The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-04

There was a large assembly in the
throne room of the Capitol yesterday
evening, in response to the call of the
Central Improvement Committee, in
Guiding al! citizens interested, to con-
slider THE question of Objectionable
tenement houses.
Captain John Kidwell, president, was
in the chair, and w. l.. Whitney acted
as clerk until the arrival late of G. Fl.
Dickey, the regular clerk.
c. w. Ashford presented the follow
ing resolution, which after discussion !
carried unanimously.
Whereas, during few months last !
past, there have been erected in the
residential portions of this city, num-
Der Of unsightly and probably insani-
tary structures, designed and used as
labor camps, tenements, lodging houses
and hotels of inferior equipment and
quality; and
Whereas, among the evil effects of
the presence of such structures, in such
portions of our city, are depreciation
of the values, for residential purposes,
of the lands in the localities Of such
structures, respectively; and increased
| fire risk, with attendant increase in the
/ cost of fire insurance; an impairment
of the moral tone and of the physical
| beauty and attractiveness of such local
! tiles, and rendering of those localities
! undesirable as residence sections; and
Whereas, there are now under con-
| struction other such structures, some
of which are located within a few yards
of certain of our large primary schools,
and the erection of other such struc-
lures in our best residential districts
is contemplated and threatened;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by
this meeting of members of the various
improvement clubs, and of other citl-
zens of the city of Honolulu, convened
this Ord day of December, 1908:
- Il. That we favor the enactment
by the Legislature of this Territory at
the earliest practicable dates, of such
statutes as will place within the power
of the Board of Supervisors of the City
and County of Honolulu, the compete
control and regulation of all matters
pertaining to the construction of such
buildings as are above referred to, and
others of Objectionable character, and
of their use and occupation, and OF the
use and occupation of such as have
been already erected within this City
and County; such regulation and con-
troll to be exercised along legitimate
protection of the property, comfort,
health and morals of the community;
) 20. We favor, and recommend the
. law officers of the Territory and Of
the County of Oahu, a support OF the
; ordinance recently passed by the Board
of Supervisors of this county, to pre-
vent the construction of such buildings
} as aforesaid within so feet of any
public school premises;
49, We favor the passage by sale
. Board of Supervisors, if the law officers
of the Territory and County shall deem
. the same expedient and as means o
dealing with said question in the inter
val before the next meeting of the Leg
islature, of further ordinance or ordi
nances to regulate the use and occu
pancy of such buildings of said charac
| ter as have been heretofore erecte
and are now standing in close proXim
s ity to any of our public schools, an
to regulate or prevent the erection c
such structures elsewhere in the res
Dental districts of our city, unless b
the consent of the owners and occu
pants of neighboring premises;
a. We favor the adoption of tn
/, principle (already engrafted upon tn
law providing for the sale of intoxicat
ing liquors), of permitting the owner
and occupants of neighboring premise
to exclude from, and prevent the cor
struction in, the locality of their home
,r and property, of buildings of the chal
N acter, and intended for the uses afort
8 said:
IS. We favor the appointment b
% sentative citizens with instructions
49, act with the law officers of the TER
tor ard Of the County of Oahu, al
q to pIepar" for submission to the Legi
= lature at its next session a bill or bill
= designed 20 carry into effect the for
= going principle together with such oil
= er principles and provisions as may
q requisite to a complete control of II
= subject matter herein discussed"
y Mr.. Ashford reviewed the dificulti
= of the problem, discussing the chanc
. of effective legislation by the legisl
= ture and the municipal council.
= Marston Campbell Superintendent
y Public Works, who later when ask
8 to serve on the committee promis
= instead to act with it ex-offieio leavil
4 room for one more member, in Il
81 course of remarks adverted to a b