharf at Lahaina, Maui
The purpose Of this wharf is to &C
commodate ocean going steamers ant
will be great aid in the development
iof business on the Lahalna side o
Maui.
ITO handle the freighting of islam