The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-09-22
The Government Not Respon-
sible for Backwardness.
GRADING OF THE STREETS.
Rolling Stones Gather no Moss but HiIOites
do-Duty of the Road Board-Approrria-
lions for improvements Money Now Avail
able Delay in Grading Front Street.

that the one thing needful to their
earthly happiness is municipal govern
ment, whereby they might have a
mayor, town council and such other
officers as might appropriate sufficient
money to give them new public build
ing, harbor and good roads.
One day spent in Hilo will impress
the visitor with the idea that the place
has been neglected by the Government,
and another day will set them to Won
dering what the people have done for
the town In a conversation with a
high official of the Government yester-
day on the subject of Hilo improve
ments which should be made, new
light was shed.
1.-The people do not or will not I'M
derstand," said he, that the Govern
ment has nothing to do with street
grades and sidewalks. Repairs or I'M
provements to old roads or streets are
in the, hands of the local road hoard,
and if the streets Of Hilo are not graded
the fault is with them. Here ill Hone
lulu, and it is the same in HilG, appro-
priations are made from current re-
ceipts for improvements to old streets
or roads. Surveys are made and the
Supervisor sets the pace.
"The appropriation from current re-
eeipts for Hilo is $4,000 and of this
amount $4,000 is available. Out CT this
streets may be graded or widened as di-
rected. The appropriation from the
loan bill cannot be used on any old
roads or streets, but must be used in
Hawaii for new roads, wharf and break
water. | can SCI no reason, under the
circumstances, why Front street should
not have had complete and good grade
and sidewalk on at least one side of
the street years ago.
In Honoiulu orders are issued that
certain streets shall be curbe1 and side
walks be kept free from weels. The
law which Oh aims here is the same in
Hilo, and if the same conditions do.
not exist il is the fault of The people,
the road board and the supervisor, not
the Government.
1T has been difficult in the asst to
secure the services of really good men
on the board in Hilo; men who were
willing to act looked after the streets
in the vicinity of their own holdings,
and let the other sections go. l under
stand that competent surveyor will
be sent to Hilo within few weeks
for the purpose of fixing the grades
of the streets. When that is done, the
| work of grading should be pushed
wherever possible. 1 believe the grade
of Front street and the mauka street
line is fixed at the Spreckels building
at the corner of Waenuinui.
But the grade ends just there and l
doubt if anything can be done toward
extending it for the present. The makai
side of the street for a considerable
distance is claimed by Spreckels, and in
consideration of the Government allow
| ing them to extend their corner block
several feet over the old line, the
Spreckels' agreed to pay $1,000 cash
and give the Government the same
number of feet on the other side. The
money was paid promptly, but there
was dispute about the land and the
case was taken into court while Judge
Cooper was on the bench Before he
could render a decision he was trans
ferred to the Department of Foreign
Affairs, and the case is still undecided.
If Front street is not promptly widened
after the grade is again fixed, the fault
will rest in the Judiciary Department
rather than in the Government proper
You complain of the lack of side
walks That is solely the fault of the
people whose property faces the streets
They have been used to walking in the
streets and over rough roads for hall
century, and it is a difficult thing to
convince such people that sidewalks
would be pleasanter to the younger
generation of pedestrians. The people
of Hilo should demand that a survey
be made and the width of the side
walks fixed; when that is accomplished
it is the duty of the road board
through the supervisor. to see that the
walks are made.
IF such instructions are not carried
out by the property owners in Homo
lulu the supervisor does it and charges
it to the property and forces collection
The same may be done in Hilo if tbs
people want Improvements. They mus
not sit down and wait for the Govern
ment to do it all.
1T was not the Government funds
which made Honolulu the beautiful
lplace it is; the progressive men of the