McCandless v. Campbell
McCandless v. Campbell
Opinion of the Court
OPINION OJP THE COURT BY
This is an appeal by the plaintiff from a judgment dismissing his petition for á writ of mandamus to compel the superintendent of public works to grant his application to connect his premises on Nuuanu avenue with the sewer in Pauahi street in Honolulu, although in connection with the agreements on h’is part contained in the printed form of application, and to none of which he objects, he has erased the words “to pay such rates annually for the use of the sewer as may be fixed,” his claim being that the statute does not authorize the requiring) of such an agreement, and that its effect would be to give the superintendent arbitrary power in fixing sewer rates. This is the only objection to the form of the application which is presented for our consideration, and it appears from the pleadings that in other respects the form was entirely satisfactory
We think that the limits of sewer rates are sufficiently defined by the statute, namely, that they “shall be fixed from time to time by the superintendent, subject to the approval of the governor, and shall be reasonably approximate to the cost of work done and material used,” and “shall be fixed as nearly as reasonably may be, so that the entire yearly rates for sewer use shall not exceed the total yearly cost of maintaining and repairing the sewers, together with the yearly interest on the bonds representing the cost of the sewer system.” Sec. 1036 R. L. The variable factors in the problem of rate fixing are the cost of connecting premises with the public sewer and of maintenance and repair of the sewers, individual assessments depending upon the number of users of the service and upon the amount of outstanding sewer bonds. It is obvious that these rates, depending upon these variable conditions, although determinable from year to year with approximate accuracy, cannot be fixed with any degree of permanence. Regarding the form of agreement as not open to the objection that it would authorize rates to be assessed' arbitrarily, we think that requiring the agreement to be entered into is within the superintendent’s statutory duty to superintend the connecting of premises with the public sewer (Sec. 1035 R. L), regulate the rates of charges for sewer use, subject to the governor’s approval (Sec. 1036 R. L.), and to require the paymgnt of tho “charge for sewerage semi-annually in advance,” the charges for sewer connections being payable to the superintendent on demand, to secure which payment he “may require a deposit in advance.” (Sec. 1031 R. L.) -
Judgment affirmed.
Concurring Opinion
The sole contention in support of the appeal is that the requirement of the inclusion in the application of- the agreement to pay rates is not within the powers of the superintendent of public works and is unauthorized by law.
The following’ statutes relate to the general subject of sewers: “It shall be the duty of the Superintendent of Public Works, conforming to the requirements of the Board of Health, to direct and superintend the .cleaning of the public streets and by-ways of any city, town or village in the Territory of Hawaii, the removal and disposal of garbage, dead animals and other nuisances therein, the cleaning of cesspools and connecting of premises with the public sewer in such city, town or village.” — Sec. 1035 R. L., as amended by the Laws of 1905. “The rates of charges for such services and for use of the sewer shall be fixed from time to time by the superintendent, subject to the approval of the governor.” — Sec. 1036 R. L. “The rates and charges in this chapter provided, for the collection of garbage, shall be payable to the superintendent quarterly, in advance, and the charge for sewerage semi-annually, in advance. Charges for cesspools, sewer connections and removal of animals and other nuisances, shall be payable on demand; and to secure such payment, the superintendent of public works may require a deposit in advance.” — Sec. 1037 R. L. Section 1038 provides that the sewer rates shall be a lien upon the property connected, to attach “as of the date when said sewer rate or charge is due and payable to said superintendent of public works, as in this chapter provided.” “District Magistrates shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine all civil actions, suits or proceedings brought by the Superintendent of Public Works for the collection and enforcement of collection 'and payment of all sewer rates or charges which may be assessed, as above set forth, notwithstanding the amount claimed. — Sec. 1039 R. L., as amended by Act 21 of the Laws
Bor these reasons I concur in the conclusion that the judgment be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. L. McCANDLESS v. MARSTON CAMPBELL, SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OF THE TERRITORY OF HAWAII
- Status
- Published