The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-07-14

for the first time with the notion that they are
to meet with a people just emerged from saw
agery and it astonishes and charms them to
find instead all the r~efnements and luxuries oil
the most civilized societies, combined with nat
ural scenery unsurpassed elsewhere. within reach
of the favored guests of this palatial Hotel
of our Hawaiian capital. There can be no
doubt that the knowledge on the part of tourists
that they are sure to find most comfortable &C
comodations during their stay here, is a great
inducement with many travellers to visit the
Islands and it should be remembered also that
the concourse of visitors to these Islands has
been a principal motive for the Pacific Mail
steamers to make Honolulu a port of call. 1t
is calculated that on the arrival of each
steamer, q sum of about $4,000 is expended in
our midst by the passengers en- route, many OF
whom would not even disembark, if they had
not a house like the Hawaiian Hotel to put up
at, during their stay ashore.
Now from the very commencement, the estab-
lishment of the Hawaiian Hotel was undertaken
more for the advantages which were likely to
result indirectly to the capital and the country,
tainment in our metropolis, than with a view to
any UlEcCI pIOuL W Oc OSElfCO ny tuC SOfCih-
ment or the patriotic private shareholders from
the business of the Hotel itself. For this
reason, it was first leased for q term of five
years, at no rent whatever, on condition Of it's
being kept open for the convenience Of the
public in a fitting style. AS to it's management
during that period, no complaints whatever have
been raised, and its innumerable advantages
were selfevident. Subsequently, it was thought
that a rent should be paid by the lessee, which
was fixed at $4,000 q year. But, unfortunately
the lessee (Mr. Herbert) found that he could not
''run' the business when burdened with that
heavy rent, and accordingly, he has been obliged
to throw up his lease, which is the reason why
government has now put up the lease Of the
Hotel at auction for O period of five years.
Perhaps there is no position in che world
more unsuited to a government than that of a
hotel-keeper. The very best thing tie govern
ment could do with the Hawaiian Hotel, would
be to sell it to some private Spectator or COM
pany. By advertising the sale of this Hotel in
San Francisco and the States, it is very likely
that some man of capital would be found, who
would be willing to pay down the first cost,
say $4,000, for the purchase of the Hawaiian
Hotel of-hand. The government and the present
shareholders would thus get back their own
money and, as a private speculation, the Hotel
ought to pay very well it's owners. If a pur-
chaser was not found, another plan would be
for the government to offer its shares in the
Hotel to a joint stock company, to be formed
along with the present shareholders, for the pur-
pose of I" running the Hotel as a private VEN
ture. Under all circumstances government
should strive to get back the money of the
country, now invested in this Hotel, thus Kidding
itself of the awkwardness of acting as a hotel
keeper, even at some sacrifice, with the certainty
that the Hotel will be worked better in the
hands of a private speculator or a joint-stock
company than it ever can be, while it remains
at the charge of the government.