The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-04-27
REPORT ON THE
WAIKIKI SWAMPS

] Q
tions of Honolulu fhf ugh 10. draining
II the Waikiki swamps are embodied
IN the report " the waikiki Reclama
ton Commission, submitted 20 the Sen.
ate Yesterday The report hears the
/ signatures OF Marston Campbell ~
chairman. Edward T. Davis and W. W.
North. aud deals exhausiively with tho
problem that the commission was an.
pointed TO investigate in accordance
with a resolution adopted by the Legis
lature Of 1907
a bill intending to carry ont the
ideas Of the commission was also in.
/ iroduced in the Senate yesterday by
Senator Chllingworth. As there are
only four more days left to the ses-
sion Of 1909 IL Is practically impossible
for the bill 10 be passed. II is intro.
duced mainly for the purpose Of en-
! tightening the public as to what the
actual working of the reclamation plan
would be and to pave the way for the
introduction of a bill covering the same
subject in the Legislature of 1911.
The bill provides that the Super
visors of the counties and of the City
and County of Honolulu shall be EN-
powered to order the reclamation of
lands Gas the public health or interest
or convenience may require. The bill
states that when part of the cost of
reclamation is to be collected by spe-
cial assessment upon property benefited,
| the work of reclamation shall only be
undertaken upon the petition of the
owners of othirds of the property
affected.
The full text Of the commissions re-
port is as follows:
"The Revised Laws of the Territory
of Hawaii, Sections 1925 to 1884 inclu-
sive, provide certain means whereby
insanitary conditions and swamp lands
may be reclaimed and rendered sani-
tary within the District of Honolulu,
Island of Oahu. However, under the
above provisions, after the Board of
Health of the Territory has declared
such swamp lands to be deleterious to
public health, the superintendent of
Public Works may direct the owner of
such property to properly fill and drain
same and place 1t in sanitary condition.
On failure of the property owner to
comply with such notice, the Superin-
tendent of Public Works may perform
such work, and recover the cost of
same from the property owner by suit
in "a court of competent jurisdiction.
"To comply with the provisions of
Chapter SO, Sections 1925 to 1884 inclu-
sive, would require an appropriation by
the Territorial Legislature to enable
the Superintendent of Public Works TO
reclaim and drain such lands as the
owners may refuse to place in proper
sanitary condition. Without such APP
preparation, this law is practically a
dead letter and cannot be enforced.
"The Waikiki Reclamation Commits
sion, after careful consideration of the
present laws on the statute books, is
of the opinion that the reclamation OF
, the Waikiki district should not be un.
dertaken by the Territory, but should
be carried on by the City and County
of Honolulu, under special act of the
Legislature, empowering the said city
and county to create reclamation dis
tricts and to assess the cost of the
reclamation against the district benefit
ed by and through such reclamation.
"We have therefore prepared and
! submit herewith to your honorable
J body. an act entitled An act to pro
| vide for the reclamation of lands by
special assessments against the land:
, to be reclaimed and other lands to be
|
proprating the proceeds for such pur
pose giving the necessary powers tC
! the Boards of Supervisors for the recla
nation of districts which may be de
clared or are a menace to the health
of the community,
Reclamation District.
"The reclamation district should mo-
alone comprise what is known as the
J Waikiki district, but should include al
of that area bounded by Kapiolan
Park, South street, King street anC
the sea- This district is several thou
sand acres in extent and would be toe
large to bring within one reclamation
district. and we suggest that it b'
divided into several districts.
"Before any reclamation work car
be undertaken, however, a complete
system of roads must be laid out, which
should take into consideration the prob
lens of proper drainage. The mali
drainage streams flowing from the high
er lands should be taken through prope
conduits or. channels direct to the sea
This would include all streams from thu
Manoa valley. to the Ward avenue
street drainage system already con
structed. Therefore, these lands whicl
this reclamation will prevent from be
ing overfowed, as in the past, SHOULD
bear part of the cost of this reclama
ton.
: "One of the causes of the insanitar
= conditions of the lands in the low lynn
district described is due to the fac
that all of the drainage from the high
err levels of the city is discharged upo
these fats. and the streams meanderin
, hither and thither leave. after freshet
:, have passed. pools which soon becom
u stagnant and offensive, and hot bed
t. for mosquito propagation.
It GAS the population on the highe
% levels of the city increases, the cond
ton of these lower levels will necei
q sarily grow worse. There is nothin
y more directly related to the question Q
the public health and comfort of til
residents of the city of Honolulu an
- outlying districts than the reclamatio
s. of these swamps.
te "With the increase in shipping an
IS travel between these islands and mail
is land and South American ports, aft'
- n a.