The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-10-21
TIE PACIFIC
Commercial obertiser.
SATURDAY. OCTOBER 81
A CITY Government

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wvU;s urouosed and strongly advocated the
e.tabusbment Of 4 city government for Honolulu
The man did not meet with favor at the time,
"a after : short discussion, Was dropped In
e.ct tbe need Of any such change Was not aP-
uarent a. that time Honolulu VAS httie more
,b,n n village in those days, and although .
large amount Of mercantile business was trans
acted here, but Iiltle attention was bestowed
upon building or improving, beyond the neeessf-
ries OF the moment. The idea WAS, 10 make all
the money one could in the shortest possible
Suaee of time, and then be OF ~ invest Or ENJOY
il elsewhere and 50 people gave little or DO
tbourht 70 the future growth or Importance OF
the place. Thus, any commonplace shed ~oaa
answer for a store, 50 long As 1t was Water-tlgns'
and moderately burglar-prOof, and fires were
never thought Of. Il was the exception, rather
than the rule, that residents had their families
with them, 50 that the building Of permanent
mansions or homesteads vas lot needed It was
not Until long after the Government had laid
down $ smaH pipe TO bring water into town for
Shipping, that people began 70 see and ieei the
necessity Of water for the supply OF the town
Now, however, ali these conditions are VASTLY
changed. Our Goreign element has become IN q
great measure, q fixture Of the country, an III
tegraI part of the nation, which builds and plans
fur permanent occupancy, instead Of for only 4
few wears. While we regard with affection or
old homes in the East, and delight 70 90 back
and revisit them for 4 time, still We look upon
Hawaii nei as the abiding place fox ourselves and
our children after Is, and return gladly 70 It's
sunny skies and health-giSing air, Us pleasant
social circles and rs not over exciting pursuits.
We are led to these reflections from hearing
the question asked, Is It not time that Honolulu
had a city government? Let Us consider first,
what would be the advantages. if any, Of ineor-
porating a city government by act OF Legislature.
The taxes OF the district Of Honolulu, within
certain established bounds, would IN that case 90
into the city treasury, excepting Of course what
are known as general taxes,) and be expended
under the direction Of the city government, as
voted by the citizens. By this means, needed
public improvements could be made, without
waiting for the tardy OK grudgIng action Of the
general legislature what does the honorable
member for Kau OF NiihaH, We VIII suppose,
know about the importance Of an increased sup
ply Of water for this city, or the need Of more
wharfage, OF paving and Lighting the streets, or
y EF=LL4 Va $MEAAH-r IA = $500 49, 1@166
that could be mentioned? Or, being made TO
understand that we need these things, the wants
OF his own district viii claim MS first and para
mount attention and exertiOn 70 provide for. In
the natural course of events, these needs will be
soon forced upon our attention, and % be COM
peIIed 10 wait until 4 session of the legislature,
which occurs only once IN twO years, and then TO
risk 3 failure Of obtaining from that body any
prompt or commensurate action in the premises,
viii be anything bat satisfactory. 1t is already
evident that CUR dock facilities are insufficient 70
conveniently accommodate at one time the lines
Of ocean steamers that now make Honolulu a
regular port Of call, and the probabilities are
that other lines viii ere long be inaugurated, and
thai the China steamers may eventually come
here, on either the outward or returning passage.
We should be prepared TO them
Following this prospective increase in shipping
viii also be the increased demand for convenient
and ample cOaLyards, more water pipes, and a
larger reservoir The necessity for more work
and Of a different sort than at present on cur
streets, becomes particularly evident whenever
the rainy season sets IN. And the widely sepa-
rated street lamps that now serve to make dark
ness visible, only demonstrate the need Of more
light on that subject. To supply these require
ments without unnecessary delay, and in 4 salts
factory manner, would be the province and some
of the results Of the establishment OF 4 city
government
Doubtless a good deal may be said en- the OPP
posite side of this question. As We are some
what of 4 dolce far RieGte Tor easy going) COM
munity, the obvious response by many, who do
not care to bestOw thought upon the subject will
be-We are getting along very well at present,
and what need for disturbing the old order of
things? In addition 70 what has been said
above, We may say 70 such caFnlers, that such a
fossiIized Chinese style Of thinking and acting is
out of place in these days Of universal progress.
The question of the c0st Of a city government,
involves, We apprehend, the only serious OBJ
lection that can be urged against its desirable
ness. And on this point we defer comment for
the present, proposing TO again revert to this
subject.
TUX Go~esfs of tbis week ureseuts the some-