Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-11-20
Suggestion of Committee From
Promotion Committee Raises
Strenuous Objection

That the only feasible place at Wal
kiki beach for the erection Of an
amusement pier is of The Moana hotel
and OutriggeF Club frontage is the de-
cision which has been reached by the
special committee appointed by the
Proomtion Committee to look into the
matter Of the proposed erection OF
such pier and select site. The
committee has decided that the public
baths Is too far from the regular tour
ist centering place, and propositions
to erect such pier at Kapiolani park
have been fatty turned down.
After much consideration the com.
mittee has come to the conclusion
that the one feasible place TO erect
the pier is before the premises of the
Outrigger Club, If this arrangement
could be made--but il is not likely
that the suggestion Of a modern recre-
alton pier at Waikiki win receive the
unstinted cooperation OF the Outrig-
ger Club members. Speaking on the
subject this morning Alexander Hume
Ford said: = r@
1t is sad to contemplate the fact
that there are men VINO would urgs
the humiliation of the one bit of real
Hawaii left to us for the fuTtherance
OF speculative scheme to erect a
noisy modern commercial recreation
pier, that would forever destroy the
naturalness and romance Of Waikiki,
making the little trumpetry Coney ISL
and side-show that would take its
place a laughing stock and a reproaeh
that would advertise US abroad only
In an inverse ratio. 4
There are a thousand members
in the Optrigger Club now, and these
often bring their friends. The club
has become popular because of the
policy to make It distinctively Ha-
waiian. There are often 200 diners
under the hau trees on the grounds,
and the eight white surfboard riders
of few years ago have grown to
more than 100; where a few years
ago three or four outrigger canoes
graced the beach there are now
scores.
In the six years of the life of the
0utrigger Club Honolulu has had rea-
son to realize what the sport of surf
board riding does for its youth. Weak
ly youngsters have grown to great
powerful men through daily battling
the surf, and now we are asked to
turn from the great healthful recreas
ton that is so typical Of Hawaii and
became mere amusement pier david
lers. Every tourist visits Waikiki to
see the surfb0ard riding and the Out
81 IT, hi
sport was all but dead The Outrig
ger Club came where it belonged, on
the grounds on which Queen Emma
kept her surfboards, and the Hawaiian
sport was renewed. Now II is pro-
posed BY spectators 20 efface and
ieface the grounds of the Outrigger
Club with the modern vulgar amuse-
ment pier-to attract the tourists!
And what has the Outrigger Club
done? 1t is keeping men In Hawaii
who came originally as mere visitors.
VIII cheap imitation Of Coney ISL
and do this? Not much. 1t win tend
to drive some ken OF away.
The youth of Honolulu has been
trained to amuse himself In the health
fui exercise of sHrfboard riding. All
other games at the Outr.gger Club
have been tabooed for tae reason that
II was found that they kept the young
STEERS from going out into the surf.
An amusement pier at Waikiki would
sound sthe death knell OF the sport of
surfing and make mere nangers-on at
an amusement place of lads who, 9TH
erwise might become splendid speci-|
mems Of athletic manhood. Rnow
something of amusement piers in
many lands. and IL we are to have.
one 1t Is my heartfelt prayer that 1t
be located as far from WAIKIKI as pos
sshle. know the long years of hard
work. almost despairing at times, it