Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-17
" AS
LIVELY ON new
ELECTRIC CO.

Lively discussion preceded the ac-
ton of the merchants association yes
terday in refusing to disapproye sec
ond electric franchise for Honolulu.
"Why has the matter been put off
until this late date?" Mr.. Efflnger in
CURED
T. M. Church, chairman of the leg
isiative committee, in reply stated
that the committee had been APP
preached by representatives of the
existing company. with the argument
that one we'll regulated company was
Icetter than two. Overhead charges,
cost of installation, two systems of
wires, etc, were urged as objections
10 an opposition company. The mat
ter came up incidentally at meet
| ing to consider the Rapid Transit
| franchise. The committee was inform
ed that the Hawaiian Electric Com
rany was not opposing the franchise.
but since then the attitude Of the
company was shown to be clearly
hostile. On the theory that one com
pany was better than two, the di-
lrectors of the association had con-
cluded to oppose the franchise. AS,
however, the position taken by the
company with regard to the public
utilities commission was unsatisfac-
tory, the directors had decided to
refer the matter to the association.
II the company came under the utili-
| ties commission it would have an
appeal to the courts against the rates,
while under its present franchise the
consumer had to apply to the courts
| for redress of grievances. He quoted
what the governor had said about
putting the things the company should
do in the bond and said that the
Hoffman franchise placed the pro-
knoseds company under the commission
with regard to rates and all. Mr..
Church read a list of many cities,
also towns smaller than Honolulu, on
the Pacific Coast which had two to
four electric companies. In the cir
cnmstances, as Mr.. McInerny had
said, it would be poor business for the
merchants of this town to oppose the
granting of this franchise.
Mr.. Brasch agreed with the previous
speakers and told Of the breach of
promise made by the Hawaiian Elec-
trio. Company to furnish extra light
ing to the stores last Christmas.
Argues for Regulated Monopoly
Mr.. Towse, conceding that the
sense of the meeting was against his
motion, proceeded to argue that the
policy of modern cities was to have
public utilities in the hands of regu-
lated monopolies. He referred to the
unsatisfactory condition here when
there were two telephone companies,
and said that at the bottom of the
bitterness between the Rapid Transit
company and the Oahu Railway com
pany was the element lof competition
between them. AS to the expense of
appealing to the courts, it did not
speak loudly for dissatisfaction with
the electric company that a combina-.
ton of businessmen could not be
found ready to put up $37 for carry
ing case into court According to
hlr. McInerny, we should have six or
eight electric companies here with
Our policies in the past had been,
toward encouraging monopoly in pub
| lie utilities, such as electricity, street
railways, steam railways, telephones
and gas. The most progressive course
would be to throw the present COM
pany under the public utilities COM
mission.
Mr.. McInerny, in a brief reply, con-
tended that the rivalry between the
rapid Transit and the railway COM
panies has resulted in a substantial
reduction of railway rates. 1t was
foolish to talk about indiscriminate
granting of franchises, nothing of the
sort being thought Of IF the present
company has fought against the pub.
lie utilities commission and Mr.. Hoff-
man proposes to come under 1t, we
would be very foolish TO oppose this
franchise" concluded the speaker.