The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-06
INT[R-|SLAND.
Objects TO .
RATES

tFrom wednesday Adyertlser.l

tFrom Wednesday Advertiser.)
The Board Of Harbor Commissioners
had very busy session yesterday
morning, Commissioners T. M. Church,
G. J. Mccarthy, James wakefield and
J. W. Caldwell held court and render
ed many decisions of interest to the
Territory.
C. r. Hemenway, attorney for the
Inter.Island Steam Navigation Com
pany took MP the matter Of charges
paid by the company for the use Of
government wharves outside Of the port
Of Honolulu, The company has hither.
to- paid a fat rate Of $3.50 per month
figured on the basis Of minimum
average use Of the wharves for one
quarter of day per steamer per land
ing ON each round trip. This has
totaled 1872 days per month for all
vessels. The company kept an exact
account Of the time each of its yes
sells used the wharves during November
and December, 1918, and January,
1914, and found that the total use only
amounted to forty days.
Hemenway called the attention OF
the board to the law which apparently
allows no discretion on the part OF
The harbor commissioners but speeches
that charges are to be made on the.
losis of one cent per registered ton per
dav for the use Of the wharves where.
the vessel does not moor direct to the
wharf. Wakefield pointed out that the
present rate charged is less than the
flat rate of one-quarter day per round
trim. Church said that the fiat rate
was Illegal, and that the law seems to
give the board the right to charge a
given rate per day or per actual ser
vice. ,H
Hemenway Cites Gases.
IIemcnway cited FIVE cases in which
related points of 1awrShhd been inter
preted bv the United States Supreme
Court. The gist was that charges for
wharfage should be reasonable, and
that the reasonableness Of the harborI
commissioners rates would have to be
fixed should this question be submitted
10 the local courts. Mccarthy raised
the question of fitting return to the
Territory on the valups Of its invest.
ment in .wharves and landings but Hem
enway thought that the idea of reason
able interest return ON use OF govern
ment improvements made the case diff.
ferent from what it would be If the
improvements had been built with pri-
yate capital. n,,b
On motion Of MCCARTHY Hemenway
was told to submit his ease in writing
10 special committee which will be
appointed. The committee viii consider
the question and report back TO the
commissioners who will then again con,
slider the matter and refer II TO the
attorney general il an amicable agree.
ment rs to rates cnnnot be arrived at.
Superintendent Joseph r. Sheedy Of
the Inter-1sland, then brought up the
question of wharfage rates charged
sampans ut Makaweh landing but was
informed by the board that that matter
was not within the harbor eommis+
siOners' jurisdiction as Makaweli is a
private landing 2,f. 49, yt
Discounts for Pllotage. 4
The board recalled a letter that had
been written to Captain j, Mosher in
regard 10 pilotage fees. Hereafter a
five per cent discount will be allowed
on ,pilotagc charges at each port when
a vessel calls at two Hawaiian ports on
one continuous voyage. Notification Of
this new rule was ordered sent to pilots
Mosher and Parker II
At its regular meeting in January the
harbor commissioners requested the
trustees of the Bishop Estate to name
price on the land occupied by the
marine railway. No reply having been
received to this request although Il Is
claimed abundant time has elapsed to
enable the trustees TO give their at,
tention to this matter, the board voted
to direct the attorney general TO instr
tute condemnation proceedings.
Announcement was made that the old
pilots headquarters next 10 the Hea.
lani boathouse will be vacant in y
month or six weeks and viii be offered
for rent. x
Contractor Held Responsible.
The cement used in the Mahukona
wharf contract has been tested and
found up 20 specifications. The I'M
speetor having reported that hole
had been washed in the base of the
wharf the contractors Is directed TO re-
pair same at his owl expense with
grout or concrete aC cording to specir
flcations. This was not originally
done but the base hGilt of cement IN
bags instead. The commissioners said
that the price of the wharf was based
on concrete construction and that con
crete should have been used.
The contractor was given one month
more in which to complete his con