The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-10-20
NORTH HILo SPEAKS.

Against the Recommendations
of the Public Lands Committee.
EDITOR Bulletin
We, the regularly elected Road
Board of North Hilo, Hawaii, acting
under the request of the residents of
our district, beg leave to protest
against the recommendation of the !
Public Lands Committee so far as
this district is concerned, as made |
quate for our actual necessities, and !
in comparison with recommendations |
for other districts decidedly unjust
and unfair, and showing that not
member of said committee have the
slightest knowledge of the existing
state of affairs here as regards the
numerous distractions to travel.
And we trust to the spirit of fair
ness that pervades the members of
the House to right this wrong and
place us at least on level with our
neighboring districts and allow us
in the first section sum that will
cover the expenses that must be in
Cured in order to guard against loss
of life, limb and property.
1t is probably unknown to large
portion of the Legislature that this
district has, at the present time, no
regular acknowledged thoroughfare
from Hakalau to Kepehu, distance
of about nine miles, as the trail has
from time to time, as it became i'm
passable, been changed until it now
mostly traverses private property,
ri ch 81 hn
fencing, as some are now doing, and
thus contine travel to the original
trail, it would be absolutely impossi-
BILE after even moderate rain to
make the journey.
We have about thirty streams in
the district, which contain water the
year round, and only small pro-
portion are bridged, while at least
three others, each of which has
caused the death of number of
persons, still remain as death traps,
in spite of the attention of the gov
eminent having been drawn to them,
for several years past. and their hav-
ing been most earnestly pleaded
with by the present Road Board
without avail, while Central Hilo
through the more forcible importu-
mites of its energetic Board succeed
ed in securing enough for all actual
wants and much that was not neces-
sary by comparison.
We think that any of the honora-
BILE members that are acquainted
with this coast will agree with us
when we say that Hakalau gulch
menaced as it is by both ocean and
stream, with its precipitous APP
proaches, and unreliable footing, is
the most dangerous gulch in any
settled district of the Hawaiian
Kingdom, and should be made at
least safe without further delay
And that NinaE, whose innocent APP
pearance has in the near past lured
at least two to death, and Malua
which every year adds victim
should receive attention.
We have fourteen bridges to keel
in repair, all of which are owe
streams that do not admit of pas
sage in any other way except in the
dryest season. One of these, Mo
nauloa, has been in dangerous con
dition for two years, during which
time the attention of the govern
ment has been repeatedly drawn tt
it without avail and it has only beer
kept in position by praps mad'
from slender trees cut in the vicinity
until now even these fail to sustain
it and it is barred against travel
and did we have our usual we
weather all communication woult
be impossible except on foot be
tween the different parts of the dis
trict. This bridge must be rebuilt
and the estimated cost is tire,
thousand dollars. Kahakupuk;
bridge is now kept from falling b,
some flooring planks placed unde
it as temporary relief, but as it i
much out of line and steadily set
thing it will be safe but few week
more and must be replaced at cos
of 1880, so that these two structure
alone will take more than the com
mittee has recommended
We claim that this district ha
more reason to expect assistanc
from the Government than an
other on this island, for reasons tina
demand no argument. First-W
constitute the central link in tn
only road from the northern end @
the island to Hilo, and consequent
it is travel from other districts tina
is largely responsible for the ba'
condition of the trail. Hamakua
Waimea and both of the Kohala
make use of us, while we seldom
make use of them. Secondly-W
have thus far never had any road
built for us and there now exist
only three miles of fairly good roa,
between Hakalau and Kepehu Al
the rest is muddy path not owe
two feet wide. Thirdly-Our dis
trict is a poor one, having a yer
small road tax, having now (sinc
the Laupahoehoe Sugar Co. ha
ceased employing men) only part c
two plantations, so that the amour
brought forward as our probabl
road tax by the committee is apt t
mislead, as instead of $500 as state
by them it will be about $500
which together with the sum II
commended would give us $1,000
year with which to take care of 81,
teen miles of the worst road in tn
kinudom haciHaS ralnil 1;n,r nj Loo.