The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-04-24
MACOON'S TALK
At MASS MEETING

In view of the reports concerning
the Magoon block, the following ac-
count of Magoons remarks at the
mass meeting on Friday evening has
been handed to The Star by j Alfred
Magoon:
l had not intended to say any
thing, but one speaker has made re-
marks personal to me, and feel that
1 ought to answer him. do not think
that anything will be gained by per
sonalities or attacks upon any indi-
vidual If anything is to be accom-
plished it is by a general campaign
against all sources of contagion ire
spective of the individual. In answer
to the speaker who has made this per-
sonal reference to me that the rooms
of the Magoon block are so over
crowded that the health and morals
of the occupants are prejudicially af-
fected, and that many not finding
sleeping quarters in the rooms are
compelled to sleep on the verandas,
have to say that l deny this state
ment. The fact is that not only are
the rooms not overcrowded, but they
are large and well ventilated and
healthful, and no persons as a rule
sleep on the verandas. While it is
possible that at times a person may
sleep on the verandas, I can say that
I have been there many times at all
hours of the, day and night, and have
never seen any one sleeping on the
veranda; and if you will appoint
committee, Mr. Chairman, to go with
me to this block at the close OF this
meeting I will prove that the state
ments of the speaker who made the
charge are incorrect. OF course, 40
not contend that this block is as clean
and sanitary as the dwellings IN Wnlcn
we live. The poorest class live IN
such places, and there must be quar-
ters for them to live in, but ] wish
to say that the Magoon block, So
called. is one Of the healthiest and
hest in the city. And I also wish TO
saw that have lived in and about and
owned property in Kakaako for the
last thirty years, and that no case OF
plague. cholera, smallpox or other
contagious disease has ever been
found on my property, excepting thaV
man was taken out Of one OF my
houses the other day, who, 1t IS
claimed by the Board of Health hau
the cholera. l do not know whether
he had or not. But do know that
Ibe is still alive and kicking, ana
also know that Kakaako is one OF the
bealthiest locations in Honolulu ana
account for it in the fact that the
ground is salty, with little or no stag
nant fresh water, A previous speaker
has said that in former times the cit
liens have turned out and stamped
out contagious diseases, but he no
ticed that now the people refused to
turn out. dispute that the people
of this city have refused to turn out.
They have as much patriotism now as
they had when the plague and cholera
we're here before, and if there is any
necessity for it, the people OF this
CITY will turn out to man to stamp
ont the cholera. believe in support
ing the Board of Health. claim
however that it should not do Things
secretly. If it has complaint to make
against any PERSONS property, II
should give that person fair chance
to be heard, and decide upon the
measures to be adopted with intelll-
gent elaboration; and that having
once given it's decision, any person
who should fail to comply with IT,
II makes no difference who he may
he. should be visited with the full
penalty of the law. Several of the
speakers have referred to the matter
of personal cleanliness. / believe that
it is the lack of personal cleanliness
very largely that causes the conta-
gious diseases; and that law should
be passed to oblige people to Keep
clean. We oblige people to work, or
put them in Jail for vagrancy. A per-
son who allows himself to become
filthy should be punished. There is
only few days left of the legislative
session, and a law might be passed
to enforce personal cleanliness.
"As to filling in the duck ponds be-
tween Kakaako and Waikiki, l have
to say that do not consider it prac
teal It would be herculean task
These ponds are not a menace to the
health of the community, as they are
brackish, and l don't believe that in
fictitious germs Turk in them, The
smells that come from them are no
pestilential, however much they ma!
Offend the aesthetic sense of m,