The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-23
POLLUTION OF
KtALIA River
WARM CONTROVERSY HAS
BEEN AROUSED On THE GARDEN
ISLAND BY COMPLAINTS MADE.

lowing letter addressed to the KAUAI
Board of Supervisors by Prince l.. Top
pie, i'm reply to a published statement
by Col. Spalding regarding the com
plants about the pollution of Kealia
river
Kealia, Kauai, r. H., May 18th, 1906.
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors
of the County of Kauai, r. II.
Dear Sirs:-In "The Garden Island"
of even date appears a letter by Mr.. u.
$. Spaldng in reply to my complaint
regarding the pollution of Kealia river
by the refuse matter from his mill.
one would think from the way he
croaks about keeping the river open
that it was a great financial burden on
the plantation. The Japanese who
keeps the river open or pretends to do
so, informed me a few days ago that
he had a lease on small piece of land
for which he paid one hundred dollars
per year and that last year he was al
lowed thirty dollars on his rental for
the work he did in keeping the river
open. Not a very large sum, indeed, to
make such a fuss over.
The fact is that the closing of the
mouth of that river interiors with no
one, except the plantation unless the
refuse matter from the mill is dumped
into it. When the channel is closed the
river overflows the low swamp land and
is a private injury if any injury is done.
Why should the government or out
sders be expected to keep the channel
open or assist in doing so when the
benefit to be derived is also a private
one? When a private individual uses
even his own property in such a man
ner as to become a public nuisance it
then becomes public question and
should be dealt with as such.
Mr. Spalding says; Il have never
known Mr.. Topic to exert himself i'm
the least, save by word of mouth, to
keep the river channel clear" Pray,
gentlemen, why should I be expected
to clear the cesspools of Mr.. u. S.
Spalding's plantation. When | am COM
PEELED to do such spbor I shall take
service with some gentlemen whose
reputation, as to the treatment of his
faithful employees, is more to my lik
ing than his is.
Mr. Spalding invites you to "inves-
tgate the righteousness of my (his)
plantation before you make up yoUr
minds" Let me say for the informa-
ton of the Colonel that the people Of
Kauai need not investigate that par
.ticular qualification of his plantation,
for its reputation in that one thing is
so notorious that it is the common
property of the people of the whole ISL
and. At the present time of writing he
need not place his ear very near the
ground to hear fine story which is
tcing circulated all over the island i'm
Illustration of the righteousness of his
Plantation. He can even see his ORR
entail emissary galloping on his white
steed from plantation to plantation,
, hurried on from some of them by the
aid of a good whip in the hands of a
watchful guardian.
The Boards request has been treated
with the utmost contempt, as all who
live here know, Notwithstanding it was
, assured it would be treated with re-
sIeC;. 1t is gratifying to me to know
that you swallowed 'Tople and his
complaint" with no bad effects, but it
! goes without saying that if you pay to
perform the same operation with
Spalding and his river story, you will
be so nauseated that you will never be
able to get the dose down.
and have neva, hoard a cor,nIaint fror,
anvore, mr. mad ono novsaIf obo,,t that
river evcent v.ben tho Lyoolia Min ,,.,s
running have seen tho ri,,er at aood
tide during hia freshets ana have aleo
seen + at IFS lowest stage but sim M
had ooor
Last sunday 7 was ot tba vvoi1,,a
,ive,. .ha rbanne, at tho mouth ,,,,s
/ closed and tho ,i,,ed o,,arao,,,t,,o. 49,,
north borl, h,,t ro r,od .,,,,aI ,,.,,,, ,1,ora
,r,,,o r,oal,S 400 ,,,.,,, 80, ~ ,.1t,a,,,
river the cbanneI ,,a,, lIosad ',J no
ri,,a,. o,arao,,,i,,,, a,'a.,t $50, ~ .,,ie
Iand oo,t.i,, ~ af 49,, ,,t,'. a,,,.,I,.'e.
oo,c1,,sio,o r,oas r,,, r-,,,Ii,. ,,,,.,','
Iar,7 ,,,,t,i,, an ,-f,' .,ti,' 'P
st,fe ~, Lra,,,fa
rho ILo,Iis ri,,,,. &. ,,.,...,.,..,..,, tn,