The Hawaiian gazette., 1885-11-24

1HE proposition put forth on behalf of
the Board of Health on Thursday last. by
the organ" of the President of that land
other) Boards, may seem plausible. per
haps even practicable to mere superficial
notice; but little examination below the
surface must convince any one capable of
thinking FOR himself, of its crudity and
lmpractlcability, 10 say nothing of the po-
tentialities Of mischief contained in its
suggestions.
In the first place, volunteer semi officials
never have, and never can do the duties
properly assignable 10 regular officials
under proper control. Under ordinary
circumstances, voluntary organizations set
on foot FOR the purpose Of assisting or
/ supplementing the work of recognized
officials, find their greatest difficulty in
avoiding collision with their professional
/ fellow workers; at first jealousy. and soon
antagonism Is developed. The regulars
lind themselves haTassed and worried bv
what they consider the injudicious, un
trained zeal of the volunteers. and these
latter resent the "formalitiesn and ainter
terenccs' of the former, the whole scheme
soon falls into chaos. the volunteers con
clude that their efforts and their self sa-
rltices are misappreciated, and throw up
the thing in disgust"
Ihis Is no imaginary representation
The same thing has been ATTEMPTED here
before now Ladies and gentlemen at
tempted TO work allotted districts with
beneicent purposes, but the scheme soon
collapsed from its own inherent impracti-
cabilty.
10 take the proposed scheme. as set
iorth IN the Government paper. 1t amounts
10 about this: Messrs. A, B and C are to
volunteer to poke their noses into the
kitchens, sinks, drains, and out-buildinrs
OF one another, and of their more or less
remote fellow citizens. Perhaps Mr. AS
domicile hes within Mr.. BIS district, they
may be, socially, friends or strangers
tley may be- professionally, partners or
rivals, but in either case. one being au-
thorlzed to make ''domiciliary visits" on the
premises of the other, and to report to the
Board OF Health, especially to such an one
as we have here, what he imagined he
found there, would be, if practicable
very certain method of breeding discord,
and very uncertain method of improving
sanitary measures.
As to the idea of ladies going about with
their little nostrums, allopathic and hom-
@opathic, and over -persuading natives or
ehlnamen to put faith IN them and adopt
their medicines or advice. when they are
avowedly too ignorant or superstitious. or
suspicious to take either from authorized
practitioners, or from public institutions.
the thing Is too childish to be worth dis
cussion.
Most ladies here have enough to do in
looking after the details of their own es-
without intruding on their
nelghbors, and 1T may be safely said that
TO expect them to go down Maunakea
street and lecture and advise or even
physlc natives or Cinnamon and report to
the Board of Health is sheer nonsense.
The late Legislature voted $4,000 for
government physicians. SS5.0OO for gen
eral expenses, and $4,000 for hospitals.
independent of the leper establishments.
which took an appropriation Of SIO0OOO
Ii tins money has been frittered or fooled
away, or passed into the wrong hands
there Is no appropriation for Secretary
Of the Board of Health-then it NAV be
said that the Board in general. and its
! resident IN particular, are responsible
Lor any shortcomings, and that they ought |
~ " NANtSahoA ~ MulleNdSl themselves 1
oy any scheme SO unworkable as that set
forth by the Government PAPER.
1t Is blandly suggested that some lama
-eurl fools should rush in. where highly |
oald angels fear to tread.
An able Minister of the Interior. a com
oetent Superintendent of Public Works.
nded by professional advice, might in a
ew months and at small outlay Of money,
educe to minimum the evils which the
physical situation of Honolulu threaten.
a large town. situated but few feet
Ibove Its harbor, which has no tidal scour.
PRESENTS question, soluble no doubt, by
ngIneers, provided only that the means
we're forthcoming.
But as It is, no sane person. outside the
ing, will lend the money, or entrust ex-
,,enditure to mere incompetent slaves of
he ring.
The very virtuous, and seeming-plaus
bic scheme by which our versatile Premier
nd President Of Boards seeks to shuttle
rs responsibility on to the shoulders of