Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-26
AUDITOR FINDS MANY LEAKS AT PARK
JOHN WISE EXPLAINS PECULIAR items

John Wise. superintendent OF Kasi-
tldli park, ta!.IG downtown this morn
ms 10 give his side Of the public baths
discussion whleh Mas opened last night
HhCl Auditor BickneH presented re-
PoIt 10 the board OF supervisors after
making an examination Of the books OF
lie luulfr baths
The report left several points for
the keeper OF the park to reply 10,
ale this the latter lost no time in
doing to-day.
We have never tried TO run the
baths for profit, explained Wise. Our
best aim is to make ii break even with
EXPENSES, a thing il has just about
done Even after charging UP all over
head expenses to thei store, we came
within ahCUt $40 Ct breaking even
on the four month period. ] Gon't
lhink thats so bad.
THE auditor says that the receipts
frC;n 1.-The piano were only $40 fol
May, ard that we have no cash regis
ter an the store and that all Of our
invoices are not 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 cash register for the store,
either during my tenancy there, or for
my predecessors ] would he delight
cd TO have Il register. ." ILL.,.
'@Thcre is another point. He says
we have private wire by which the
piano may be played without a coin
being used That is right. We have.
We use il to attract others and en-
courage them TO play il. That is bus!-
ness, is Ii not? When they play it
costs a nickel ~. .. ..s... 4.
in another part of the report, the
auditor speaks of cord wood, In the
spring made a contract for the sale
CT 30 cords of wood. The buyer was
ID cut, stack and remove the wood
and for it the city and county was to
get 81 a cord. Fifty cords we're cut
and in April 20 were removed, and We
got $lz5. On June 10 we had about
seven cords left There are now three
or four cords left
Speaking CT A. h Nahaolelua, j
wish 10 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
aid 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, MIR. Nahaolelua out
of his cwn 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 ii costs the government
nothing All perishable goods bought
Tor the baths are paid for by them per-
scnally.. When / took over the park 1t
was agreed that II would not be wise |
for the store to sell perishable things, |
like ice cream, sandwiches, ETC., be-
cause that would necessitate loss &C.
count and would be from several as
poets undesirable. Bert Rivenburgh |
told me when | took over the park
TO succeed him as superintendent, that
it. would be ill-advised for me to sell
perishaDles. He explained that he had |
permitted Mr.. Hilles. the keeper of the |
baths, tc sell it on his own hook. that |
Mr.. Hilles about broke even, but as
ii accommodated the public he had |
encouraged him to keep it up.
1T was with this understanding of
the case that / advised Nahaelelua
against selling perishables on account
Of the city and county. ! suggested |
that he follow Mr Hilles example, IL
he could, and sell these refreshments
himself This he has DONE | doubt il
he has done much better than to break |
even"