The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-02-11
CITY MANAGER
IS LATEST PLAN
Many Changes Made by Commit
tee in Proposed Charter
for Municipality
From Saturday Advertiser.

Practically a new charter outline
will be drafted by the subcommittee of
the general citizen S committee pre-
sided over by Governor Frear, for
action upon by the committee, due to
the many changes made in the present
draft of city charter by the general
committee at its meeting in the senate
chamber last evening.
In the first place many changes are
made necessary by the adoption of the
plan for a board of five commissioners
to serve without salary, as board of
directors of a corporation now does,
who shall appoint a manager for the
routine affairs of the city at proper
salary and who will pe directly re-
sponsible to the commissioners, while
the latter will be directly responsible
to the people.
1t is believed by the committee as
whole that this plan will make for
the most effective municipal govern
ment and most businesslike conduct of
its affairs.
The committee was called to order
by Governor Frear as chairman and as
Secretary John Eifinger had a special
appointment A. l.. MaeKaye was APP
pointed secretary protein. The first
question was that discussed at such
length last week, as to whether to elect
the commissioners at large, or as heads
of departments
Commissioners at Large.
AS member. of the committee had
evidently studied up on the matter
meanwhile it was quickly decided to
elect the five commissioners at large, a
IN ha from them
by the commissioners.
Il. NJ Church made an amendment to
the former motion by Governor Frear,
to the effect that five commissioners be
elected at large and that they should
provide for city manager. This
amendment was seconded by Doctor
Scudder and after some discussion was
passed by vote of ten to one, several
members of the committee failing to
vote either way.
Prof. w. A. Bryan outlined the plan
for permitting the commissioners to ap-
point city manager, but not making
it obligatory upon them
Judge Whitney referred to Professor
Bryan s idea and brought up the ques'
tion of salary, calling attention to the
fact that one good public officer recent
~ was lost to the service of the Ter
ritory, because private company had
offered him $4,000 year for his ser
vices, and voiced the principle that a
city manager should be paid good
salary which would make it worth
while for the best men to seek the
position.
1t was decided that the commissioner:
shall receive no salary, except that G
commissioner from outside the district
of Honolulu shall be allowed mileage
Tor his expenses. The commission shall
be a legislative body more than al
executive, that end of the city govern
ment being attended to by the city
manager, just as superintendent at
tends to the running of a big business
or plantation.
Serve for Four Years.
The terms of the commissioners shall
be for four years, except that at thu
first election the three commissioner
receiving the highest vote shall serv'
for four years and the other two TO
two years, after that an election beinl
held every two years, for two and thel
three commissioners.
This change in the plan for cit!
charter made it necessary to refer bacl
to the drafting committee all thos'
points in the proposed charter outlin
ing the duties of the various commits
sioners, which under the new plan viii
be conducted by the manager of thu
city.
All power by the board of commits
sioners relative to the granting of fran
chises was eliminated as it is proposed
to incorporate this matter in a specia
bill for the appointment of a publ
utilities commission.
The commissioners shall appoint al
commissions, playground commission
being included in the others named.
Initiative and Referendum.
The initiative was arranged for b,
the provision that proposed ordinance
may be submitted to the council b,
twenty-five per cent of the electors vot
ing at the previous election and tn
council may pass this ordinance with
out alteration, or it can call specia
election of the people to pass upon IL
1t was decided that, "No ordinanc
proposed and adopted by vote of tn
people shall be repealed or amende'
within two years after its adoption
except by a vote of the people,"
The council, however, can submit an,
proposed ordinance for Referendum
vote at a special or general election.
The discussion upon the various sub
jects acted upon were enlightening an
instructive and nearly all present too
an active part in the work Of the CON
mittee. Among those who made par
tieulaTly strong points for or agains
the questions at issue were GOveTno
Frear, Doctor Seudder, Judge whitney
W. II. harrington, Professor Bryan, Kin
Tong Ho, j, +. Cooke. Il. NJ. Church an
several Others.
TO Limit Expenses
motion by w. Il, Pennington, 70,
Gpded by Mr.. Cooke, instTneting IN
drafting committee 10 draft an Apr,
pirate provision relative 20 tho mof
progressive ideas rs 10 the expepdituT
Of funds by candidates, was carrie
unanimously
There was considerable discussion q
20 inserting q civil service plank !
the charter, but u WAS decided 10 lfay
ihlf matter for further consideration
particularly as the city manager vi
NHFN tha IlHht 10 plaploy luen "a tloI