EXHIBIT 4(B)
 
                                TRUST AGREEMENT
                                      OF
                             HECO CAPITAL TRUST II
 
  THIS TRUST AGREEMENT is made as of October 7, 1998 (the "Trust
Agreement"), by and among Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., a Hawaii
corporation, as Depositor (the "Depositor"), The Bank of New York as trustee
(the "Property Trustee"), The Bank of New York (Delaware), a Delaware banking
corporation, as trustee (the "Delaware Trustee"), and T. Michael May, Paul A.
Oyer and Lorie Ann Nagata, not individually but in their capacity as trustees
(collectively, the "Administrative Trustees" and, together with the Property
Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, the "Trustees"). The Depositor and the
Trustees hereby agree as follows:
 
  1. The trust created hereby shall be known as "HECO Capital Trust II" (the
     "Trust"), in which name the Trustees or the Depositor, to the extent
     provided herein, may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute
     contracts, and sue and be sued.
 
  2. The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to the
     Trust the sum of $25. Such amount shall constitute the initial trust
     estate. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust created
     hereby constitute a business trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the
     Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. (S)3801, et seq. (the "Business Trust Act"),
     and that this document constitute the governing instrument of the Trust.
     The Trustees are hereby authorized and directed to execute and file a
     certificate of trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in such form
     as the Trustees may approve.
 
  3. The Depositor and the Trustees will enter into an amended and restated
     Trust Agreement or Declaration satisfactory to each such party and
     substantially in the form to be included as an exhibit to the
     Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "1933 Act Registration
     Statement") referred to below, or in such other form as the Trustees and
     the Depositor may approve, to provide for the contemplated operation of
     the Trust created hereby and the issuance of the Preferred Securities
     and Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the execution and
     delivery of such amended and restated Trust Agreement or Declaration,
     the Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with
     respect of the trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable
     law or as may be necessary to obtain prior to such execution and
     delivery any licenses, consents or approvals required by applicable law
     or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustees may take all
     actions deemed proper as are necessary to effect the transactions
     contemplated herein.
 
  4. The Depositor, as the sponsor of the Trust, is hereby authorized (i) to
     file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and
     to execute, in the case of the 1933 Act Registration Statement and 1934
     Act Registration Statement (as herein defined), on behalf of the Trust,
     (a) the 1933 Act Registration Statement, including pre-effective or
     post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement, relating to
     the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
     Act"), of the Preferred Securities of the Trust, (b) any preliminary
     prospectus or prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Preferred
     Securities required to be filed under the 1933 Act, and (c) a
     Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the "1934
     Act Registration Statement") (including all pre-effective and post-
     effective amendments thereto) relating to the registration of the
     Preferred Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of
     1934, as amended; (ii) to file with the New York Stock Exchange or other
     exchange, and execute on behalf of the Trust a listing application and
     all other applications, statements, certificates, agreements and other
     instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Preferred
     Securities to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or such other
     exchange; (iii) to file and execute on behalf of the Trust such
     applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents, appointments
     of attorney for service

 
     of process and other papers and documents as shall be necessary or
     desirable to register the Preferred Securities under the securities or
     "Blue Sky" laws of such jurisdictions as the Depositor, on behalf of the
     Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; and (iv) to execute, deliver and
     perform on behalf of the Trust an underwriting agreement with the
     Depositor and the underwriter or underwriters of the Preferred
     Securities of the Trust. In the event that any filing referred to in
     clauses (i)-(iii) above is required by the rules and regulations of the
     Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, or state
     securities or Blue Sky laws to be executed on behalf of the Trust by the
     Trustees, the Trustees, in their capacities as trustees of the Trust,
     are hereby authorized and directed to join in any such filing and to
     execute on behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being
     understood that the Trustees, in their capacities as trustees of the
     Trust, shall not be required to join any such filing or execute on
     behalf of the Trust any such document unless required by the rules and
     regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or other
     exchange, or state securities or Blue Sky laws. In connection with all
     of the foregoing, the Trustees, solely in their capacities as trustees
     of the Trust, and the Depositor hereby constitute and appoint any one or
     more of Paul A. Oyer, Marvin A. Hawthorne, Lorie Ann Nagata, David J.
     Reber and Gregory R. Kim, with power in any one of them to act singly,
     as his, her or its, as the case may be, true and lawful attorney-in-fact
     and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for the
     Depositor or in the Depositor's name, place and stead, in any and all
     capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including all pre-effective
     and post-effective amendments) to the 1933 Act Registration Statement
     and the 1934 Act Registration Statement and to file the same, with all
     exhibits thereto, and any other documents in connection therewith, with
     the Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
     and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite
     and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all
     intents and purposes as the Depositor might or could do in person,
     hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent
     or his respective substitute or substitutes, shall do or cause to be
     done by virtue hereof.
 
  5. This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.
 
  6. The number of trustees of the Trust initially shall be five (5) and
     thereafter the number of trustees of the Trust shall be such number as
     shall be fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed by the
     Depositor which may increase or decrease the number of trustees of the
     Trust; provided, however, that to the extent required by the Business
     Trust Act, one trustee of the Trust shall either be a natural person
     which is a resident of the State of Delaware or, if not a natural
     person, an entity which has its principal place of business in the State
     of Delaware. The Delaware Trustee represents and warrants that it has
     and will retain its principal place of business in the State of
     Delaware. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to appoint
     or remove without cause any trustee of the Trust at any time. Any
     trustee of the Trust may resign upon thirty days' prior notice to the
     Depositor.
 
  7. This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
     with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of
     laws principles).

  8. In the event that the parties hereto do not enter into an amended and
     restated trust agreement prior to the expiration of one hundred twenty
     (120) days from the date hereof, (i) this Trust Agreement (except for
     Section 9 hereof, which shall survive) shall terminate and the Trustees
     shall have no further duties except for the filing of a certificate of
     cancellation in accordance with the Business Trust Act; and (ii) the Trust
     shall dissolve and terminate in accordance with Section 3808 of the
     Business Trust Act.

  9. Concerning the Trustees.
     -----------------------
          (a)  The Trustees accept the trust hereby created and agree to perform
     their duties hereunder with respect to the same but only upon the terms of
     this Trust Agreement. Each Trustee shall not be personally liable under any
     circumstances, except for its own willful misconduct or gross negligence.
     In particular, but not by way of limitation:

               (i)  No provision of this Trust Agreement shall require the
     Trustees to expend or risk their own funds or otherwise incur any financial
     liability in the performance of any of their duties hereunder, or in the
     exercise of any of their rights or powers, if they shall have reasonable
     grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity
     against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it;

              (ii)  The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the 
     statements of the Trust, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility
     for their correctness;

             (iii)  If, (1) in performing its duties under this Trust Agreement,
     the Property Trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of
     action or (2) in construing any of the provisions in this Trust Agreement,
     the Property Trustee finds the same ambiguous or inconsistent with any
     other provisions contained herein or (3) the Property Trustee is unsure of
     the application of any provision of this Trust Agreement, then the Property
     Trustee shall deliver a notice to the Depositor requesting written
     instructions of the Depositor as to the course of action to be taken. The
     Property Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking such
     action, as the Property Trustee shall be instructed in writing to take, or
     to refrain from taking, by the Depositor; provided, however, that if the
                                               --------  -------
     Property Trustee does not receive such instructions of the Depositor within
     ten business days after it has delivered such notice, or such reasonably
     shorter period of time set forth in such notice (which to the extent
     practicable shall not be less than five business days), it may, but shall
     be under no duty to, take or refrain from taking such action not
     inconsistent with this Trust Agreement as it shall deem advisable and in
     the best interest of the Depositor, in which event the Property Trustee
     shall have no liability except for its own negligent action, its own
     negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct; and

              (iv)  To the extent that, at law or in equity, the Administrative 
     Trustees have duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating
     thereto to the Trust, the Administrative Trustees shall not be liable to
     the Trust for the Administrative Trustees' good faith reliance on the
     provisions of this Trust Agreement. The provisions of this Trust Agreement,
     to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of the
     Administrative Trustees otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed
     by the Depositor to replace such other duties and liabilities of the
     Administrative Trustees.

          (b)  The Property Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
     refraining from acting in good faith upon any resolution, opinion of
     counsel, certificate, certificate of auditors or any other certificate,
     statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order,
     appraisal, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other
     paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or
     presented by the proper party or parties.

          (c)  The Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers 
     hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through
     its agents or attorneys and the Property Trustee shall not be responsible
     for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney
     appointed with due care by it hereunder.

          (d)  The Property Trustee may consult with counsel or other experts of
     its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel or other experts
     with respect to legal matters or advice within the scope of such experts'
     area of expertise shall be full and complete authorization and protection
     in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good
     faith and in reliance thereon.

          (e)  Except as expressly provided in this Section 9, in accepting and
     performing the trust hereby created, each Trustee acts solely as a Trustee
     hereunder and not in its individual capacity, and all persons having any
     claim against a Trustee by reason of the transactions contemplated by this
     Trust Agreement shall look only to the Trust's property for payment or
     satisfaction thereof.

     10.  Compensation; Indemnity; Fees.
          -----------------------------

     The Depositor agrees:

          (a)  to pay to the Trustees from time to time such compensation as 
     shall have been agreed in writing with the Depositor for all services
     rendered by them hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any
     provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express
     trust);

          (b)  except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the 
     Trustees upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and
     advances incurred or made by the Trustees in accordance with any provision
     of this Trust Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the
     expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such
     expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its own
     negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful
     misconduct (or, in the case of the Administrative Trustees, any such
     expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to his/her gross
     negligence); and

          (c)  to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to indemnify 
     and hold harmless the Trustees and any of the officers, directors,
     employees or agents of the Trustees (the "Indemnified Persons") from and
     against any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Persons by
     reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified
     Persons in good faith on behalf of the Trust and in a manner such
     Indemnified Persons reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority
     conferred on such Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement, except that
     no Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any
     loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of
     gross negligence (or, in the case of the Property Trustee, negligence) or
     willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
 
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trust Agreement to
be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
 
                                        Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. as
                                         Depositor

                                                   /s/ Paul A. Oyer
                                        By: ___________________________________
                                          Paul A. Oyer,
                                          Financial Vice President and
                                          Treasurer
 
                                       2

 
 
                                                 /s/ Marvin A. Hawthorne
                                          By: _________________________________
                                            Marvin A. Hawthorne,
                                            Assistant Treasurer
 
                                          THE BANK OF NEW YORK, not in its
                                           individual capacity but solely as
                                           trustee of the Trust
 
                                                   /s/ Thomas C. Knight
                                          By: _________________________________
                                            Name: Thomas C. Knight
                                            Title: Assistant Vice President
 
                                          THE BANK OF NEW YORK (DELAWARE), not
                                           in its individual capacity but
                                           solely as trustee of the Trust
 
                                                    /s/ Walter N. Gitlin
                                          By: _________________________________
                                            Name: Walter N. Gitlin
                                            Title: Authorized Signatory
 
                                          T. Michael May, not in his
                                           individual capacity, but solely as
                                           trustee of the Trust
 
                                                   /s/ T. Michael May
                                          By: _________________________________
                                                        Signature
 
                                          Paul A. Oyer, not in his individual
                                           capacity, but solely as trustee of
                                           the Trust
 
                                                    /s/ Paul A. Oyer
                                          By: _________________________________
                                                        Signature
 
                                          Lorie Ann Nagata, not in her
                                           individual capacity, but solely as
                                           trustee of the Trust
 
                                                 /s/ Lorie Ann Nagata
                                          By: _________________________________
                                                        Signature
 
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