The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-03-19
SIZES
UP HONOLULU

James Fiizmaurice, special CORE.
spondeut of the London Times, read
La paper on obvious Honolulu at the
opera house last night, less than a
hundred people being present.
The speaker was introduced by Gov.
ernor Frear
He started by reference to a criti-
cism Of his expressed view on Autra-
liza which appeared in a letter pub
lished in the Advertiser, signed Kan
CARGO"
The lecturer stated that he had
spent seven years in Australia and
knew whereof he spoke, Once an
English writer had said some unpretty
but truthful things about Australia
and Australians, and since then ev-
cry writer or speaker on things Aus
tralian had been subjected to criti-
cism
Speaking of the writer of the letter
he TOOK occasion to remark that the
kangaroo was famous for one thing
and that wasn't its head.
The reading, which occupied about
an hour, was on Fitzmaurice's first i'm
pressions of his first day in Honolulu
He said that it was the first. of four
papers which were now on their way
to London for publication in THE
Thunderer."
His letter was much the same as is
that of the average tourist who for
wards his impressions of Honolulu to
his home paper.
Fitzmaurice throughout his reading
starred local hotel and also paid his
compliments to a local express com
pany.
He related how he had been "stung"
| by the hackdrivers, chauffeurs (pro-
nounced like gopher, and the restau-
rants, the latter of which charged him
-four and tuppence' for a dinner,
There were three things which he
couldn't find in Honolulu: good cigar,
good cup of tea and a woman who
didn't wear black suede shoes.
The hotels Of Honolulu he thought
we're way above the average, particu-
larly the one at which he was staying.
That was a very paragon of a hotel
and he had specially mentioned it by
name in his article which would short
ly be published in the London Times.
He noticed that the people here ran
too much to black extremities, such
denominations as soft black felt hats
and black suede shoes for instance. At
home no one but clodhoppers wore
black felt hats and then for purposes
of economy He really couldn't under
stand a cultured community wearing
such things.
The reader liked the local verandas.
In Australia the people didn't half ap.
preciate veranda and the comfort to
be derived therefrom. They used
them there as repositories for broken
down chairs and as loafing place
for many dogs.
He thought that if a man paid a
chauffeur twentieth part of what was
D., demanded he would be treating the
auto man right.
Incidentally Fftzmaurice stated that
he had been "stung" by shirtmaker
in Honolulu who had charged him
three different prices for as many
shirts.
The customs officers of Honolulu
are, according to Fitzmaurice, all right
and don't use retaliatory measures
with travellers unless annoyed.
The streets of Honolulu impressed
the lecturer as being some bad and
none good.
Waikiki beach he found very disap'
pointing. He had expected to see a
thousand or more bathers disporting
in the surf but was grievously disillu
stoned. If the bathing is so good, he
remarked, why don't the local people
patronize it?
The Hawaiian music he found to be
the real thing and at a dinner concert
at the Young he heard a singer whom,
he felt sure, would be appreciated at
Covent Garden.
What was most wanted here, said
F4tzmaurice, was something for the
tourist to do when he got here. He
didn't make any suggestions along this
line, however.
w. R. Castle graced the platform
during the reading.
.ITECTING MAMMA