The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-09-28

We have much satisfaction in learning
that considerable interest was excited by
our leader of Sept. 14th on the housing Of
the native inhabitants of this city. II
may interest some of our readers to hea1
that we have a second time explored the
slums between Maunakea street and the
river, and on this occasion by night. We
visited several houses, invariably small,
dirty and in very bad repair, mostly over
crowded, and in every instance with the
doors and windows closed. There can be
no doubt that the natives live under far
less healthy conditions than they did
thirty years ago. There were then no
tight board fences between the yards; the
houses were made of grass, allowing free
ventilation, with adequate shelter, and the
floors were composed of thick piles of
mats The people could not keep the
fresh air out and the foul smells in, as
they do now; water was comparatively
scarce, at least it had to be fetched by
hand; vegetation was scanty, the yards
not being flooded by perpetually drib-
bling taps; and the whole area covered by
buildings was not one vast cesspool.
Can nothing be done with this Five
Points" of Honolulu? We presume it is
useless to appeal to the property-owners
They would probably here, as elsewhere,
disclaim the responsibility of being their
brothers keepers The Board of Health,
with the best intentions, can do little.
They cannot keep a force of officers to
watch the windows and taps, and make
the people keep the one open and the
other shut They cannot tear down and
rebuild the dirty, rotten shanties, or insist
that the floors shall be at least so many
feet above the ground They cannot kill
off the troops of NANCY dogs that share
Gle beos with the children. For strong
paternal government this would be
grand opportunity, but our own may still
do great deal. 1t may at least apply
to the Legislature for authority to order
the destruction of the present dwellings,,
and the Encouragement of new ones with
streets and spaces; or if that is too much,
at least for the Board of Health to order
the destruction of any particular dwelling
that in the judgment of the Board, or It's
proper agents, is unfit for human habi-
tation.
1t is a recognized principle that indi-
vidnal convenience must yield to public
needs. Hence in civilized countries vac
cination is enforced by law upon those
who dislike to submit to it A man is free
to get smallpox if he chooses, but is not
allowed by his liability to catch it to en-
danger other people. We're a railroad
needed through the town, there could be
no hesitation about taking peoples land
for the purpose. But here the need is,
not to take away peoples property, but to |
insist on their making decent use of it.
1t is to forbid property-owneIs lodging
human beings where they would be
to stable their horses. We trust
hat the public interest now aroused to
his matter viii not be allowed to drop,
put that an opinion will grow and ripen
70 strong that hygienic revival viii take
place, when we, as a community, shall re-
oent Of our sins against social and phys
illogical laws. Then the foul dens of
disease and immortality viii be swept
way, and not only the palaces, but the
ottages, of Honolulu viii add to the
harm and beauty Of the Pearl of the
,aniin