The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-01-21


Element work was made yesterday at
! the annual meeting of the Palama Set
Element my James A. Rath, superin-
tendent. It showed that through a
great advance has been made in the
scope of the work, there is need for
much further increase. J. r. Gait occu-
pid the chair and many interested citi.
, zens were present. w. F. Dillingham;,
w. r. Castle and r. Ivers were named
as directors for the coming year.
The following are extracts from the
report:
THE problems before this settle
ment, as before all settlements, are
physical and economic as we'll as mo
raj. Not every poor man or woman
is a sinner. Many are suffering
through the faults and greed of others.
To these, charity as popularity under
stood is a mockery. Others are suf-
fering because of some physical all
ment; to preach to these on the weak
ness of the flesh, without affording the
means of regaining strength, is a de-
fusion; those who are friendless and
out of work, need to be placed where
they can be economically independent
instead of being looked upon with sus.
picion.
Antique Methods.
"The time has gone by when the
giving of cast off clothing and toys
and of charity, in the shape of doles
and pensions were considered ade-
quate means of solving the problems
of poverty, disease and crime. The
civilized world is realizing today as
never before, that the solution of these
problems does not lie in palliative mea-
sures, but in permanent cures and in
the removal of the exciting causes.
Palliative measures are sometimes ne
cessary in order to afford temporary
rellet, they never can raise the per-
manent conditions of people,
The most important point to chron.
icle in the years work must necessar
lily be the reorganization of the settle
ment Over fourteen years ago, Mr..
and Mrs. P. c. Jones of this city, pre-
sented the piece of land, with the
building on it known as the Palama
chapel, to the Central Union church.
For nine years the church conducted
the enterprise and then turned It over
to the Hawaiian board.
This board assumed the responsible
ity for little more than five years.
The work, however, developed to such
an extent, that it was considered wise
to have it Incorporated as an eeemosy.
nary corporation. To this both the Ha-
waiian board and the church gave
their consent, a charter was applied
for and obtained and on July 81, 1910.
the Palama Settlement took it's place
as separate and Independent organi-
cation among others in the city.
Although it has now reached this
state, it must ever look with gratitude
to those who made it possible; both
the Central Union Church and the Ha- !
waiian board have nobly exemplified
the spirit of unselfshness that has
ever characterized their existence. The |
land, buildings and equipment, have
now been transferred to the settle
ment as incorporated.
Living conditions in the frame
tenements of our city are not condu- :
Give to either high thinking or plain
living. To rail against the tenement
dwellers, without affording them a
healthier method of living, is cant.
Many of them are forced through eco
nomic conditions, to live as cheaply as
they can, at the peril of losing decency
and health. To abuse the owners of |
the tenements is futile. They are the
of our modern day economic
conditions. Several remedies have
from time to time been proposed. These
vary from government ownership to
Philanthropy and per cent. The /
method adopted by the settlement is
on the Octavia Hill plan. Eighteen |
months ago, at the suggestion of Mr..
B. F. Dillingham;, sixteen cottages. adj
joining the settlement, were leased af-
ter the owners had spent s0r:e S3GcO
upon repairs and renovation. At the
time there was doubt in the minds Of
some of our friends as to whether the
would pay. 1t was esti-
mated by these friends that 20 per
cent of the expected receipts would
have to be written off on account of
and failure to pay rents. 1t
is my pleasant duty to report that aft
err trial of a year and half, the ex-
pertinent can be pronounced a success
Not only is every cottage at the pre-