The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-10-26
STRONG PLEAS FOR
CITY GOVERNMENT

No better argument for city govern
meat for Honolulu has ever be1n set
forth by any Of the friends of local
self-government than is to be found
in the report of the grand jury filed
in the Circuit Court Thursday The
conditions existing in kewalo and Ka-
kaako call for immediate attention.
and yet under the present centralized
system the government is so far away
and so hard to reach that improve
ments in these districts, which are
imperatively needed. have been neg
lected for years to the great detri
ment Of the districts in particular and
Of the city at large.
Had Honolulu a city government the
councilmen for these districts could
see TO it that their constituents re-
ceived something in return for the
taxes they pay. AS it is money can
be found in abundance by the central
lied government TO build a boulevard
around Diamond Heal, where there are
no residents. but which makes a fine
driveway for a select few. It can find
money in abundance to macadamize
the upper portion of Keeaumoku street
which does not have one dozen fami-
lies living on it, but cannot find money
to make the necessary Improvements
TO the streets in one of the most
thiekly populated sections of the city.
Here is what the grand jury says OF
the conditions of the streets in these
thickly-populated districts:
As many of the cases brought 10 the
notice of the grand jury originated in
kewalo and Kakaako. the jury visited
those localities and inspected two of their
principal tenement houses and their sur
noundings. As rain had fallen the streets
iccre found to be IN lrretched condi-
ton. They should be drained and graded
by the government wherever it has juris-
diction. and whether claimed as property
OF private individuals or corporations
they should be improved at the compul-
sion of the board of Health. as they con-
stitute not only a nuisance but are
menace to tine health of the entire neigh
borhood. Under the present law the
BOARD of Health authorizes the constrnc-
ton of dwellings upon ground that has
been raised 20 a level of four feet above
tide datum. but it does not compel the
filling of the streets upon which il abuts
or of adjacent property. The result Is
that hundreds of people are hiring amidst
HHSGnifara surroundings The grand jury
therefore recommends that the streets in
the neighborhood of the junction of Queen
and South streets and makai thereof be
nut in a pasSable and sanitary condition.
and that in the future dwelling house
permits he withheld as to lots in low "
ing districts until the surroundings there |
IF shah also have been put in proper |
sanitary condition. Although but little /
money. comoaratively speaking. is ex-
pended upon the streets of this section. l
he road taxes thereof alone amount 10 /
hundreds Of dollars each year. while the |
total assessed value of real estate for the /
rear 1900 exceeded half a million dollars. |
and taxes collected for the same period |
exceeded $S4 600. which figures viii show !
4 large increase for the current year
Does anyone believe such conditions
would have existed for months and
years as they have II the people Of
Honolulu had city government which
was elected by the people and was re-
sponsible to the peoples It only needs
a few more such reports as that pre-
scented by the late grand jury to
arouse the people to the urgent neces-
sity for a change from the centralized |
system which could merit such a re-
port as this on the streets Of Kewaio
and Kakaako and upon the Insane
Asylum
Another subject which the jury cali
"a especial attention TO which would /
be under the direct control OF a city
is the building regulations.
With the organization OF paid Are
the ONCE Of IRE marshal
seems to have been abolished and
here are now no regulations enforced
a new buildings relating to stairways
ind chimneys and fiues Here again
De supervision Of new buildings Is
Inder the Public Works Department
/ the Territory which is very far