The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-04-27

slhetrue features af iha problem. hut
Go present A. Nnuf honorable badt the
ns.e ssaff tthtmr ~ uian Coz nhantlhr
tni csffYinE IN tHls rediameilin
work Nniit Tire condition ~ theae
sHanirt nnert ihe entire cts ana
county Of Honolulu the wnrk 10 ~
such mhenltuds and cost thu, ID could
not properly Boz borne by the Issuance
NJ bonds either by the Territory W the
City and county ~ Honolulu. ~ by
direct taxation.
Problems ~ this character have been
solved In mainland communities
through the method suggested In the
act presented herewith Neither the
Territory nor the city and county OF
Honolulu through taxation or the H.
suance Of bonds could AFFORD 10 carry
on and complete this work II there
fore becomes the obligation Of the
property TO carry the burden Of its inn
provement. This method OF improve
ments Is a new one In this Territory.
as far as statutory laws are concern
ed. The property-owners however.
have In certain districts OF Honolulu
borne the burden Of reclamation. es-
pecially within the district lying be-
tween Alakea street, South street,
Queen street and the waterfront.
"The property have, OF neces-
sity. due to the increase in value of
lands within this district. been com
PEELED TO fill and reclaim them, the
Territory. however having construct
/ ed the necessary drainage bitches and
storm sewers at its expense
| zone has only to look at the district
mentioned above. today to remember
what 1t was ten years ago. and APP
preciate what reclamation has meant
to the city OF Honolulu
"The scheme of creating reclamation
districts gives the owners of property
and those benefited an opportunity.
through the Issuance OF bonds
against the property, to distribute.
| at a low rate of interest, the cost of
reclamation over a long period Of
years. 1t must be remembered, how
ever, under this scheme of formation
OF reclamation districts, that not alone
the lands so reclaimed shall bear the
burden of the cost, but also the lands
benefited by such reclamation. Nee
essarily, certain portions of the high
er lands, the drainage from which
bear a portion of the cost in relation
to the benefits derived. This work, If
carried out to completion, under n
general bond issue would create a
bonded Indebtedness almost equal to
the present bonded Indebtedness of
| the Territory of Hawaii
In this reclamation scheme there
are presented certain important ques-
kiki district which are producing
revenue varying from $40 to $50 per
acre per year, which will, through rec
lamatlon. be valueless for any agri-
cultural purposes, such as are now be-
ing conducted on these lands which
will become town property; while it
will create in certain localities desira-
BILE residence property which, added
to the several thousand town lots and
the many unoccupied lots within the
city of Honolulu that may be utilized
for town lots, would require an in
crease of from so to so per cent. above
the present population of Honolulu.
Against Delay.
THE reclamation, SO far as the fill
ing of the swamp lands is concerned,
can be gradual. The drainage works
of the entire district, however. must
be accomplished within the shortest
time possible, so as to relieve the
present ponds and springs.
Portions of the swamp lands lying
between King street and Kalakaua ave-
nue. are deriving their waters not alone
from streams but also from large
springs. In taking these springs and
streams direct to the sea through con-
duits or masonry channels, grade would
be gained, with a consequent lowering
in the water level of the swamp lands
Investigations have been made
which show that large areas in this
country are apparently affected by the
rise and fall of tide, but it has been
proven that very little or any of the
polluted storm water reaches the sea,
there simply being slight subsistence
with the falling tide, large portion of
which, however, is carried back by the
incoming tide Consequently very lit
. tile or none of the pollution from the
duck ranches and other sources reach
the sea. Float experiments have demon
strated this fact beyond the shadow of
| doubt
"If the Legislature, in its wisdom,
the commission, law, all machinery nee
essary to carry out this important work
is provided, so that the City and Coun-
} ty of Honolulu can Immediately cause
, the necessary surveys TO be made and
to institute proceedings for the acquire
l ment of reclamation districts.
"The commission has not sect fit or
l deemed it necessary to go into detail
: regarding the insanitary conditions OF
Waikiki district as these have been
Y most fully covered in various reports
2 made by the Territorial Board OF
I Health and its inspectors, and the com
: munity is well acquainted with the
n conditions there existing.
2 "This commission has given careful
5 consideration to the plan and scheme
e of reclamation as presented by Mr.: l.
5 f. Pinkham, and while agreeing OF
many points, does not favor the pro
T posed lagoon, which would practically
|. be a tidal estuary and of no particular
/, value in the drainage scheme for thi,