Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-29
governor Names
{. R. FORBES AS
UTILITIES HEAD
Supt. OF Pubic Works Was Ap-
pointed Commission Chair
man Last Night
SENATE CONFIRMS THE
NOMINATION IMMEDIATELY
New Law Reduces Salaries of
Officials, BaSing Them on
Per Diem Work

Charles r. Forbes, superintendent
Of public works. is the new chairman
Of the public utilities commission. His
appointment by the governor was sent
To- and confirmed by the senate last
night Mr.. Forbes assumes his new
duties Immediately.
Since the resignation on March ~,
1914. OF F.. A. Mott-Smith first chair,
man Of the organization. the commits
sion has been without a permanent
head. Since that time Commissioner
J. y. S Williams has been acting,
chairman Mr.. Williams, with Com,
missioner A. J. GignOuX, composed the
organization In this respect cOnSid.
cradle difficulty often vas experienced
as each member frequently had bust,
ness on the other islands, which ne
Cessitated a DostpOnenent OF meetings
owing to the lack Of q quorum.
Mr.. Mott-Smith was appointed by
the governor April 80, 1913, the pnb-
lie utilities commission having been
created by the legislature Of two years
ago. Commissioner Williams was .ap-
pointed and confirmed April 80, 1913.
for two years and, as his term expires
June 0U, 1919 IL - NCiS
the governor again will appoint him
Commissioner Gignoux was appointed
by the governor July /. 1915, for a
three.year term. He was confirmed
March Is by the legislature which
closed last night.
Under the act passed by the 1913
legislature creating the public utili-
ties commission, the chairman was to
receive $4,000 a year and each member
500 a month. The salaries suffered
q marked reduction, however, in Sen.
ate Bill 1875, passed by the last leg.
islature and signed by the governor.
The hill amended section 1921 of the
revised laws of Hawaii, 1915, to read
as follows:
Section 1921. Number, appoint.
ment. salaries OF commissioners. There
is created a public utilities commits.
sion of three members, who shall be
called commissioners and who shall
be appointed in the manner prescribed
in section so OF the Organic Act for
terms OF three years, or the unexpired
portions thereof, so that the term of
one member shall expire on the Both
day of June OF each year, beginning
with 1914.
One member shall also be appoint.
ed chairman OF the commission Each
member of said commission shall re
ceive compensation at the rate Of SO
per day while actively engaged In the
performance OF his duties as such,
commissioner, and any member Of the
commission may be salaried member
: Of the territory or of any political sub
division thereof No person owning
any stocks or bonds of any public util.
tiles corporation or having any inter
est, or any remuneration from any
public utilities shall be appointed or
employed by the commission"
Mr.. Forbes said today that he will.
take up the duties Of chairman at
once. One suggestion he made was
that the Office of the commission, now
in the Kauikeolani building, be re-
moved to the capitol building. BY
this means rent would be saved and
1t probably would be more convenient
to the members.
The governor also has appointed G.
w. r. King to succeed himself as
deputy auditor The appointment was
confirmed by the senate and house.
1t is understood that the governor will
not Immediately fill any other Vacan:
cies.
The lack of chairman was called
to the attention Of the governor in
the last annual report of the public
utilities commission, although it was
not urged that a chairman be appoint.
ed nor were any suggestions made as
to who the chairman should be.