The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-09-04
He Gives inc Portland Oregon
ian Some Pointers.
WHAT HE SAYS OF TAXES.
Is "Ur North" Looking After New Inter
Island steamer-Good Words For Coffee
Industry = Digs San Francisco Cores
rordents in The Ribs in His Remarks.


land Oregonian of Aug. q. He is presi-
dent of the Inter-Island Steam Naviga-
ton Company, and is one Of the most
prominent business men of the Islands,
where he has resided for some eighteen
years He is an old time ship master,
and for years before locating at the ISL
ands was captain on the line OF vessels
plying between San Francisco ana l1o-
nolulu. In leaving this connection he
took the first vessel to the Islands to en-
gage in the traffic for the company of
which he is now president. He married
at the Islands years ago, and has a con-
siderable family. His wife and children
accompanied him as far as San Fran
cisco, where they are now awaiting his
return. Captain Godfrey is here en-
route to the Sound with Captain W. H.
Hall, who is building new steamer
for the Inter-Island Companys fleet.
This is a fine vessel of $50 tons register
and is designed for speed o. y knots.
with cabin accommodations for 40 pas
sengers. 1t is the ninth boat Captain
Hall has built for this company, and it
is the eighty-third vessel built at the
Port Blakeley ship yards. BoLh Captain
Godfrey and Captain Hall are fine
types of the old time, weather bronzed
"square-riggers, but they are as ia
miliar with steam as with sailing yes
sells.
It is doubtful if any one is more IA
miliar with Island affairs than Captain
Godfrey. He chatted courieously on
these matters with an Oregonian repre-
sentative yesterday, apparently viewing
Hawaiian politics from a non partisan
standpoint. He said:
Everything is moving along quietly
and smoothly under the present Sow
eminent regime at the Islands, all pub
lie affairs being fabricated by the spirit
of progress, improvements in the shape
of new streets, new roads, fine side
walks and well kept public buildings
have made themselves very consplcu-
Gus within the past year or two, and
feeling of general satisfaction prevails
among all influential inhabitants, IN
Guiding those of native birth, ana II
will probably not be so very many years
before the native population as whole
will grow to feel thoroughly reconclled
10 the change. and swear allegiance 10
the Government, whereby they can Sc
cure their franchises as citizens, and all
will work together for the advancement
OF the rich and beautiful little corner
of the tropics.
Before the present Government as
sumed the control of affairs the march
of public improvements was not exact
ly visible to the naked eye. That debt
of $4,000, 900 is but fiea-bite compared
to the wealth of the country. Taxes are
now but l per cent on a low assessment
valuation of property, and this l per
cent is the only tax-it covers all ex-
penses of the Government, local and
general, and it is due July l each year
Tourist travel is increasing rapidly
The Islands have become long since
world famous as health resort, and
strangers flock to us now in great num-
bers. The climate continues at the same
old stand, the mercury lowering in the
neighborhood of so degrees the yea1
round. l found it at 104 when l reached
San Francisco, and three days later
that city was enveloped in a chilly fog
something we don't know much about
at the Islands.
THE past season has been particular
ly prosperous, the sugar planters real
izing moderate profit by reason of the
present reciprocity treaty with this
country. The crop of 1886 amounted
TO 100000 tons in round numbers. 1t is
now about off. Some $4,000 tons went tC
New York-this was the poorer grade
chiefy-and the balance was shipped
TO San Francisco. The sugar crop six
teen years ago was $4,000 tons, and il
was then thought all available land wa:
under cultivation, but the output ha.
been increasing every year. Next sea
sons crop will be apt to reach 250,0Ol
tons. Of course, like grain here, the
crop depends upon the weather, but ia
vorable weather is the usual thing ou
there.
''The Island coffee industry is begin
ming to make very considerable show
ing. The coffee comes from the Kon;
district on the south side of the IslanC
of Hawaii. This is the dry district o
the Islands, and the coffee is grown OF
the uplands The Kona coffee, as it il
beginning to be known all over thu
world, is superior to almost any othel
variety, and brings now 2 cents NOR
than any other, l am told, in the Sal
Francisco markets.
Referring to the rapidly increasing
inter-isIand trade, in which he is inter
ested, Captain Godfrey continued:
There are nineteen steamers nov
engaged in this trade, and three NOR
are being built, two for our compan!
and one for the Wilder Steamship Com
pany. These two companies, which
handle the traffic between the Islands
and about their shores, are distinc
concerns and are operated Independent
". although the stock is chiefly owned
bv the same persons, so there is nj
competition.
Returning again to the political af
fairs of the Islands, Captain Godfre!
touched with some sarcasm upon tn
sensational accounts of occurrences a
written up by the special correspond