The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-05-22
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

A NUMBER of the electric lamps
have not been lighted in the city for
the past two or three nights, on ac-
count, it is said, of insuffciency of
water to furnish the requisite power
to keep them burning The unlit
lamps are those which can best be
dispensed with temporarily, without
detriment to the service.
IT is not generally known that
there is an agreement between the
British and German Governments,
by which the latter are free to extend
their power over 122, 800 square miles
in Eastern Africa, while the former
reserves $4,000 square miles, Ger
many has already established protec-
torates over 25,9O0 square miles, in
addition to the above. The Sultan of
Zanzibar is restricted to $3.50 square
miles in narrow belt along the
western coast.
VIs1ToRs as well as residents must
have noticed the great improvement
which is taking place in the roads of
the city. 1t will not be long before
one can drive from the wharf to the
Pail, or to Kapiolani Park, over roads
almost as smooth as a floor Not
only will the pleasure of drive be
greatly enhanced, bnt the wear and
tear on vehicles very much reduced.
Indeed, if it were not for the daily
runaways and smashes. the vocation
of the carriage factories would be
sadly interfered with, and wheel
wrights may yet wish for bad roads
again. If the Reform Government
has done nothing else, it has demon
strated that it is practicable to make
and keep good roads in Honolulu.
IT IS well-known that in England
and some European countries, there
has of late years been growing a
strong feeling against vaccination,
The success of the characterization
lists is aptly shown by the results in
Zurich, Switzerland, where for
number of years, until 1883, a com
pulsory vaccination law obtained, and
small pox was wholly prevented mot
a single case occurred in 1882. The
result was seized upon in the follow
ing year by the Observation-Disclosures,
and used against the necessity for
any such law, and it seems they had
sufficient influence to cause its re-
peal. The death returns for that
year (1SS3) showed that for every
LOCO deaths two were caused by
smallpox in 1884 there were three !;
in 1885, seventeen; and in the first
quarter of 1886, eighty-tive.
The new treaty with China, now
before the United States Senate, has
been amended to prohibit the return
of all Chinese laborers not now in
the United States, whether they pos
sess return certificates under existing
laws or not. Another article has
been made more prohibitive by the
following clause "And should the
description of the person or the
representation as to the character,
profession or business of the person
producing such certificate, or if said
certificate is proven false, the right
to enter the United States therein
der or of continued residence therein,
shall in such case be forfeited, and
no Chinese subjects, whether officials,
teachers, students, merchants or
traders, shall be permitted to enter
the United States by land or sea
without producing to the officer of
customs the certificate required here
in to identity such person as priv
legged under this treaty to enter the
United States"
IT Is not generally known that
monster petition has been presented
to Congress in favor of the Govern
ment owning the telegraph. The
New York Herald says that it has