The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-24


! ted, being as yet incomplete, but the
immense losses suffered in the Kona
and kau districts. TO which attention
has been called, viii show a further
marked decrease in both values and
population.
FROM the lists We gather that OF the
total amount of taxes collected from
the whole Island for the year 1903
s2SS,2ss.7s or 1884 per cent came from
East Hawaii and only Sos, ga. 81 or 27.16
per cent from West Hawaii
The districts were placed in this or
der 10 conform to the Counties as ar
ranged by the late County Act, the
former representing East, the latter
West Hawaii County. The suggestio
has been made to remove Hamakua
from the East County to the West,
transferring Kau from the West to the
East County. The showing made by
this change would be but an unim-
portant one, inasmuch as the total gain
of Hamakua to the West County
would be but 81, SS7. 3d.
Again we see that the suggested SUBJ
stitution of Hamakua for Kau would
not sensibly affect the ratio. the East
side still remaining numerically SUI
perior, in the ratio of 81 per cent to
Ss per cent, as per census of 1900.
The population in the first four dis
tricts has materially increased since
the census of 1890 and this contention
Is borne out by a review of the poll
tax lists for 1903: see column No. 8,
showing East Hawaii had 1916 tax
payers, or 73 per cent and West Ha-
wall, 1862 or p per cent.
There are 1908 taxpayers on the
1908 lists which indicates further that
the receipts in road tax, see column
No. 4, were as follows:
East Hawaii, $26352 or 70 per cent.
West Hawaii, $9.724 or 81 per cent.
The total road mileage, not including
homestead roads in North and South
kona, on the Island of Hawaii, is
about as shown in column No. 5, show
ing East Hawaii with 200 miles or Les
per cent and West Hawaii, $50 or 1884
per cent.
The road taxes are special deposit
to be drawn upon for road work only;
comparing the same with the road mile
age as per column No s, we find East
Hawaii paid $13176 per mile of road
and West Hawaii sS4.72.
From the Treasurer's Report for the
year ending June Goth, 1902 we find
that the Current Account Receipts
from all sources during that period
from the Island of Hawaii to have
been 1921, 1878, as per column No. Z,
showing East Hawaii contributed
$403, 466.48 or 76.5 per cent, and West
Hawaii 1925, .65 or 23.5 per cent
The total amount of expenditures
from Current Account Receipts during
the same period were about 1921, 90.
as per column No. s, showing that East
Hawaii received $3.50. 1880 or 1922 per
cent of what they paid in and West
Hawaii received $91. 1860 or 74.S per
cent of what they paid in.
The array of figures herewith given
demonstrates not alone that dual coun-
ty system would be impracticable
whatever the combination, but that
single system is essential for the COM
mon welfare and prosperity of all,
This really is the question of mo-
ment, and this is why the trend of
opinion points to the single county
idea
Coming next in Importance to the
question of county forms, comes the
question and choice of county seat.
Local pride, local interests, the factors
of accessibility or remoteness of con-
tiguous areas that can be rendered
tributary, proximity of such proposed
center to harbor for the accommo-
dation of shipping or to arteries of
travel, or located at the termini of
railway connections, all such are fac
tors that must be duly weighed, con-
sidered and settled at the outset. in
order that the final outcome may re-
suit in the greatest good to the great
est number.
Among the many expressions Of OPP
inion that have voiced the public SEN
tfment on this question, the prepond-
Grating choice appears to have fixed
upon Hilo as being the one place pos
all the requirements enumer-
ated.
Nesting at the foot of high hills al
most reaching down to the waters
edge, and f1anked on either side by
precipitous bluffs that fortified could
render it impregnable to assault, with
a harbor covering more than 1900 acres |
and deep enough and spacious enough |
to float all the navies of the Pacific, !
already possessing wharves where YES |
sells of heavy draft can come at low |
or high tide and debark or embark !
passengers, load and discharge freight /
day and night the year round
1t has population of about 8000 con-
tains men of money and energy, who
have made of it a great business mart. !
1t has buildings on extensive streets,
banks, stores, schools, churches and
libraries
1t is lighted by electricity. has rail- ,
road shops. mills. factories, iron and
works, lumber yards, stores,
sta bIps a MI markets
It has railroad of over so miles in
length, tapping the extensive resources
Of Olaa and Puma, bringing them into
intimate touch with the m rkets of the
mainland, with the pIoGpect of a sec
1nd railway enterprise soon to tap the
Iraa 1th Of the Central and North I1iln