Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-04-26


wise deliberation in passing upon 9
new charter for the Rapid Transit
Company, Supervisor F. NJ. Hatch
made two impromptu but emphatic
talks before the board last night which
apparently caused the board to halt
awhile before voting TO take active
part in the preliminary conference be
tween the street railway company and
the territorial utilities Commission
upon the charter plan. -
After several forms OF motions and
amendments had been offered and dis
cussed. the board voted to lay on the
table temporarily a communication
from the utilities commission inviting
the board to these conferences. How
ever, the supervisors recognized the
necessity for acting without undue de-
lay, and accordingly set meeting for
tomorrow night and made the commu.
nication the special order OF business.
In slow, carefully spoken words he
advised the board to 60 cautiously In
entering preliminary negotiations.
Tapping his desk with his glasses, hes
ftating every now and then, carefully
considering each word, he warned the
board Of the possible consequences of
carelessly accepting the invitation to
join the conference.
Hatch Says Go Slow.
Il would not like to see the board
commit itself to whatever document
the conference might choose to draw
mp" he said. ct seems to me that
by appointing committee to assist
in drafting the document 1t would com.
NIT itself to II, and that whatever
might come up. II the board found OBJ
jections to the charter Il would al
ways be said, You helped to draw IL
up. Why didn't you object then? |
don't want to see the board put itself
in that position"
Then he went on to explain that he
is not SO sure that there Is any neces-
sity for q new charter, or that the
utilities commission. or the supervi.
sors, or anyone but the legislature had
any power to draft one, or approve
one. This whole proposition has
come up very suddenly" he continued.
1T needs much earnest consideration.
Whether We should commit ourselves
TO cancsling the present charter Il q
question that we should answer be-
fore appointing any committee TO aid
in drawing up a new one.
improvements Net opposed.
Certainly THIS board does not want
10 throw obstacles IN the way of any
public innroYlments. but |, for one.
want en- opportunity to fully consider
all angles Of this Rapid Transit matter
before vote on II, It seems to me
now that 4 ID hardly one of the func-
tions OF this body to draw up char
ter. That Is more properly the func-
ton Of the Legislature. don't know
that CongrfBs would take any action
on any Recommendation made to 1t
without action by the legislature"
He again spoke of how suddenly
the whole matter has come before the
public and went on to comment on
the fact that the present charter has
but IA years TO run, that the new char
ter proposed would be practically per-
petual, and that IN IA years from now
II might be wise to get more returns
from the Transit company. ! have a
pretty strong prejudice against deak
Ing with renewal very long before
charter has run out" he declared.
He continued: My experience has
BEEN that the public interests pretty
nearly always suffer in such cases.
Why does the Rapid Transit COM
pany want 70 surrender its charter?
That is q question can't see an an
swer 70. The legal talent Of the traa-
sit company has studied this question
for years. They know just exactly
what they want Now we are invited
to send committee to confer with
them and decide on what we will give
them, with but week or so to study
the question In. They might ask for
what appears to our committee to be
q trifling concession, and yet they will
know that II is Of the utmost impor-
tance, for they have studied this ques-
ton. II viii require much technical
study to settle the question of new
franchise.
There are so many questions In.
Yolved. For instance, the question of
what streets may be used and the OBJ.
legation to use the tracks they lay.
Personally think many of the tracks
in Honolulu have been laid for strate-
gical purposes-to prevent other COM
panies from using the streets. There
is the track on Queen street. Why
was that track laidf Would it pre-.
vent public road from being put in
there?"
Supervisor Hatch then declared that
the fundamental. preliminary question
to be decided was whether or not a
new charter for the company is need
ed now. 4 don't think that has re-
ceived enough consideration.
Logan Answers Hatch.
Supervisor Logan took up and an.
swered briefly the points made by his
colleague. He said that no undue
haste Is being made, but that the city
should by all means be well represent
ed at the conferences. In response to
the question as to the need for a new
charter, he pointed out that the COM
pany now declares itself not, justified
in going ahead with costly improve
ments and extensions unless il has
definite assurance of a continuance
CLOSED.