The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-04-23
MAUI PEOPLE A UNIT
FOR NEW ELECTRIC CO.
Utilities Commission Hearing Brings Out Striking
Unanimity OF Sentiment Would Have Widely
representative Company FOrmed---No Further
Deanng With Island Electric Urged Testimony
Shows HOpelesSneSS OF Depending On Present
System.

There is certainly a remarkable
unanimity of opinion in this commun
ity regarding the Island Electric Co.,
was the comment made by w. 7
Garden, chairman of the Public Utili
ties Commission, on Monday after
noon near the close of the two day!
hearing in Wailuku on the affairs o
the company.
This fact, of course, is no news tC
Maui people, and it was certainly
made very clear to the commission
that the one view held almost univers
ally here is that the community has
had 81 , .,lts of the Island Electric
liz is practically determined that i
will have no more of it on any terms
The hearing, which began on Saturday
morning, ended late Saturday after
noon, after a large number of custom
ers of the company and others haC
testified under oath as to the service
and methods of the concern.
The utilities commission, of three
members, w. r. Garden, chairman,
NJ Stainback and A. J. GignouX, wa:
accompanied by it's secretary, Henry
p. O'Sullivan, auditor, j. T. Phelps
and a stenographer Gibson Bell. The
meetings were held in the circuit cour
room, which was well filled with in
terested spectators during the entire
time Among these were a good pro
portion of women representing the
Maui Woman's Club, and others.
e. r. Bevins, chairman of a com
mittee appointed some weeks ago by
the chamber of commerce to find some
means if possible to get better cleo
trio service for WailulIu and Kahului
introduced various witnesses repre-
senting the chamber and also the loca
lodge Knights of Pythias, which haC
taken action in the matter also. Mrs
e. r. Bevins, Mrs. w. II. Engle ant
Mrs. Will. ]. Cooper gave the com
missioners some of the ideas of tn,
women of the community on thu
character of service supplied All o
these witnesses were questioned a
length by Chairman Garden and othe
members of the commission, while
II. Olson, attorney for the Island EleC
trio Company, cross examined few
of the witnesses but for the most par
took no part in the questioning
New Company Demanded
Many of the witnesses deciare'
absolutely their opposition to an,
future dealings with the present com
pany. G. d. Lufkin, manager of tn
Bank of Maui, which is one of tn
holders of the electric company
bonds, declared on the stand that h
would be willing to sacrifice the tota
value of these bonds if necessary, ant
stood ready to invest up to $4,000 il
a new company.
Senator H. w. Rice, a director o
lth~ oaldwin National Bank, expressed
|. 'ings regarding the bonds
son. ere held by his bank
and ref lrree with any of tn,
suggest Oh Hesepey Olson look
ing to a. continuance%s8. the presen
company in the field.
D. c. Lindsay, cashier of tn ""''
win National Bank, took a similar u
titude in his testimony in so far "a
his influence as cashier and directo
of the bank went.
Almost every mention of organizing
a new company was received with al
plause by the audience, this general!
originating with the ladies present.
New Company Possible
1t seemed clearly indicated on
number of occasions that the commits
sioners agreed that the communit,
might legally organize another com
pany with no more fOrmality in wa.
of a franchise than the sanction o
the board of supervisors for the us,
of the streets. The franchise of tn,
Island Electric company is not 'al
exclusive one, and as was pointed on
by the commissioners themselves,
number of companies are supplying
electricity as public utilities whicl
have no franchise from the legisla
ture or from congress.
No Hope From Company
Manager j. c. Blair, of the electri
company, was subjected to length,
grilling on Monday afternoon, as +
the affairs of the company. He wa
forced to admit that the new 100 K. W
unit which is supposed to be comm
to supplement the plant, would not b
able to more than take care of tn
present load and that which had bee
offered but refused, and that the plan
with the addition would be still witt
out reserve power and not in bette
condition to properly handle the bus
ness than at present. He stated tina
he had been unable to overhaul tn
single unit diesel engine at the plan