The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-04-06
PLAGUE TO WNDNARD 2
ccoaunued from Page -
Burial Committee Report

Health
Sl. iuy committee 10 whom was re-
feried a resolution to prOhluit further
uuIIats ia uouO4utu Dts 90 Itp-.t.
tne uNercrUW coalition Of the
grave ydids OF nOuOluIu nas iOr a iUHs
time been matter winch has TO- Ced
itseIt upon puDdC consideration and has
~ essInsly demanded y. ompt aC,On. "a
ApiI, 1850, ~. EIiuioOn IUI tnc SAM
.tlry committee, DrOught the m..t,,r be-
zone the board and recommended that
IndIsCIminate burials Ia Honolulu De
stopped. Inc suDJcCl was Ieteri ed to
a SPECIAL committee, who made a re
pOIt recommending kahauiki as a SUIT
able site Tor "a new Cemete, y. IN 1898
the Legislature authorized the Minister
OG the interior to act apart portions of
the pubic domain IOr Du,idl puTpO es.
ie subject then received the earnest
attention OF the Executive. While the
selection Of site was under consid-
GRAFTON the public DOMAIN passed from
tne control of the Executive aud no fur
tner action has been possible on the
lines contemplated by the legislature.
There are twenty-one burial places in
Honolulu. The principal ones are filed
nearly to their capacity. Some a.e in
sites which should never have been oc-
cupied for the purpose. There seems
to be no room for difference OF opinion
as to the necessity for new grounds.
The choice of locality, however, pre-
sents considerable difficulty. In the
past burial grounds in Honolulu have
been located without any regal d to the
growth OF the city. AS We are now
Just entering upon new chapter in our
history under conditions of me bright
est promise II would be ineXcus able to
repeat the old mistake. The valleys
back OF the town do not offer proper
conditions; the land to the eastward
is rocky until the fuI lher slope of Wal
alae is reached. a suburb is springing
up in this direction and it is in the
natural line of growth of the city for |
res .dence purposes. 1t being the direc- |
ton from which the trade winds blow, |
furnishes additional reason why this |
section should be used for dwellings, |
and not for burials. TO the westward |
the Executive had under consideration |
TWO years ago the land of Halawa and |
the land of Kahauki. Both of these
tracts are suitable for the purpose, al
though the latter might be considered
too near town. The Board of Health
:hould have readily approved of either.
Unfortunately neither are at present
available. One has been acquired for
plantation use, and the other set apart
by the Federal Government for army
purposes. The Board of Health Is not
vested with authority TO purchase land
for burial purposes There Is nothing,
however to prevent private enterprise
from providing the land. The function
Of the Board is that of approval only.
The duty is by law (sS72 Penal Laws) |
placed upon the Board to make all |
regulations which It may judge neces-
sary for the interment of the dead and |
expecting cemeteries and burying |
grounds" This clearly makes 1t in |
upon the Board to prohibit the
of cemeteries and the
burial of bodies in improper places. |
This brings us to the most important |
aspect of the whole subject: the effect
tricts upon the public health.
On this point we quote the following |
found in an article by Mr..
her. 1898. of the North American Re-
view
(The quotation is lengthy and dwells
On the historical proof of epidemics
having been caused by the prox nifty
IF grave yards to cities. Its last par
lgraph saysO
"Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchill said in
/ report to our Common Council, May
80, 1925: Earth PARTIES contents of
graves on the principe that watet, iii
,leanslng clothes, becomes Itself foul.
"A commission recently appointed to
investigate sanitary conditions OF all
,rave yards in Denmark, was obliged to
ondenn COS out OF total number OF
80 German authorities have forbid
len the use of water from any well
ituated within 800 yards of a grave.
Experience has shown that cemeteries
Mould, by law, be banisned far outside
ne limits of any city; that no grave
hould be opened before complete de
of the body, and that
uerefore only one body should be per
lltted in one grave,
Precautions like these would les
en- the danger, but no method, otneI
nan cremation, will absolutely destl oy
Il GEL ms OF sickness In Il cast-on body
none by which, without giving OF
ense, 1t can swnuy be converted mo
shes
Your committee are convinced that
he present system OF ln,erments has
deleterious erect upon the health OF
ne community. Typhoid fever and
ther diseases which were unknown in
lew years ago a4e becoming
ommon. The natural conditions about
from health standpoint are
neNcelled the world over. 1t Is quite
ossible 10 recover the lost ground and
o reduce the death rate to its normal
ow point, No means bearing on this
blect, or tending to do 50, should be
eglected AS community we should
re derelict in duty in failing to take
very step possible to perfect our sani-
AIRY surroundings,
Your committee urge therefore the
dOption of resolution prohibiting
General burials within the settled por-
ions of Honolulu or In near proximity
hereto. Having railroads and rapid
ransit companies, with whom arrange
uonts can be made for funeral trains,
distance from town Is no longer an OBJ
ection.
The committee appreciate the mental