The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-09-25
TIE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY Y, SEPTEMBER 25.

-'
LOADS are the most accurate tests of the degree Of
civilization in every country. Their construction is
one of the first indications of the emergence of a peo-
pie from a savage state, and their improvement keeps
pace with the advance of a nation in wealth and sci
cnce. They are the veins and arteries through which
flow the agricultural productions and the commercial
supplies, which are essential to the prosperity of the
state. They should be sufficient in number, and be
constructed in such q manner as to cause the least
possible delay to the wants of the country otherwise,
districts located comparatively near Will be rendered
almost inaccessible to a town, and their productions
will not find the market which would otherwise be
opened. Agriculture is in a great measure depen-
dent upon good roads for its success and rewards.
The following extract, showing the advantages arising
from them we quote from the report Of a Com
mittee of the British House of Commons:
"By the improvement of our roads, every branch
of our agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing
Industry would be materially benefited. Every arti-
Gle brought to market would be diminished in price :;
and the number of horses would be so much reduced
that, by these and other retrenchments, the expense
of FIVE MILLIONS [pounds SterLingl would be ANNU-
ALLY saved to the public. The expense of repairing
roads, and the wear and tear of carriages and horses,
would be essentially diminished and thousands of
acres, the produce of which is now wasted in feeding
unnecessary horses, would be devoted to the produc-
ton of food for man. In short, the public and pri-
NoIO GuN dILuSCS NuICh NOuNl ICSuIt u cucCJlUg
that great object, the improvement of our highways
and turnpike roads, are incalculable though, from
their being spread over q wide surface, and available
in various ways, such advantages will not be so ap-
parent as those derived from other sources of i'm
prOvement, of a more restricted and less general ma
ture."
The history of road making in this Kingdom docs
not date far back. The first law that we find recorded
was enacted in 1910, which as we'll as the laws of
1916 and 1850 gave to the governors a general con-
troll Of the roads, with power to make new roads and
employ prisoners in their construction. But no sys-
tenn of road making has ever been introduced, and
the whole subject has been left to be executed as
chance dictated. In 1852, road-supervisors were
made elective by the people, at the annual election III
January. This change worked no improvement in
the roads, as the road-supervisors, in order to remain
popular, required the least possible amount of labor,
and in many districts an hour or two of work in the
morning was considered as a compliance with the
road law. Under this law road-supervisors were left
pretty much to themselves, and though accountable
to the Minister of the Interior, they considered the
favor of their constituents of more Importance. This
law was found productive of more evil than good, and
during the last session Of the Legislature q new road
law was PISSED, which goes into force on the 1st of
January 1857. This new law gives to the Minister
of the Interior the appointment of road-supervisors
throughout the Kingdom, who are subject to such
general instructions Eve suppose in regard to the
construction of roads) as he may issue. This is a de-
cided improvement over the present order of things.
The law as passed this year gives to the Minister of
the Interior the authority to introduce some system
in road making, and to lay down some general and
practicable rules for their construction to guide those
who have the superintendent of them. 1t makes
him virtually responsible for the general condition of
the roads throughout the Kingdom.
There is and has always been here a want of sys-
tenn in the management of our roads. Those most
conversant with the matter think the defect lies in
not having a general superintendent of roads for the
whole Kingdom, whose business it shall be to prepare
general rules, and visit when necessary the other
islands, and give his personal attention to the laying
out and construction OF new roads AMI bridges. If
assisted with competent and energetic supervisors,
who took care that the full amount of labor or tax
was properly expended, a new state of things would
follow. The law of 1856, we believe, does not provide
for such a general superintendent, nor does it appear
necessary that another law should be enacted for that
purpose. If the streets of Honolulu and all the roads
and highways of the Kingdom were placed under the
superintendent and control of the Superintend-
ent OF Public Works, with full power to commence
and carry on a system of r~oad-making, to nominate
the supervisors to the Minister of the Interior, and
to issue orders for the guidance of the road-supervi-
sors throughout the Kingdom, change for the better
would doubtless soon be experienced.
Here IN Honolulu our roads at times become public
MIR. ID. Lima has the sole charge of them. |
and he probably does the best he can, but it cannot
be expected that he has a knowledge of the manner |
in which roads should be made. Hence we have