Evening star., 1901-11-04

life and custom wen. out with the abroea-
tion of monarchy, enough of the charms of
living remain to many to allow the years
to roll by as II one were engaged in regu-
lar pursuit OF pleasure rather than the Sc
rious duties of life. 1t must be admitted
that there are those who find themselves in
the whirl and hustle Of business ana slaves
to exacting cares and responsibilities but
this condition Is largely one Of their own
seeking and foreign to the natural require
ments Of the country. Those who appre-
ciate life freed from its more rigid conven-
tionalitiss win find Hawaii a fascinating
resort and delightful home"
The raising of stock has received new
life during the past two years owing to
the great advances in the price of meat
The production of milk is very expensive,
for all the bran, middlings and other food
stuffs have to be shipped from the MAIN
land. Sorghum and alfalfa are grown for
fodder. but these are Insufficient TO produce
a good flow of milk. unless combined with
other food. Milk sells at retail for 10 and
IL cents a quart, and from selected cows Is
cents quart.
The progress of public instruction has
been upon the whole satisfactory, although
the department has been seriously ham
pered for want of sufficient funds for the
erection of necessary school buildings to
accommodate the increasing school popuIa-
ton. 70
The Leprosy Question.
Considerable attention Is given by Mr.
Islands. There is still some controversy as
to whether or not the disease is contagious,
but from observations 1t may be safely as
serted that if it is Contagious 1t is not so
In all cases, nor Is 1t necessarily hereditary.
Many Instances are recorded where wives
have remained with their husbands for
many years without contracting the dis
ease The disease probably has been in
herited In many cases, but usually does not
make its appearance until after the sixth
year. In the great majority of cases. how
ever, children born Of parents who are
lepers are not afflicted with the disease.
The disease does not always shorten life
but in most cases the victims do not sur.
yive more than ten years. Conditions of
life must play an important part in the
contraction of the disease. Here 1t is very
rarely found among other nationalities than
the Hawaiians and Chinese, the Hawaiians
far outnumbering all others. Innoculation
probably accounts for the cases occurring
among Caucasians No positive cure for
the disease has yet been found, although
many remedies have been used to arrest its
progress receiving hospital is in opera
tion at Kalihi about two miles from Homo
lulu, and permanent hospital has been es-
tabished on the northern side Of the Is
land of Molokai The settlement at Molo-
kai is we'll adapted for the purpose 1t
comprises about $500 acres and Is sur
rounded on three sides by the sea and on
the other by sheer precipice ranging from
1,S0O to 1000 feet in height. 1t is inacces-
sible except from the sea and by single
trail cut into the face of the mountains.
No one IS allowed to visit the settlement
except by permission of the board Of health
No one who has made a trip to the settle
ment at Molokai can truly say that he
would care to go again unless duty called
him there: yet the inhabitants, In spite OF
their terrible aff1fction, are almost univer-
sally happy and contented. BY a diligent
enforcement of .the law strong hopes are
entertained that the disease Will be eradi-
Gated from the islands Soon.
The Hno Railway Company, chartered
May 2S. 1899. has built, tracks from Waia-
kea. at the east side,,of Hilo harbor, to
Kapoho. In the district Of Puma, dis
tance Of twenty-four miles. The Kohala
and Hilo Railway Cornpany has sur
veyed the line Of road from the city of
Hilo via Hakalau, Eaupahoehoe, Ookala,
Kukufhaele and Waineae to the port of
in the dlstrictyof North Kohala,
distance OF ninety nine and three-fourths
miles. The area contighous to the line of
this road and contribnt ory thereto now un-
der successful cultivation is some 10000
acres. The additional area Of land which
will derive benefit from The construction of
this road Is approximately 100, 900 acres Of
first-elass land. The road connects with
twenty-one sugar plantations, the product
of which is about 100000 tons of sugar an
nually vi, - rts..
The estimates for appropriation required
for the next fiscal year aggregat 81, AZ 444