The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-03-31
MAYCHANGE h|L0 |
TRACTION CHARTER
Utilities Commission May Get
Y Powers Held BY Other
Authority
sl@E,. t'- IIt-..
Company Given More Time In
Which To Begin Its
Construction

4 mere was meeting OF the pubhc
utilities commission yesterday ut
which all members were present. The
l,rcpoft on the WORK done in the investi.
cation Of the Mutual Telephone com,
pany will be ready to print in about
week. -. "a. ~ Nr
Routine business was transacted and
! the salaries of extra assistants who
have been employed during the rush
Of work were fixed by the commiss ION.
| ers. James l.. Coke, who is acting as
attorney for the board will receive
1925 a month, and his necessary travel
ling expenses. The Audit Company Of
Hawaii, which will make investiga
tons of the books Of the several cor.
poratiOns under the jurisdiction of the
board will be paid $25 day for the
work. Miss Bernice Smith, assistant
stepographer and typist for the com.
mission is to have 800 n month, anil
the regular salary Of secretary Henry
7. O'Sullivan who has been with the
permission since its organization has
been raised to 5000, beginning with
April /. E' r.,
Ready For Kauai t....
The commissioners authorized The
Audit Company of Hawaii to proceed
ut once with, the Investigation of the
business methods of the Kauai .Tele-
phonic Company, and the Waiahi Elec.
trio company Both utilities, have their
offices in Lihue, Kauai. The final meet.
ing on the fixing Of the rates of the
Hawaii Telephone Company will be
held on Hawaii at a date to be deter.
mined later. ~ I'D ..."l
An opinion from the attorney gene.
raj that the Ere alarm and clock sys-
TEN of. the Mutual Telephone Company
came under the, Jurisdiction of the com
mission was received. This opinion
nverruled the contention of the tele-
phone people, Ri *
suggests Amendments ...r
A communication from the Governor,
relative to the proposed amendments
of the Hilo Traction Companyis char
ter, was read Ii was accompanied by
letter from the Secretary of Hawaii
on which he gave his views on the
amendments proposed and approved
some of them seonditioDlly.
Among the suggested amendments are
changes in the charter, taking the
powers from the Governor, superinten-
dent Of public works and super visors of
Hawaii county, and turning them over
to the utilities commission. In the ORR
ginal charter, the company was obligat-
cd to spend $40, 200 within a year of
the granting Of the charter. This has
been changed however, and it will not
be necessary for the company to con-
tract to spend or to spend the money
before August /, 1918. A clause pro-
viding for a penal bond of $4,000 run
ming to the Territory, for the complet-
ION and operation of two miles of road
within two years from the start of the
work has been deleted.
On Percentage BASIS
A provision for the payment to the
county of Hawaii of two and a half
per cent of the gross earnings of the
corporation has been Strengthened out
within one month from the end of each
year straight percentage of the gross
earnings of the road
A new provision was inserted. 1t
provides that the company may be
permitted to sell any surplus light or
lower developed. This is taken to mean
that there is a possibility of rOmpeti
ton between the Hilo Electric Company
and the traction company. This the
report thinks may be good thing, but
may also be used as whip over the
present electric company to compel it
to dispose of its franchise on the trac-
ton company's terms.
There will be, a special meeting this
afternoon to consider the amendments
submitted through the Governor