Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-08
WON'T
HAVE wilson AS
CITY engineer
Republicans Make Plain They
Want Efficient Man to
Direct Read Work

A direct slap at the office-seeking
Democrats was given by Supervisor
f. A. Mott-Smith Tuesday evening at
the meeting of the board of supervi.
sors. The evening also brought out
that the five Republicans are solid
for the best man for the position Of
assistant city engineer.
The discussion arose over the or
dinance creating the position Of as
sistant city and county engineer and
giving him all the powers vested
in the city and county engineer dur
ing absence Of the latter. On the
vote it passed second reading five to
two with Supervisors Mcclellan and
Petrie voting against it.
Mr.. Petrie called for an explanation
from Chairman Arnold.
Engineer Collins is about to re-
sign" said Mr.. Arnold, and We must
have at the head OF the department
an engineer who Is thoroughly famil.
lar with the policies of the board and
will be able to carry on the frontage
improvement work without loss of
time or money. To put a new man
in the position of city and county en-
ginecr will mean that the work, which
We have built up during the last two
years, will have to be done all over
again and the people pay for the ex-
perience. The majority of the board
does not believe that John Wilson is
the man for the place and until the
best man Is selected we must have a
head, therefore this ordinance is in
troduced. In the engineering depart.
ment there are several men who are
competent to carry on the work and
one of them Mr.. Collins will appoint.
This ordinance does not mean that q
city and county engineer will not be
appointed for L assure you that one
will be but not until the board knows
that he is the best man."
Supervisor Petrfe then accused the
Depublicans of introducing an ordin-
anee to prevent Mayor Fern from ap-
pointing an engineer. He pointed out
the refusal Of the board to take
up the appointment of the mayor as
evidence of this. 49,
In reply to this Supervisor Mott.
Smith said: "The sooner we drop
our political tags that much sooner
will we have an efficient government.
Some of US are new on the board and
for that reason the whole board
agreed to pass the appropriation bill
for only three months In order that
everybody might have an opportunity
to study the situation and decide on
the efficiency of the men who are now
holding office, In the meantime no
changes were to have been made.
Mayor Ferns first address to the
board shows that he is after the same
thing we area good. efficient man
agenent Of public business. His sec
ond message .appointments-was
somewhat inconsistent with the first,
but believe that his true feelings
are embodied in the first, and the
second Is the ncssity of his posi-
tion." ....s< T.. ~
Mr.. Mott-Smith then quoted con.
siderably from Mayor Ferns inaugur-
al address which clearly states that
In just such q case as is now before
the board in the appointment OF a
man to carry on the road work, he
wanted only the best men to be Sc
lected regardless of party affiliations.
IF there is to be any change for
political reasons or because of friend
ship or rewards, / wish to state right
here, that / shall be strongly opposed
to it, Mr.. Mott-Smith added.
Mr.. Petrie answered by declaring
that he and Mr., Mcclellan had been
disregarded since the first melting. He
also said that the board had ignored
the mayor. -. - Il X. -. =.
Undoubtedly there should be an as.
sistant to take Collins place as It
win not be easy to select the best
engineer and We cannot have the
work stopped" said Supervisor Bel
lima. H.: -. ..>...~ - 49,. u