The Hawaiian gazette., 1880-01-28
visitors Grievance. and Experiences.
the Editor Of he Ho,caiion Gavette.

| To the Editor of the Hd,caiidH Gazette;
SR:-Will you kindly allow me as a visitor TO
these very interesting islands to air what / con-
slider to be grievances or defects and thus bring
to the public notice that which the public or the
authorities seem to consider beneath their notice.
| Our having to pay two dollars hospital tax be-
fore landing our baggage, seems unjust tax on
a mere visitor, who comes here with the intention
of disbursing several hundred dollars, and would
also be unfair to an immigrant. 1t gives me an
impression that the government wish to deter peo-
pie from coming here at all. Shall 1 advise my
! Australian friends that this is really the case?
The closets here seem to be kept specially as
destroying angels, and more effective than those
| of Utah; never before saw such filthy ones; if
may judge from my Hotel experiences. One would
think that Board of Health is a farce. only kept
for its name, and not its utility. What are its In
| spectors duties This will want most urgent at
| tention before you can expect any improvement in
the health of the Inhabitants especially those
who are affected with this very prevalent malaria
The road from Hilo to Kilauea is a terror to
contemplate; If each tourist has to pay two dollars
entrance fee to the islandsplease spend it this
road, and confer a boon to the residents.
| On riding from Hilo towards Waimea, it looks
as If no money had been expended ON these roads
| for repairs excepting bTidges) for the last 10
| years. horses nave To plunge through mud-hOleS
so deep that the riders feet drag through it and
| at Hamakua the poor horses have actually TO Jump
| down rocks some three and four feet on going
down some of the gulches; almost sending their
riders In advance unless they keep the tail in one
hand but of course this is too undieniied pro-
| ceedlng on public road. Yet am informed there
is a supervisor for this road, so l should think
there would be funds at his disposal; or why 60 to
| the expense of a supervisor?
After reaching Waimea with bones all sound but
aching, found the district court proceeding so
| the next morning went IN to hear the Justices
decision on case-he had made up his mind, but
to my astonisbment he addressed the prisoner and
read over to him the whole of the evidence he had
taken down the preceding day, before he fined him
one hundred dollars. And all this too when people
were waiting to go on with other cases. The next
case on was man who had been reprimanded
and locked up whilst the Justice wrote for and re-
ceived instructions from Honolulu well, this
time he went on for while with the case; got in
fix; and again reprimanded the man (probably to
be again locked up whilst he again wrote to Ho-
nolulu for instructions.
And then as proper finale to what went on at
this court, the Deputy Sheriff has been fined for
drunkenness and arrested again for grog sell
ing, but it transpired that the man who arrested
him was no constable, SO the deputy was advised
not to appear: however he was re-arrested and the
case went on-most patiently investigated by the
presiding magistrate, and then at the close of the
case-the magistrate instead of deciding it on its
merts-deferred giving his decision till he saw the
Sheriff of Hawaii, whom he said was daily ex-
pected.
There seems to be a very loose state of affairs
when who ought to be amongst the fore
most to put down grog traffic gets brought before
the court charged with this offence.
am very grieved to such laxity on the part
of the Board of Health with regard to cases of
lepers about the islands. 1t seems they have med-
cal men at different places in receipt of salaries
but if these men are sugar men, how can they at
tend to other duties. Why not pay one thoroughly
competent man good salary, and keep him al
ways on the move inspecting various localities and
seeing the people. saw a woman who appeared
to have incipient signs of leprOsy-she had been
sent twice to Hilo for examination, and sent back
home not yet affected. Why is she not sent off
at once-for the longer she stays about the more
liable Is she to leave to others chance of becom
ing affected.
And again, a young woman off the same planta-
tion was arrested for adultery, and at Hilo at
once condemned leper, so the aduterer is left-but
it would appear that this poor young girl became
a leper from having lived with man whose wife
had been sent away as leper now, is there no
chance of infection from this man being allowed
at large? Why does not the Board of Health or
its Inspectors thoroughly investigate these causes
well paid medical man, if he devoted his time to
1t, could watch of this sort. There is no tell
ing how many poor women may yet suffer from
this man being allowed at large.
/ am told the Board of Health every now and
again causes vigorous raid to be made for lepers
which may result in forty or fifty being huddled
together and packed off i'll a steamer without any
precautions being taken to isolate them, and
thereby putting the other passengers to the risk of
the disease.
And now as to the weather. certainly give this
island the palm, for being the pleasantest climate
of the lot. quite anticipate Hjlo being busy
port, for it fine harbor and people ought to i'm
port and export direct freight to California is
about the same as to Honolulu.
At various plantations they seem to spare no ex-
pense in making facilities for landing cargo; and
hope they may all thrive and prosper; everything
new seems to give way to sugar growing. l am
only sorry to such laxity the part of those
who have promised to put up sugar mills-as there
are now many hundreds of fit for the mills
which will go to waste, the mills will not be
ready for months l certainly think the govern
ment might borrow money to put up a railway
along the coast from Hilo and then some large
mills could be kept constantly going and thou
sands of acres more sugar could be grown, and
thus enrich the country, by bringing such an
immense amount of money into circulation.
am, Sir, Yours very truly
j. MooRHoUsE.