Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-08

I 1l6 LILY SCI lOAdy III SAOos
! new laws. Grades of streets and side
/ walks must be established. cit is in
teresting to observe here that the es
tablishing of these grades only be
came city function in 1879 The
city must be mapped. There ara
large areas of Qthe city for which nc
proper mapsnexist, for instaace, that
section between the Kamehameha
schools and Asylum road and mauka
of King street The making of these
necessary maps will take time and
money.
The problem at best is not an easy
one for the supervisors to solve. They
see the city's other financial needs.
The man about to be soaked, as he
! thinks, for a part of the cost OF paw.
ing his street only sees coming the
day of paying his assessment and op.
poses the whole scheme, making full
use Of his right as a citizen and tax.
payer, ETC., to "cuss. out" the super
EiSors.
He does not think In terms of "the
city" and "the common good. He
has never boosted of being resident
of Honolulu mel" nor that he is "a
citizen of no mean city,.
The supervisors need your enlight-
ened interest, gentlemen and your
active support in a thorough and COM
prehensiye TROUT Of these laws.
Reduction in Tax Rate Possible.
Right here | would like to point out
by way OF parenthesis, that sooner or
later the tax payers of Honolulu will
depand a reduction in the tax rate.
The city's necessaries, some of which
/ have mentioned, can properly be met
in no ether way than out Of the gen
eraI fund. The power to issue bonds
which the city now has should be used
for extraordinary matters. Is there
any way other than by the application
of the principle of local assessment
that sufficient moneys can be saved at
any one time to admit of the reduction
of the tax rate, without gripping the
city by over-economy? know of none.
The city is growing faster than we
know. 1t is growing along the lines OF
least resistance and at haphazard. We
do not conduct our private affairs this
way in Honolulu. Why should we al
low public affairs by our inattention to
slide along as best they may? Atten-
ton to pubic affairs which concern
the city is your business. You pay the
bills. How is your money being spent.
Is it economical to put down perma-
nent paving before solving the storm
water sewer problem? The next tor
rental downpour will damage the
streets. Is it the part of wisdom to
put down permanent pavement on
concrete base under which there is a
sewer inadequate in size? No
sooner will cur streets in the business
sections be properly paved before we
will face the necessity of digging them
up to do over the water and sewer sys-
tens. It does not take a student OF
matters to see at once that
what Honolulu needs is a city plan.
If you agree with me in this, tell your
friends of the necessity and thus help
to create a public opinion on the sub
ject.
The subject of how to make Honolu- |
lu into real city is very big and
broad one.
The Spirit for the Work.
1t is our business as American citi-
zens to see to it that Honolulu is trans |
formed into a real municipality with |
true city spirit This will mean much |
study and unselfish service. Let me
ask yau to take. as your pledge to |
ach other in this great work, the