Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-19
COMBINATION OF
DEPARTMENTS OF
CITY, HIS SCHEME
Mott. Smith Suggests to Board
They All Be, Put Under
Engineers Office

! combining OF the various CT! ne
| paTtments under the city engineer =
office and REMAINING them the 90
partment OF public works vas tlIr
| suggestion Of Supervisor +. 4. Mott.
| Smith at a meeting Of the hoard OF
supervisors last night. This is az.
! paTently a step toward municipal
MANAGEMENT. and although Mr, Mott.
Smith neither introduced motion
nor asked the Supervisors to act Vm
his idea then, he Informed them that
he would ask for action al some sub
segment meeting. Apparently INC
other Supervisors are not in favor OF
Mr.. Mott-Smiths plan, as his taln
vas received with astonishmcnt and
demands tor copies OF the suggestion.
The routine business Of the board
had been accomplished, and the ST.
pervisOrs were discussing at great
length the hoWs and whcns OF the
Liberty Bond, when me suggestion TO
adjourn was made. Before the sug,
Sestion could he put TO motion
Nott-Smith took the floor and Strung
his surprise. lie announced that ne
was not making a motion. but wauteu
to give his colleagues time to talk the
matter over and discuss it at the neat
meeting.
Mr.. Mott-Smith plans to bring to.
gether and combine under the depart
ment OF the city engineer the wafer
and sewer. garbage, street sweeping,
parks and Fairgrounds, public build
ings, roads. streets and highways de-
partments. This new department VIII
be known as the department of pub
lie works. Mr. Mott,Smith is in IA
vor of disassociating the police and
fire departments, as they are entirely
separate and distinct, and he also be.
lieves 4 health department should
handle all matters Of health and san.
itation. His idea is TO have but four
departments to the city government,
namely, the police department, tho
fire department, the department OF
public works and the bureau Of
health.
He said this is following out the
idea which is being successfully
worked in many OF the large eastern
cities. There the police and fire de.
partments are combined as the de-
partment of public safety and are un-
der the control of the director Of pub
lie safety. The chiefs, of course.
look after the duties of the separate
forces. The bureau of health and
the department of public works are
each under the control of director.
The supervisors will probably dis
cuss the new scheme at their next
Many interested persons
who were present last night were in
favor OF Mott.Smith's idea, City
has worked successfully
in the progressive eastern cities and
there is no reason why it should not
be tried out in Honolulu, was the
opinion expressed.
Because the grounds and buildings
at Maemae and Pohukaina schools
were being used for gambling and
other questionable practises the board
last night rescinded the privilege of
passing through or playing on school
Heretofore the public has
been permitted to pass through
school yards, but by the action of the
board one is now liable to trespass. !
The action was taken at the request
of Superintendent of Parks A. KxI
Nierra, who will draft an ordinance
to cover the question.
The Lord-Ioung Engineering Com
pany was awarded the final contract |
for the Beretania street Improvement !
from Alapai to Punahou streets. The |!
Owing to the absence of Supervisor
Bellina, the question Of resembling |
he appointment of Bandmastcr r. II. |
Baker was deferred.