Pilikia at the Board of Supervisors All five members of the Kaua‘i County Board of Supervisors — Chairman Manuel Aguiar Jr., Henry Peters, Nick Akana, Dr. Sau Yee Chang and John B. Fernandes — were present on Feb. 7, 1934,
Pilikia at the Board of Supervisors
All five members of the Kaua‘i County Board of Supervisors — Chairman Manuel Aguiar Jr., Henry Peters, Nick Akana, Dr. Sau Yee Chang and John B. Fernandes — were present on Feb. 7, 1934, when fists flew during their morning board meeting at the Lihu‘e County Building. Also in attendance were County Engineer Daijiro Doi and Sheriff William Henry Rice.
Prior to the heated incident, Chang had asked Doi if he, Chang, had anything to do with the removal of Mrs. Barbara Spalding as caretaker of the Po‘ipu Pavilion.
Doi replied that he and Chang had discussed the removal once in Doi’s office, to which Chang replied that he did not recall that conversation.
Then Chairman Aguiar interrupted their exchange by addressing Chang, “Of course, you had nothing to do with her removal. What about it?”
Chang then produced an affidavit from Mrs. Spalding, which the clerk read, that indicated Fernandes had informed Spalding in his store in Kapaia of Chang’s intent to replace her.
When the clerk finished, Chang called Fernandes a liar (for telling Spalding that he was behind her removal when he had nothing to do with it, as was substantiated by Aguiar’s earlier remark).
“You can’t call me a liar!” Fernandes shouted, rushing around the table to take a number of wild swings at Chang, one of which made contact, as Chang quickly withdrew toward Aguiar’s chair and Rice and Aguiar managed to restrain Fernandes.
After order was restored, a second clash nearly erupted when Chang insinuated that statement regarding their meeting was untrue. Doi had removed his coat and was advancing threateningly toward Chang when Aguiar ordered him to his seat.
Gentlemen that they were, Chang and Fernandes later shook hands and all five Supervisors went to lunch together.
