The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-08-25
RAISE IN RATES
ISEyP[A|NED TO
: UTILITIES BOARD
"a 3 ftaE8 ---- ~.
lnter-IsIsnd Company Bases In
creased Tariffs Upon Rising
Cost Of Operation
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT
BUSINESS BOTH AFFECTED
Z! o., -,,af,S--T
While Patronage Has Not Fallen
off Decidedly Navigation Con-
ditions Are Abnormal

cials Of the Inter Island Steam Naviga.
ton Company explained to members Of
the public utilities commission reasons
for increasing the freight and passen.
ger rates on inter.island traffic. The
new freight and passenger tariffs, which
il Is proposed TO put into effect on
september l contemplate increases in
passenger fares from twenty-five to
fifty cents to varying points and
similar increase in the freight rate per
ton.
After pleasant discussion of freight
aud passenger rates in general, in
which Chairman Forbes propounded q
series of questions touching the funda-
mental principles of the transportation
business, il was finally brought out that
the chief reason for the. increase in
rates was due to the increased Cost
of operation.
If it ultimately costs more to travel
from point to point in the Islands, and
pensive, il will be due almost entirely
to the increased cost Of operation, &C
cording to officials of the Inter Island
Company.
Company Is Prosperous
That there was no decided decrease
in the cOmpany's business was admit
ted by Norman L. Gedge, assistant
manager of the company. In fact he
admitted that the affairs of the com
Pany were in prosperous condition
But the increase in the cost of fuel
wire, paints and oils and other material
connected with the operation of the
company's feet, from twenty to one
hundred and fifty per cent, was so
great that it became necessary for the
company to raise the rates to certain
points to which it had heretofore been
operating at loss and to other points
AS an example it was explained that
during the first six months of the eur.
rentyear the cost of fuel had increased
more than $23, 900 for the correspond.
ing period Of 1915. Figures of the in,
crease in the price of other materials
connected with the operation of the
cOmpany's boats showed correspond.
ing increase.
On the face of the figures for freight
and passenger service during the first
six months Of this year it appeared
that no radical change in the rates
would be warranted. For instance
from January l to June 30, 1918, the
passenger receipts were $l4E245.55. AS
against passenger receipts of $l46, 447. SIS
for similar period this year. the diff,
ference shown in receipts is only $79S.-
90. Freight receipts for the first six
months in 1915 were -$545, 3l0.07, as
against $536.779 S6 for a similar period
this year, the difference in freight re
ceipts being $s,53O.2l.
Cost Of Coal Scars High
While the reduction in freight and
passenger receipts for 1916, being So
1881, is insignificant as compared with
the first six months in 1915, the in
, crease in the cost of coal alone, approx.
mately $23,000.00, more than justiGe+
the demand for an increase in rates
This point was emphasized by the fact
that the company consumes more than
10000 tons of coal annually.
One the other hand Chairman Forbes
brought out the fact that the company
in 1918 declared a dividend Of nine per
cent, that the stock of the concern is
quoted at $lS5 a share, and that an in
surance fund is carried by the company
tOtaling 5000 900 for protection against
loss by disaster and deterioration OF
equipment.
During the year 1915 the company 5
ships carried more than GA 900 passen
gers. This year the number is slightly
less, although it is thought that with
the beginning of the tourist season the
number probably will be as great as in
exposition year.
But OF more importance to residents
Of the Islands is the proposed increase
in freight rates. Most of the increase
will affect shippers of lots less than
five tons. But little change is to be
made in the rate for heavy shipments
The new tariff cOntcmplates an increase
in the shipping rate of cattle, including
steers, hogs, sheep, rice lumber anG
general merchandise. These increases
approximate about fifty cents per ton
Passenger Rates Revised
The passenger rates to ports in thu
Island of Hawaii from Honolulu ar,
three dollars and twenty cents fol
deck passage to all ports. The cabiI
rate to all other ports in the Island Of
Hawaii is ten dollars, except in the casC
OF HilO, which is twelve dollars anC
fifty cents; NapOopoO, HOokena anC
SHoopulOa, eleven dollars each, and HO
nuapO, thirteen dollars. Deck passag
to Maui ports is two dollars and seven
v-fve cents, with cabin rates ranging
from five dollar to eight dollars. Molo
kai and Lanai ports will be two dollar
and twenty-five cents to Kaunakaka
and PukCo for deck, two dollars an,
seventy-fve cents and to Kahalepalao'
and Manele, on the Island of Lanai
Other ports on Molokai will be three
dollars and seventy-fvc cents. Cab,
rates to these ports range fran five dol
lars TO seven dollars and fifty cents.
Deck rates to all ports on Kauai vii
he two dollars and seventy-five cent,
Cabin rates to- Nawiliwil, Koloa an,
Ahukiui are fixed at six dollars. T
oil other ports on Kauai the eabi
rates WllI he seven dollars.
No statement as to the probable at
titude Of the commission in rcgur