The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-05-05
RAPID TRANSIT
FRANCHISE HAS
PUBLIC AIRING
Transportation Company, UtiI-
tiles Board, Supervisors and
Others Discuss Amendments
DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY
AND Mr.. PECK IN CLASH
Citizens Are Divided In Opinion
As To Feasibility of indie
terminate Privileges


For nearly three hours the public
Utility commission, three members Of
the board of supervisors, representa-
tlVes Of the Honolulu Rapid Transit
and Land Company and representative
business men Of the city last night dis
cussed the proposed amendments to the
Rapid Transit charter, which would
give that corporation franchise Of in
determinate length, subject to cancel,
lation if the holder violates any pro-
visions contained therein.
Nearly fifty persons were present and
for subject of such intricate detail
the interest was unusual. In fact, arg.
| ument on one or two occasions APP
preached very personal basis, as
when, toward the latter part of the SEES.
sion, there was scene with l.. Tenney.
Peck and A. +. Christy, deputy city at.
torney, standing close. and exchanging
sharp repartee and what looked like
baIeful glares.
But They Shake Hands
1t was observed "a few moments
afterward, however, when the meeting
adjourned, that these two shook hands
quite cordially and laughed over the
event. So presumably there had been
no real danger for either
The supervisors, +. NJ. Hatch, B. F.
| Hollinger and C. N. Arnold with the
deputy city attorneys, Christy and w.
| T. Garden, were there, as they announc-
d, primarily to see that nothing went
into the mendments which would set
up q dual authority, creating possible,
| ty of conflict at some future time be.
tween the utility commission and the
supervisors.
| Those representing the Rapid Tran
sit Company, besides its president, were
| c. G. Ballontyne, A. l.. Castle and ID.
L. Wilmington. W. +. Frear, former
Governor, al so was among the specta-
tors in attendance, and was one of the
! few who declined, when called upon
by Chairman Forbes, to speak on the
general subject.
| Others who addressed the meeting
were Delegate Kalanianaole, r. W.
Single, X. C. Brown, Ed. Towse, Prof
w. 4. Bryan. T. NJ. Church, Capt. d.
l.. Stone of the Hawaiian Department,
j. A. Magoon and w. c. Achi.
Origin of Amendments
! Where these Proposed amendments
TO the transit charter came from orig
lnally, was query brought to the
| front midway in the session by Super
visor Hollnger, who pointedly asked
Chairman Forbes if this tentatively
, contemplated cessation of the pres.
ent litigation pending between the cor.
! pOratiOn and the Territory
| This was after President Peck had
announced that the amendments had
not been suggested by the directors of
his corporation, and that it did not
want 1t understood the directors had
accepted them. They had not come be.
| fore the directors for such eonsidera-
ton, said Mr.. Peck.
Chairman Forbes explained the pro
Posals had originated with the utility
commission, which after obtaining the
consent of the Governor, had gone to
the Rapid Transit company and asked
| If it would consider amendments look
| ing to an extension of franchise, in re,
turn for extending certain much needed
lines. The utility commission was do.
ing this in the interest Of the public,
! said the chairman.
Must All Be Approved
The proposed amendments have not
been accepted yet by anyone; they
| must be approved by the supervisors,
| the commission, the Governor and the
Rapid Transit before they are sent 20
congress with the request that they be
adopted.
Supervisor Hatch, who recently warn.
ed his fellow members of the city board
| N ka IL L., =, Al,
matter, was an Interested but silent
spectator to the proceedings The dep
uty city attorneys made many suggcs.
tons for alterations in the amendments
as drawn, and their comments concern.
ing the corporation PreciPitated a mum.
Der Of verbal this.
J. A. MugOOn entered serious protest
against the entire proposal to extend
the franchise perpctuSlly, or indcterm,
| inatrly as proposed. lie likewise OBJ.
Jectcd to the suggestion that the com
pany be required to turn over to the
rlty two and half per cent of its
gross transportation earnings.
Franchise Is Public Burden
He insisted that the franchise right
held by private corporation becomes
burden upon the. public that instead,
all earnings over and above a fair divi,
dend to tn" corporation upon its actual
invested capital should go back to the
poor people who pntronize the street. !
car line. This surplus he would have
returned t" the people in the form of
reduced fnrcs
In II speech which elected laughs
and applause W. &. Achi ridiculed the
MHg"'n idea and insisted that the Ia.
il