The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-02
THE ROADS.

Tucked away at the end of the report
is detailed statement of the eXpend-
itures under the Public Works for the
year ending December 81, 1896.
One of the main things that inter
ests The Star in this statement is the
manner of expenditure of the funds
for roads. One does not wish to bore
ones readers with figures, but in deal
ing with questions like these one has
to use them.
In all, according to this statement,
the expenditures for roads, authorized
by the Executive Council. has been
100000. and of this, also according to
statement, $67,175.17 have been spent.
Of course the Minister of Finance has
to cut his coat according to his cloth,
but it is interesting to note how he
cuts his cloth and in what manner he
uses the pieces. He cannot have more
money than he has in the Treasury
and from the proper proportion of the
Loan Fund, so the only criticism is
whether the Minister and the Cabinet
have properly divided the funds at
their disposal.
Analysing the appropriations al
lowed it will be found that they are
eighteen in number and that eXpend-
itures have been made upon fourteen
of them, leaving four authorized en-
penditures untouched. These four are
the roads to Makawao HomesteHds,
$4,000; to Laval, mauka of Koloa.
$4,000, to the top of Pukaki Hill from
the Halawa stream, $4,000, and Sec
ton of part of the Volcano road for
certain lots amounting to $4,000. Nee
essary as these are, the Ministry. has
been justified in not expanding any
money upon them, because there are
many places which have been in fa.'
more desperate need. SO far the Gov
eminent has done well. There is. how
ever, room for criticism upon tie OK
penditures made proportionally upon
the fourteen roads which have been al
tended to.
In the first place while. in some
cases, giving only ten per cent OF the
appropriation to some districts and in
most only fifty per cent of the appro-
priation, it is not clear why Koloa
should have had the whole of the $1,000
allowed, spent upon it. 1t is certainly
"a point which needs explanation.
OF the $4,000 allowed for new roads
in Honolulu, S6.561.93 have been ex-
pended, which is a fair proportion. The
new roads of South Hilo have had
more than half of their appropriate ION
of 100000 spent upon them. The same
is true of North and South Kona, and
the new road to the Kaiwik Home
steads. But in North Hilo NV
$1,72S.04 has been spent, out of $40 600
and Heaven knows the road between
Hakalau and Maulua gulch is bad
enough. Puma, again, which has prac-
tically no roads, has had less than a
third of its appropriation spent ul,cn
it. The roads to the Hamakua Home
steads have had less than one-seveGth
the full proportion of expenditure
should have been made, for there are
two dangerous gulches in wet weather,
where several people have lost their
lives, and the Portuguese homestead
ers very naturally refuse to send their
children to school whenever it rains
Another very important road, which
has not had it's full share of its APP
preparation, is that between Makena
and Kula. This is the main artery for
very large traffic. Thousands of bags
of corn and potatoes and hundreds of
pigs go over it every month, and guam
titles of supplies are brought back in
return. These have all to be carried,
except the pigs, on the backs of horses
and donkeys. You can see strings of
them vending their way down almost
daily. For the trade from Kula goes
both ways. When the Kinau is on her
up trip produce is sent to the ports
of Hawaii, on the down trip the pro-
duce comes to Honolulu What is
needed is good wagon road from the
boundary line between Ulupalakua
and Kula, down to the landing at Ma
kena, and it is to be hoped that during
1897, the whole of the appropriation
may be spent. 1t is one of the most
necessary roads on Maui
Lastly there is the road between Ku-
hala and Waimea. Out of an appro-
priation of $4,000 only $6s.5O have been
spent. 1t is possible that one man with
spade has been sent to dig down the