The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-05-28
COURT MAY BE ABLE
TO GET TOWN LIGHTED
Only Hope Of Escape From Long Period OF Dark
~ nesS---Manager Says Engine Is Pau---New In
S.s;ilation, Repairs, New Company All Matters
OF Months

tablish system of poles and wires.
This would require considerable
time even were the materials for such
construction on the ground. 1t is
quite certain that it would require
several months at least to secure de-
htery of any orders for this class of
mai R;ials under present conditions.
So L\ere you are. Look at it from
what angle you will, there doesn't
seem to be- much Highland that isn't
intended as 1, joke either.
Bare Possibilities
OF course then- is the bare possibil-
ity that Mr.. Bong'S>dll recognize the
blind alley in VT, Nhe has all but
reached the end, al Nwill make .
acceptable proposition the Hawai-
ian Electric Co., or to tN new Maui
Electric Co. Or it is JUN possible
that the foreclosure of the And hold
ers on their mortgage might Ne push
ed through in couple of months and
the Island Electric distributing \ NVstem
become thus available for curre1t to
be secured elsewhere. But neitltr OF
these contingencies are very Likely
In ano her part of this issue oiAthe
Maui News is a long letter from Mr..
Bond in which he proposes plar Er
the control of the company to be
en- over by local people: but there 4
no chance that his idea can go through
of the value of his property are at
extremely wide variance with those of
Maui people. J. c. Blair, manager of
the company, took the matter to f.
F. Baldwin on instruction from Mr..
Bond. These instructions were to get
| Mr.. Baldwin to handle the proposal
as set forth in the letter above men,
| toned, but the latter absolutely de-
clined to consider it or to become in
any way involved with the Island
| Electric Co. 1t is understood that
Bond has made similar overtures 10
Baldwin in the past with like results.
Utilities Hearing Pau
The hearing on the Island Electric
Co.'S case which has been on before
the public utilities commission con-
cluded last Friday afternoon. Several
sessions had been held on the matter
previously in the week. e. r. Bevins
chairman of the committee of the
chamber of commerce on the matter,
and also representing the county as
county attorney, attended the hear
iIgs. In his report to the chamber
Mr.. Bevins says
''At the hearing in Honolulu the
commission went very fully into the
questions of costs of productions, over
head expenses, distribution, etc, and
| am satisfied that they are complete
ly informed as to actual conditions.
while the record in the case is
necessarily voluminous one, | am
satisfied that the commission has kept
pretty well up on the questions in
volved and look for a decision from
| lHSih WllHlH d COillpdl dllNcly ohOl l
time"
What this decision will be cannot
be foretold with certainty, through it
seems possible that it will find that
the company has been charging an
excessive rate for its produce and will
order a much lower one. Which, of
course, means nothing if the company
is not functioning. Or it may take
steps to have the franchise declared
forfeit-which also means little under
the circumstances existing.
Up To The People
If the Hawaiian Electric Co, is
heard from within the next few days
with some definite proposition meet
ing is to be at once called of the sub
scribers to the proposed Maui Electric
Co, and the plan put up to them. But
it is likely that such a meeting will
be called in any event, owing to the
crisis of being without lights and the
need of deciding upon some course ol
action.
1t is pretty well understood thai
the Honolulu company is not desirous
of coming to Maui unless it has an
opportunity to supply light and power
to the central Maui plantations. Fol
this reason it seems quite likely thai