Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-05


Municipal Research Club, addressed
the members of the Honolulu AID Club
at their weekly luncheon today, and
spoke As follows:
"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
AID Club:
Il believe that the good Of the city
requires that the supervisors imme-
diately formulate plan under which
Acts 81 and 131 Of the session laws
Of 1913 be put into operation as soon
as practicable. However, the super
spisors are not the only ones respon-
sible for conditions as they exist in
our city, II is the individual citizen,
and ! am not thinking of the poolas
and road workmen, but of the silk
stocking class, the intelligent profes.
sional and business men 1t is unfor-
tunate but nevertheless true that this
class with few exceptions, have no
sense Of their responsibility in max.
ing our city an American city.
We often hear our friend Ed
1owse describe the city Of Kaimuki.
We hear again Of the Manoa Improve
ment Club proposing to secede and
form an independent government Of
their own. We hear that the Kalihi
improvement Club wants certain i'm
proyements to be paid for out OF the
general fund because district so and
SO has had more than its share, but
we hear mighty little enthusiasm from
Manoa of Kahili because our city has
made step forward by the fixing of
q road at Kaimuki, or vice versa.
What wonderful thing 1t would be If
we could get all the district improve
ment clubs 10 disband and then have
all their members join the AID Club
for the purpose of boosting for our
city; If we could get Ed Towse q
use the word Ed Towse In its broader
sense, meaning Kaimuki) to back up
city hall for Honolulu; or Manoa
backing the much needed extension
OF Queen street to WATERFOWL; or Ka-
lihi supporting the extension of the
same street to Kaimuki But the mil
lennium Is not yet. a..
Digest OF law ~
For the purpose OF giving you an
idea an to what act 131 is, j ask the
privilege of reading digest of the
same prepared by Mr.. Sheedy for the
Municipal Research Club. =
Under Act 131 of Laws of 1913,
the board of supervisors was author
lied to create. define and establish
Improvement. districts in the District
of Honolulu, TO assess property bene-
flied to provide for,the whole or part
of cost Of Improvement made under
this act, and to issue bonds secured
by. these assessments for carrying on
the improvements.
Improvement Districts-Before or
dering any Improvements the super
yisors shall determine and define the
district TO be benefited and assessed,
have details and specifications drawn
to allow competitive bidding: have
prepared a list OF all owners. lessees
and occupants Of the land to be bene-
fitted, and map showing exact, loca-
ton of the proposed Improvement and
district To be assessed with3an esti-
mate of the total cost, stating what
proportion, il any, the city will pay,
and approximate share to be assessed
against each piece of land. Assess
ment may be based on front or square
foot There is also provision allow
ing supervisors to specify materials
not subject decomposition.
.An Improvement district may
have sub-districts or zones, each bear
ing a certain proportion of total as
sessment, in proportion to the bene-
fits estimated as a result of the pro
posed Improvement.
The supervisors must advertise in
ia Honolulu paper, printed in English,
giving the items enumerated, stating
where the map called for may be ex.
amined and fixing time and place
for q pubic meeting to be held for
the discussion of the proposed i'm
provement This advertisement must
be published for 10 consecutive days,
and the meeting shall not be held less
ton of notice. -. ...
s1f the owners of IS per cent of an
area to be assessed for any improve
ment, file a written protest with the
supervisors at or before any public
hearing, the improvement is not to
be made and proceedings can only be
renewed within six months, on re-
quest of the owners of so per cent of
the. property to be assessed.
Improvement System
IF the owners of 60 per cent Of an
area designated by them as pro-
posed district file a petition with the
supervisors requesting the improve
1llent Of any street, with a map and
estimate of the cost, the supervisors
must proceed in the manner described
and as Ii on their own motion. A peti-
ton may specify the kind of paving
desired, which shall be used unless
deemed unsuitable by the supervisors.
The hearing having been called,
whether on the initiative of the SUI
pervisors' or of the owners of the as
sessment district, the supervisors de-
termine whether the improvement
shall be made as proposed or with
notifications. Notifications restrict
ing the area of the benefited district
or lessening the cost may be, made
without further advertising or hearing,
but should any modification increase
the cost or area of benefited district,
thew pouct hrOhaad nc in fhp case of a