Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-20
Public Questions of Vital
Importance Taken Up by
President

Especial star Bulletin Core spondcnccl
| HILO, Hawaii, Jan. 17.-GroWth
and progress of Hilo and the Island
! of Hawaii, recommendations for a
number of local improvements, and
suggestions for work that will bene-
fit the entire territory were made by
| DR.. II. B. Elliott, president OF the Hi
| 10 board CT trade, at the annual meet
| ing of that body last Tuesday.
| Under the head of Entertainment"
! dinners to Governor Frear, Secretary
| Fisher and others were mentioned, as
were the receptions given the Los
Angeles yachting party and Duke Ka.
hanamoku. AhorEer feature of this
character was the series of lectures
given by Messrs IoOding Field, H. K.
Bishop and T. A. Jaggar, Jr The
| first territorial civic convention was
reviewed, as was the suggestion Of the
| finances of the County of Hawaii as
made by Mr.. Gooding Field.
Another matter of general interest
which was reviewed was the erection
of the Hilo Library, in which the sum
iof $4,000 was given as the amount
needed by legislative appropriation.
The statement was made that the in
stitution will be handled by a board
of nine trustees, five to be appointed
by the library association, two gy the
Supervisors and two by the board of
trade. The credit for. the new struc-
ture is given, as it belongs, to John
A. Scott. q
The desirsbility of completing the
Hilo federal guiding was mentioned,
as were the construction of the Hilo
Union school and the new board of
health structure. A short report of
the mail handled at the Hilo post
office was given, showing a large in
crease in the past year. - Under the
head of shipping the need of a marine
hospital station here was taken up as
well as the necessity of further wharf
accommodations in the near future.
The more important sections OF tho
report read as follows:
Incorporation Of tiio.
The growing Importance of the
town of Hilo, its rapidly increasing
population, and it's development as
mercantile center and shipping port
are forcing upon us unavoidable pro-
| from those of the rural districts
which form the balance of the Coun-
ty of Hawaii. The time is approach
ing when the necessarily perfunctory
and desultory attention of supervisors
from remoted districts will not sui
fee for the administration of this ur-
ban area. Rapid growth in itself de-
mapds large expenditures of money
within comparatively short periods of
| time, and so far as these have to be
| provided from current revenue they
will be assented to with reluctance
by the remainder of the county if
| they entail reductions elsewhere. 1t
may be reasonably surmised even
| now that our present Unstable finan-
clal equilibrium is maintained partly
| at the expense of our neighbors. The
| movement for separation will, there
| lore receive accessions from two
sources, firstly, from the Hilo citi-
zen who will be compelled to realize
| the need for more intensive and
| concentrated administration, and, sec
ondly, from the rural taxpayer who
will grudge contributions from which
| his benefit is very indirect. A mere
| duplication of our existing system
with all of it's defects affords a cheer
less outlook to the local taxpayer,
| and it is evident that any step in
this direction must be accompanied
with much greater efficiency and Geo.
nomy in administration than have vet
tabeen experienced on this island If it
Is to be success. The manifest des-
tiny of Hilo is Incorporation with a
city charter. Whether we like it or
not, this Is situation that must be
! faced before long, and it is one that
should receive the earnest and
thoughtful attention of every citizen.
Public Health and Sanitation
A contract has been let and con-
struction has commenced upon a
building for the offices and patholo-
glcal laboratory of the board of
health. Under the able supervision
OF Chief Inspector D. S. Bowman
sanitary conditions in the town and
on the plantations are steadily be-
ing improved, the community enjoys
freedom from serious outbreaks of
endemic disease, and in these res
poets favorable comparisons can be
made with similar communities on
Tic
A glance at the vital statistics
contained in the last report of the
territorial board of health reveals
that out of a total of 1896 deaths in
this territory, 1912 occurred among
infants under twelve months of age.
and that for this county the figures
were S5S and 800 respectively. These
figures acquire startling significance
when subjected to analysis and COM
pared with others. Reduced to their
simplest terms We find that two out
OF every eight children born on this
island are doomed to the grave
within twelve months, to be followed
by one more in less than five years.
ms means an infant mortality of
24O to each 1000 births, and a COM
olned infant and child mortality of
$50 per 1000. Authorities who have
carefully studied this subject in
England believe that by improving
conditions in that country about 40
deaths to 1000 births should be
about the normal ratio. The actual