Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-16
RAISE in WATER
RATES, Meters,
MURRAY Plan
Authorization of Board By
Report Last Night Opens
Way to Action 49,. .
1000 METERS MAY l..
BE ORDERED SOON
Cost With installation Will Be
Not More Than $50, 600,
Says Superintendent

Water Superintendent Harry Muir
ray will take steps at once for raise
in the fiat rates for water under
authority of a report by the water
committee of the board of supervisors
made last night He will also lay be-
fore the board within a short time
suggestions for the purchase of some
1000 meters and their installation as
soon as secured. T.. ., r. III .
The report to the board last night
is in some degree against the recon-.
mendations Of the Chamber of Com
merce that the increase in the fat
rates be postponed until the meter in
stallation could be established. The
water and sewers committee reported
last night thst il will be some time
before meters can be. installed and
that to leave the rates as they now
are will mean an undesirable reduc-
ticn in the city revenues. The CON-
mittee added the recommendation
that the change in water rates go
into effect as originally planned and
that If, when the meters are installed,
il is found that the previous fiat rates
In individual instances woe exces-
siye, proper refund by the city be
made. -., .-
4 City hall authorities held today that
under this report the water depart
ment is expected to go ahead with its
original plans. These included raise
in the rates at once and the installa-
tion of meters. "
Il realize that the flat-ratei system
is inequitable and that raise at this
time has Objectionable features. but
il has come to the point where the
city must have the revenue, says Su.
rerintendent Murray. Il say frankly
that it is impossible to say precisely
what raises in the <fiatrate will be
Just. However, my rlan is to make a
raise OF ten per cent end to secure
the meters as fast as possible for in
staliation in the business section OF
the city. The residence section,
which is more easily covered by in
spection, may be metered gradually.
Murray plans to ask the board to
purchase about 1000 meters. He fig.
ures that the total cost Of these with
inst ,llation will be not to exceed
$30,000. He does not agree with for.
mef lily Engineer wall iHdt iHcteIs
wear cut so quickly here as to be use-
less. IF q meter is inspected once a
month and looked after. it will give
good service" says Murray, who has
been making tests for several months.
There are five or six good makes
that we can secure at reasonable
figure" he said today. a meter cost.
ing say eight to twelve dollars will
give us good service. If we buy in
large lots we can get a. big reduction.
would favor buying a large quantity
of the same type in order to secure
this reduction.
The water superintendent expects
there will be protests at the raise in
rates, but city hall financiers have
been able to see no other way out of
the financial dilemma.
With the meters now in and those
being installed there will be about
1000 meter connections. II 1000 more
are installed. the city will not be more
than half-metered. The later work,
thinks Murray, can advantageously be
done by degrees.