Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-02-04
RETRENCHMENT IN OTHER
DEPARTMENTS MAY SOLVE.
PROBLEM OF GOOD ROADS
Question of Highways Discuss
ed From Every Angle by
Board of Supervisors
Large Sum Needed for the
Work-WoIter Would Do
nate Salary.

ROads-how to build them. where
10 get the money, what can be done
with them under the direct frontage
tax, what policy can be established by
the board In improving roads under
the statute-were points discussed at
length last night At the meeting OF the
supervisors.
Suggestions for the radlCa; over
hauling Of the different departments.
in the spirit of economy. were made
and agreed to, and Supervisor Wolter
even suggested that the city fathers
pay over their official salaries % the
municipality for the benefit foI the
Toad-improving fund.
1t was the BURNING problem cf
roads that occupied the supervisors
from the beginning TO the end of the
meeting. Time and again, prompted
by one cause and another. the subject
arose to be discussed from a new
angle.
City Engineer Whitehouse submit.
ted a report on the road-work done
for the month in the outer districts, a
report showing great deal Of work
done but a great deal more remaining
10 be done, and crying for attention.
Representative from the Kaimuki I'm.
pIovement Club, A. F. Clark and T. M.
Church, appeared and urged the su-
peryisors to agree on a fixed. equit.
able and workable policy to be car
rfed out in road improving under the
direct frontage tax.
Launch Desirable IN kaimuki.
They pleaded for their roads at Kaf
lnuki. They dared the city fathers to
risk life or limb by riding over them,
and intimated that launch was a
more suitable conveyance at some
places on the roads than a vehicle.
They said that until such policy as
they ask for is adopted, citizens viii
not come forward, under the privision
Of the act, and ask for improvements.
With the county short of funds, and
with the probability to face that there
will be less tan receipts than esti-
mated, and with the roads in the city
in an admittedly bad condition, Su
peryisoF Petrie declared that the only
way the situation can be successfully
met Is by the different departments
cooperating with the road committee.
and giving over to II appropriations
made in their favor. In this way, he
said, between $4,000 and $50, ,000 could
be realized. This money. set aside for
different purposes to different depart
ments is out Of reach of the committee
at present,
Following up this suggestion, Super
visor Paeheco made a motion that all
department heads be instructed to
submit at once q list of their employees
their salaries, and the list with
amounts OF all appropriations made.
81 thing II is time for this board to
get together on some money-saVing
plan for the benefit of the roads,
said Pacheco. This is really a very
serious matter. 1t is probable that
the figures considered in making up
the new budget will be short. Treas
urer Conkling has informed us that
the rate of taxes may not be as hrgh
as expected. It is high time for a
generaI retrenchment policy. | there
fore move that every department be
ordered to submit list of salaries OF
all employees, the appropriations made
for the departments, etc
Need More Revenue for Roads.
I'VE must work to have more reVe-
rue for the roads," declared SuperVl-
sor Petrie. I'VE all know their condi,
= ton; know the howl being made. We
need more money. If we could get
the department heads together per
haps they would try and help us out
1t is economy on their part that we
need. If We could induce them 70 co,
operate with us, they would be Will
ing perhaps to give us some OF their
appropriations.
II was here that. Supervisor Wolter
Jumped up, kokua-ing everything said
and recommending that the supervis
ors give their six months salary tC
the road department as earnest fol
their determination to make Honolu
lu's thoroughfares better. His sug
gestion was not endorsed, though
they left it open to him to pay over
his own salary to the cause.
The representatives of the kaimu
ki Improvement Club spoke near the
close OF the meeting. They pointed
out the absolute necessity for q dehn
ite and uniform policy to be adopted
by the board for road work.
The roads at Kaimuki are in an
extremely bad condition, But it is
sale to say that the residents there
lor anywhere else in the city for that
matter are not willing to have this
work done under the direct frontage
tax unless the board adopts a policy
such as the one we have suggested
If you are going TO pave one street
entirely at the expense Of the muniCi
pality. and another at the eXpCLse OF
the property owners, you may rest as
sured that the property owners Will
not support you in the work, sale
Mr.. Church.
They expect you to treat all alike