The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-11-03
STILL WANT A
PEEK N BOOKS
Public Utility Board Gets Letter
From R. {. Bond, Bot Are
still InQuisitive

Il Rcspatt utuIal8 from nOuert ~. bOuu
J, president Of the Island Electric Com
pauy, Ltd, of Maui, that he had with
held any Information from the public
utilities commission IN its investigation
of his concern, the commission yester
day at its regular meeting decided :,
repeat its demands on the company fol
certain data concerning the electri,
company 5 tfausactions With the ISLAND
Investment Company.
i Bond's denials were contained in Z
letter written from Berkeley, Cali
fornia, and read at the meeting yester
day denouncing the commission e find
ings and eategorically answering each
criticism the commission directed al
the Island Electric Company's methods
.of business. In its Investigation Of the
plant and books Of the company al
Waikiki the commission was unable TO
secure certain records, and served mo-
tice on the company that they be pro
duced within thirty days. Bond de.
MED that this information had been
withheld, though Charles R. Forbes,
chairman of the commission, stated yes
tenday that officials of the company de-
elared that the data was nonresident.
An extension of time win be granted
the company and a new demand mace
ON J. @. Blair, superintendent of the
concern, for the required data. -
First Hint Of Trouble a' .
Bond, in his answer to the commits
sion s letter of complaint, declares that
the commissions criticism Of the com.
pany's bookkeeping system was the
first hint he had of its inefficieney. He
said that the system was modelled after
that Of the Hawaii Record Company.
He stated that the electric company
could rot exist without the rates
which the commission characterized as
cxorbitant. The company, he wrote,
has met all its business obligations, but
has not been able, since IL started, TO
pay any dividends on its capital stock.
Bond mentioned that the company was
organized before the utilities law was
passed, but an opinion from Jane,
Coke. attorney for the commission, was
to the effect that this did not bar the
commissions Jurisdiction. = ~. ~
Kalakaua Avenue s. 4,
The Kslakaua Avenue paving and
street car track tangle was up before
the commission in letter from the
Honolulu Rapid Transit and Land
Company, similar to the one sent the.
superintendent of works, Offering TO re
loente its tracks permanently If permit
ted to use the seventy pound rails that
can be secured from the Pearl Harbor
Traction Company, instead of the rails
originally specified. On motion Of
Commissioner Garden the matter was
leid on the table until a report Is re-
iceiyed from the superintendent Of pub
lie works. f.f..G .-'#'
AT the opening Of the meeting Chair.
map Forbes announced that he would
send his reply today TO the company Is
offer to use lighter rails. Presumably
this action will be taken in his capa,
city as superintendent of works.
Boost for Lahaina Ice III +,
The commissioners signed their de.
cision in the investigation of the La
haina lee and Electric Company which
orders the concern to install q. system
of accounting that will separate its
utility from its non-utility business.
The decision declares that the service
of the company is satisfactory, its
rates fair and Just, and that its gen.
erai conduct of business is commend
able. -
"A letter was fled from the county
treasurer proposing a method of diyi-
sion between the county and the Terri
tory of the 1915 franchise tax, Of the
Hawaii Electric Company. The last
congress passed o law that such royal.
ties should be paid into the territorial
treasury instead of the county treasury.
The commission set Thursday after
NJ fh.wA,r 1.IA :. A.
when the hearings in the Inter. Island
StePm Navigation Company's rate in,
vestigatiOn shall be resumed.
Hereafter the commission will set
fside Tuesday Of every week for its
regular meetings.
Bills Payable .-- %
Routine business, including the an
proyal of the monthly bills of the com
mission, occupied much Of yesterday 8
session. Included in the bills was one
from H.. Gooding Field, who acted as
commission auditor in the investigation
Of the Inter-Island company's. books.
The bill was for eight days, work. The
amount was $200--$25 day, There
was just a gasp of, establishment from
the commissioners when the voucher
was read, moments hesitation and
consultation, and the bill was passed.
Then the astonishment turned TO dis
gust when the next vouchers read by
Secretary o sullivan were for the com,
salaries for $50 each for |
one month 5 hard work. M
Among the accident reports, com
plants and routine letters read was one |
from Mrs. Irvine, 1T4l King Street
WHO puts quite problem up TO the |
commission regarding the loss OF her
pink cameo pin, an heirloom. She |
writes that as she boarded rapid |
ttansit car near her home she dropped |
the cameo pin. The conductor refused |
to stop the car, aud when she started |
to Jump OF while IL was speeding along
he held her on the ear. Later the pin |
rould not be found, and Mrs. Irvine,
considering that the pin was an heir.
loom, believes she should be recon.
pensed to the extent of A50. ..a