Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-25
SUGGESTIONS


|inpaigners, suggests that Honolulu should
I'VE municipal efficiency bureau, and that one
the first things to get in laying the ground
|ork for civic betterment is social survey
The city has already made several starts
long the course indicated by the ,hicago work
IS, and with results that ought to be eucoulag-
ne. What is needed new appears to be system
tic and permanent research linked up more
'osely to action by the city authorities. Semi
'iicial and unofficial sbadies have asne a great
11l Of investigating in the past two years, but
takes much time and effort To- translate rec
..lmendation into action.
Fer instance, the last legislature authorized
sanitary commission, which was duly appoint
n BIZ the governor and which did excellent re-
arch work extending oYeFsa year, finally re-
IIfing with wcaltll,of detail and a succinct
stement Of possible improvements that were
IDLY cOmIendable This commission went
TO tenement housing conditions, milk supply,
1ter supply and other matters Of social con-
Not long after this, Miss Frances Blascoer
rs brought here by the trustees of the Kaiulani
.ome as a special Investigator, and after some
.onths Of study submitted report that is now
['nted-in booklet of 100 pages Miss Blascoer
aid particular attention to the Industrial CON
.'Iion Of women and girls in Honolulu.
At the present time another unofficial social
|rvey Is under way and results arc promised in
|ex weeks. - $500. s,t.tl
Further1ncre, most Of the grand ajuries, fed
raj and territorial, OF recent years, have taken
IS the social evil, tenement houses, Jail reform
md similar subjects with more or less thorough.
I<s and effect.
In the direction Of q municipal efficiency bu-
I'M, Honolulu was given, thanks 70 the Cham
lei Of Commerce, an Illuminating report by FL.
.Doding Field His report. made after q study
. the organization and operation Of the present
I5 government, has had much influence in di-
citing the thoughts Of reasoning men toward
Ne necessity for revision Of the present charter
ND new and less unwieldy form of municipal
|Fernment. ssps
Now the one great reason why these various
|<estigations and reports have had no more eff
.ct is that they have not been doyetailed with
.Iion by the city or territory: "A great deal has
len accomplished in directing public sentiment
As Mi. Robins notices and commends, the pres
Iii building ordinance has put stop TO the
|6rst types of new tenement construction. The
.rritory is moving too The board of health is
.5ing some good work in the Oriental section,
Ion Instance But, all in all, official action is
.thsiderably behind the procession of expert
knowledge and expert opinion. That is not to
t Wondered at Every municipality has this
Ekperience and Honolulu is considerably better
off than many cities Mr. Robins has visited.
What We want, of course, is to get the maxi
mum of action in the right direction. The slow
Iy-changing body of public opinion will do some
hing; the leadership of experts will do some
hing more. Nh III
The suggestion for a permanent bureau of
municipal efficiency is a good one, so far as the
city is concerned Whether the city itself should
undertake that is doubtful, yet in Honolulu it is
certain that We must somehow contriye to get
our city officials deeply and actively interested
IA these progressive measures. Some cities, We
understand, have found legal ways of establish
ing municipal bureaus of this kind. Philadel
mia. Cleveland, Kansas City and Milwaukee are
riyen. in recent summary, as municipalities
where the bureaus have been made permanent
and under the city jurisdiction and operation
Milwaukee's bureau, it is said, has saved great
waste already Here the bureau has two divi
sions.-soeial welfare and administration eff
ciency.
Supervisor Markham attended the institute
presided over by Mr. Robins yesterday afternoon.
1t is pity that all of the supervisors could not
have heard the Chicago mans clear and pungent
IF doing Citv WORK