The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-12-25

FACTORIES
Poi Manufactured
In Filthy
Shacks.
PRESENT METHODS
ARE CONDEMNED
Health Board Passes Resolution
Compelling Makers TO Use
Only Pure Water.

OF the Board of Health is obtained
through a certificate from Food Com
missioner Shorey, saying that the wa
ter to be used is sufficiently pure fol-
such USE This is in effect the force
of resolution adopted by the Board al
yesterdays meeting acting upon a re-
port of a special committee of which
M. P. Robinson was the head.
The committee has been making a
searching examination into the poi fac
tories of Manoa and Kalihi Valley for
several weeks, and it's findings are a
severe condemnation of the present
methods of manufacture
The committee reported that the most
of the poi factories are situated above
the government water supply and are
located on the edge of the patches from
which they derive their supply of taro.
The buildings are reported to be moth
ing but shacks and only three of the
factories have concrete floors, and even
in these cases the surroundings are
filthy, and the water polluted.
These bitches and branches through
the whole valley are tapped from the
main ditch, which gets it's head from
some higher level direct from the
creek says the committee, and
through its long distance travel Is con-
stantly gathering up seepage and vege-
higher levels, as it meanders all along
it's course. This alone is a source of
danger from having decomposing or
ganic matter held in suspension. But
the greater source of danger lies from
the fact that the already large and
increasing numbers of Inhabitants and
residences, in the upper portions of the
valley living near to the main source
of supply which furnishes the bitches
below, is in your committees opinion,
where the greatest evil exists. Evil
dences that this source is polluted in
many ways is quite apparent, such as
washing clothes in the stream, bathing,
and from seepage from the residences
near the streams, constantly going on;
from the great amount of rains and
moisture in this portion of the valley,
so that great and imminent risk of
spreading fatal diseases, ike typhoid
and other diseases which water has
great affinity for, carrying to long dis
tances from its source, must happen
Some day, and it's result is fearful to
contemplate.
Now these factories draw off from
these branch bitches, their supply of
water into hole in the ground, say
about two feet deep by ten feet square
to allow it to settle it's mud and dirt
which it has gathered on its way, from
this they say they fill barrels to fur
Their settle and clarity, this they use
to mix in pounding the faro and thin
ming, it to sell as poi, which the manu-
facturers think in their ignorance is
all that is required.
From a sanitary and scientific point
of view this matter must be remedied
as soon as possible, or some day we
will realize that remedial action should
have been taken sooner.
Your committee would suggest that
all poi factories in future be not al
lowed in any location where the supply
of water is not derived from the wa
ter works mains, unless provided they
can furnish their supply of water from
some purer source, such as from a good
spring or WELL and that such water
be analysed and passed upon by the
Board of Health chemist, E. c. Shorey
in regard to its purity before grant
ing the privilege Furthermore the ap-
plication of this rule be enforced on
these three factories visited and on any
others, carrying on this line of business
under similar surroundings and condi-
tons so that this most healthy article
of food may be placed above faint and
suspicion.
The following is the resolution adopt
ed unanimously by the Board of Health:
The manufacture of poi shall not be
carried on in the District of Honolulu,
Island of Oahu, except in such places
as pure supply of water is obtainableI
and used for that purpose; and no sup
ply of water shall be used for the man
ufacture of poi unless a certificate has
been obtained from the Government
Food Commissioners stating that the
same is sufficiently pure for such use.