The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-01-12
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY,, JANUARY II.
The Agricultural society


By advertisement, it appears that the Nursery
or Garden Of the Agricultural Society, located
in Nuuanu Valley, about two miles from the
Post Office, will be sold at public auction on
Tuesday next. 1t comprises ffty-one acres. part
devoted to 4 garden and planted with the choic-
est trees and shrubs to be found on the Islands,
and the remainder a pasture ground, the two
sections being separated by the Nuuanu stream.
We published a few weeks since Il report writ
ten by Mr.. Montgomery, and purporting to ex-
press the views of the Executive Committee, re-
commenting its sale, and the purchase of au-
other lot opposite the late Reformed Catholic
Church. This report is said to have been adopt
ed, and the sale is accordingly made. Thus will
terminate, in a complete failure, the first effort
TO establish Il public nursery in Honolulu.
1t may be instructive to take L Retrospective
glance at this subject, and learn, if pos
sible, what have been the causes of the failure Of
the enterprise. About the year 1855 or 1856,
when the first movement was made towards
establishing u garden, the Government gener-
ously offered to the Society a tract. of land for a
nursery, located, if we remember rightly, on
Liliha street, and embracing about fifty acres.
This was u good location, but from some cause
did not suit the managers, was disposed of,
and the 80 Phillips lot 3" (Which is the present
site, to be sold next week. was purchased. OBJ
Jectioi' was made at the time to this latter site as
too far from the city, and in too windy and
rainy a locality-which are the reasons noS
advanced for its sale. But the managers had
things their own way, and sacrificed the interests
of the Society to their personal views.
Had the LilIha street site been kept and i'm
proved, Honolulu would to-day possess n
public garden of fifty acres, which would be an
ornament to the place. The distance, being u
little out of town, would have made it a most
attractive resort for recreation and health. a
new street might readily have been cut through
to Liliha from Nuuanu avenue, by extending
either Kukui or School street, thus bringing it
somewhat nearer. The original site is far better
than the present nursery, or the proposed new
purchase, which is little else than 4 swamp,
liable To be overflowed every winter.
Whichever way we may view this nursery
business, it exhibits only encouragement and
lack of judgment. The present garden has
doubtless cost, in purchase money, labor. trees
and improvements, not less than ten thousand
dollars, and it may even be as high as twenty
thousand. Whatever the amount be, it is now
proposed to .ssell out" for whatever it will
~bring-perhaps S2,Oe0-pocket the loss. and
allow some fortunate person to reap the benefit
of nine years labor and improvements. We
know not who it is that is anxious to obtain
the garden for a Building plot, but it is a site
well adapted for Il princeiy mansion.
After the sale, it is proposed to buy the swamp
or bog referred to, paying $4,000 for it, and call
on the public and perhaps the Government for
six to ten thousand more to improve it. At the
end Of FIVE years what will it amount to? The
small size of the lot will soon be objected to
the cost of filling in the swamp will as
tonish even the managers-and the only good
result may be an Improvement in the value of
the PROPERTY of the President of the Society,
lying near by. At the end of nine years
more we shall have another auction to notice,
and another pohO to comment on.
Do not mistake1us. We are as warmly in
favor of any measure which shall tend to beau
tify our city or render it healthy and attrac-
tive to residents as any living here. But we
object to the Encouragement of this Society and
the sacrifice of its property. BY a lack OF energy
in its officers. and especially by their continu
ance in office or '. holding over year after year
until the Society became fossiLi1ed, as it We're,
the public lost interest in it, and withheld.
support. Nor can any permanent change be
expected without Il change of officers. Rotation
in office is the true theory of all successful asso-
Citations, and is the only rule p%racticed by other
societies of every kind. Nor can We expect n
change in the influence, management and stand
ing of the Agricultural Society until there is a
change in it's administration, and 4 wide-awake
man is placed at its head.
The land which it is proposed to purchase is
the most ineligible site that can be selected
for a garden and nursery. Some better one can
easily be obtained for the same amount of
money in proportion to its extent. If a change
is made now. it should be such an one rs the
public will approve for all time 10 cOne-one in
which they will feel that every dollar invested is
well spent. y public garden, well located and
capable of being increased in extent with the
growth of the city and the liberality Of its peo-
pie, If rightly located, and in the hands of men
possessing their full confidence for energy and
public spirit, might soon become an ornament to
the city. But this can never be said of the low,
miasmatic land which it is proposed to palm on to
the Society. Has any one u mortgage on the
swamp" to the amount of four thousand
dollars or less?