The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-03-30
lnter-IsIand Steamers Would Be
Endangered Unless Proper
Lighting Is Installed
COMPANY CONTRACT CALLS
FOR EXPEDITIONS TRIPS
Legislators Fail However to
Make Recommendations and
Report Is Filed

The Inter Island Steam Navigation
company's side Of the Kihei Nc
GreGOr's landing dispute was given in
the house yesterday in the report sub.
mittod by the public lands and inter.
nal Improvement committee, TO which
had been referred Representative Ia.
wares resolution No. 68, entitled "To
request the committee on public lands
and internal improv ements to confer
with the Inter Island Steam Naviga-
ton Company, relative to the wharf
at Kihei, Maui The report, which
is self-explanatory, is as follows: ~
THAT your committee has had same
under careful consideration and after
meetings with the officers and mum.
Der of the captains of the Inter Island
Steam Navigation company's steam.
ers, submits portions Of the testimony
herewith, and your committee's find
ingsi ..
Excerpts From Correspondence ,ar
During the period between De-
cember II, 1918, and October 81, 1914,
the officials of our company first learn.
ed of the existence of a dangerous
shoal located in about three fourths of
of mile sOuthwesterly of Kihei, and
the master of our steamers called our
attention to the fact that it would be
extremely dangerous for our steamers,
Mauna Kea, Kilauea and Mauna Loa,
to attempt to enter Kihei at night
| time unless this shoal was properly
marked by a lighted gas buoy
80 In this letter we were also in
formed that the board of harbOr com
missiOners had received a communica,
ton from the lighthouse inspector
stating that in his opinion the only
aids to navigation necessary at Kihei
\ would be the establishment of a first
class horizontal striped nun buoy to
Emark the three fathom shoal. AT the
time this communication was written
by the Ii hthouse inspector, he was
unaware of the fact that our steamers
running on regular mail schedules
would be expected to enter Kihei al
night time, and he has since stated
to the harb0r commissioners in OuI
presence that either a gas lighted buoy
to mark the shoal, or proper range
lights on the landing, would be neces
sary for the safety of our steamers.
Lighthouse Service on Question
'On January 8, 1918, we received
a communication from the lighthouse
inspector stating that he had visitet
the Kihei wharf, had inspected thu
wharf and landing and had sounde,
the shoal and that a firstelass tall typ,
can buoy had been established over it
He further stated that after studying
the various elements that entered init
the matter including the importanc,
of traffic that would go to Kihei land
ing, he was unable to recommend t
The commissioners of navigation an,
lighted aids, and believed that tn,
marking of the reef with frstclas
tall type can buoy as had already beer
done, was all that the lighthouse ser
| vice could do at this time
"MT. Mclean, vice president of th
Inter Island Steam Navigation oom
pany, limited, stated further that hi
company does not refuse to go to Ki
hei, but is willing to do SO as soon a
conditions are made safe, namely, tn
location of the light buoy on the exist
ing shoal, instead of range lights oil
the wharf aud shore, which would b.
obscure on stormy nights. Week.!
trips TO and from Kihei are now be
ing made by one of the company
steamers other than the Kilauea, Ma
una Kea and Mauna Loa. The Inter
Island Steam Navigation company ha
mail contract with the United State
government which does not expire un
til July LIST, 1913, and must maintai
a regular mail schedule, and by max
ing the landing at Kihei under tn
present conditions, much time woul
be lost.
It