The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-02-18
MAY ENFORCE
SIDEWALK LAW
Continued from Page one.l

gives the superintendent authority 60
order anv property owner TO construct
"a sidewalk and in case the property
owner refuses or negccts TO do so. to
build IL himself and charge the cost
up against the property. The law
makes the cost lien on the property,
but unfortunately il does not make II
"a prior lien. SO. in case property in
front of which the public works de-
partment laid sidewalk were covered
bv mortgage to the full extent Of its
value and the mortgage were TO be
force oscd the sidewalk lien would die.
This. however. would not happen except
in rare cases.
"The principal trouble is that in
order to Law walks in front of property
! must have the money to pay for them,
| And / haven t got il. have no ap.
preparation to pay such expense. Of
course. the money would come back
when the property owner was compelled
TO pay up, but the department can t
afford to wait for IT. -
The Law in the Matter,
Mr.. Campbel's attention was called
TO Section 736 of the Revised Laws,
which says:
"Anv person who shall violate any
of the regulations or rules that may be
promulgated by the superintendent of
public works uder the provisions of
| This chapter shall be deemed guilty
of n misdemeanor and shall be punish
ed bv a fine not exceeding one hundred
dollars
Mr.. Campbell thought for minute.
nTba+ is RIGHT - he said. " And there
is a rule of the department promul-
gated by McCandless when he was SUI
perintendent of public works, obligng
property owners to lay sidewalks in
front of their premises; the sidewalks
TO be of the width and manner of con
struction provided in that rule.
81 am perfectly willing to enforce
this regulation, if the supervisors viii
ask me to do so. I simply don't want
TO butt in. 1t is up to the supervi
sors. -
Superintendent Campbell s attention
was called to the fact that there il
not n public school building in Homo
lulu which is surrounded by sidewalks
In fact. on some streets the sehoo
premises are the only ones for quite ;
distance that have no sidewalks.
On Emma street. for instance, Their
are more sidewalks for the length o
the street than almost anywhere els
in Honolulu-and that is not Saying
much. The worst parts of the stree
are those in front of the Central Gram
mar School and the Royal School, wher
there are no sidewalks and where pc
destrians in rainy weather have to wad
through mud and water
"That. too, is up to the supervi
sors,n said Mr.. Campbell. "for tn
last legislature turned over to the cour
ties the care and maintenance of tn
/ public schools. 1t is the county's bus
. ness now to construct sidewalks.
J., There appears to be growing sent
!. ment among Honolulu residents. an
!. particularly more among malihinis WI
!. come here from well regulated cite
:. towns and villages, that Honolulu, ha'
:. ing passed her infancy, should begi
to assume some of the airs of a REL
/. city by constructing few Sidewalk
!. so that her streets shall resemble re;
: streets instead of COW paths. Son
c property owners have enough persons
or civic pride to build sidewalks
/ front of their places, but they are s
rare on some streets as to be much MOI
: easily counted than the property ow
IS ers who are content to leave the sire,
:. in front of their premises untidy muC
holes.