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Kokua Line

By June Watanabe

Friday, April 3, 1998

Tussle for tee times:
Just too many golfers

Recently, three of us tried calling the starting times office to play at the city's West Loch golf course. We started at 6:30 a.m. and none of us could get through for half an hour.

By the time we could get through, there were no available times. I understand they set up the new phone number and gave out ID cards to make it easier for the public to get starting times. Why is it still so hard?

Because there are 40,000 golfers registered, says Dave Mills, the golf systems administrator for the city Department of Auditoriums.

The city set up its one-stop, automated tee-time reservation system in 1995 to handle calls for all six of its municipal courses. There is only one number -- 296-2000 -- but 24 lines, Mills said.

Still, "the phone company is telling us that we're getting 100,000 calls in a half-hour period," he said. "It's basically (still) a numbers game."

Asked about adding more lines, Mills said, "If you added, say, 12 more lines, that wouldn't give you that much better chance when you're dealing with 100,000 calls."

So Mills said golfers still have to be patient and persistent in getting a tee time, especially at the most popular course, the Ala Wai.

But the positive aspect is that "most people like (the system) pretty well because it's impartial and it's fair," Mills said.

I paid $27 to the Hanauma Bay Preservation Society for two T-shirts at Diamond Head. They were supposed to mail the shirts to me in four to six weeks. I never received the shirts and now, when I call, they don't return my calls. Can you help?

By the time we got a call back from Paul Jones, who's in charge of mail order for the society, the T-shirts had been delivered.

Jones said the problem was "a normal delay due to shortages with our printer."

He also said you did not make a "purchase" but rather made a "contribution."

The state allows vendors to set up tables in the crater, by permit, and sell literature with philosophical, ideological, political or religious messages. They are allowed to display T-shirts, but not actually sell them on site.

If you have any future complaints about any vendor in Diamond Head Crater, call the state Office of Consumer Protection, 587-3222. Executive Director Jo Ann Uchida said her office has had complaints regarding sales in the crater and is working with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to resolve them. DLNR has enforcement jurisdiction in the crater.

Do I need a passport to get into Canada? If not, what document do I need?

You need either a U.S. passport or proof of citizenship -- a birth certificate with a picture ID. For more information, call the Passport Agency at 522-8283.

Mahalo

To an unknown spectator, ushers and HPD officer Richardson at the Mariah Carey concert. They turned in my wallet with everything intact to lost-and-found employees Marion, Linda and Gwen. May you all be commended for your honesty. -- J.C.

Auwe

To KCCN for stopping its wonderful Hawaiian music. We have been frequent visitors and house-sitters in Hawaii and always had KCCN on all day. That was a major part of our enjoyment of your wonderful land of aloha. -- S.W./Texas

Make these corrections

The state Health Department's vital statistics office number is 586-4533; the direct line for landlord/tenant complaints is 586-2634.

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fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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