Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-26

John Wise, superintendent of Kapi-
'clani park, came downtown this morn
ing To give his side of the public baths
discussion which was opened last night
when Auditor f3icknell presented d re
port 10 the board Of supervisors after
making an examination of the books Of
the public baths. .....- -
The report left several points for
the keeper Of the park to reply tn.
aid this the latter lost no time in
doing today. +.
We have never tried to run the
baths for profit. explained Wise. Our
best aim is to make it break even with
expenses, a thing 1t has just about
done. Even after charging up all over
. head expenses 70 the store. We came
within about S120 Of breaking even
on the four month period. don't
think that's so bad ~
The auditor says that the receipts
from the piano were only 1910 fol-
May, and that we have no cash regis.
ter In the store and that all of our
invoices are net in. Quite true. all of
these things But the fact is We only
had the piano for three days in May.
The board has never seen fit to pur-
chase a cash register for the store,
either during my tenancy there, or for
my predecessors. | would be delight
cd TO have register. ill., 80. /.
There is another point He says
we have a private wire by which the
piano may be played without coin
being used. That is right. We have.
We use IL to attract others and en-
courage them to play it. That is bust
ness, is it not? When they play II
costs nickel.
I'm another part of the report, the
auditor speaks of cord wood. In the
spring / made a contract for the sale
CT 80 cords OF wood. The buyer was
70 cut, stack and remove the wood
and for it the city and county was to
get 81 a cord. Fifty cords were cut
and in April 25 we're removed, and We
got $175. On June Is We had about
seven cords left. There are now three
or four cords left.
Speaking CT A. K Nahaolelua,
wish to say that the city and county is
very fortunate in having his services.
Not only his services. but his wife's
also, for she is at the baths all the
time, repairing bathing suits, making
new bathing suits, helping in the store
and ready to administer to any who
may get hurt on the premises. She
Is a trained nurse For all her work
the city does not pay a cent. Not
only this, but on Saturdays and Sun
days and holidays, Mr. Nahaolelua out
of his own purse hires boys and girls
TO assist him in the store.
1T is true that they sell light re-
freshments off and on, but this is
merely for the accommodation of the
public and 1t costs the government.
nothing. All perishable goods bought
for the baths are paid for by them per-
scnally. When took over the park II
was agreed that il would not be wise
for the store to sell perishable things,
like ice cream, sandwiches, ETC., be.
cause that would necessitate loss ac-
count and would be from several as
poets undesirable, Bert Rivenburgh
told me when / took over the park
to succeed him as superintendent, that
il would be ill-advised for me to sell
perishaDles He explained that he had
permitted Mr.. Hills, the keeper OF the
baths, to sell il on his own hook. that
Mr.. Hills about broke even. but as
It accommodated the public he had
encouraged him to keep 1t up.
1T was with this understanding of
the case that advised Nahaolelua
against selling perishables on account
~ tho cify and eounfy 7 suggested
that he follow Mr. Hills example, ii
he could, and sell these refreshments
himself. This he has done. doubt If
he has done much better than to break
even.