Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-19
Proposed Recreation Pier Is
Termed HOnOIuIu's Real Need
BY /. w. de vis-Norten.

ment in music. The civic authorities
got together, and said we must have
music, good music and plenty OF II.
We have got climate, pine-Yoods,
good stores and good railroad serv-
ice, but there is still something lack,
ing, fer the people who come to US
have nothing TO do but Toll on the
sands by the sea, or else walk on the
cliffs. II We start letting beach con,
cessions, and have minstrel shows
every few yards. We are going to drop
hack to the position OF cheap, sec
cRd-class resort, and We shall not at
tract the monied class Of visitor, who
wants TO he kept amused without ex-
ertion. and is always willing to pay
for IT," .".--. -:
The result of the conference was
that Bournemouth built its world
famed Winter Garden, so that its
music could be enjoyed regardless OF
the weather. -. -.
The cost of the building was not so
great, and as soon as it was built
Bournemouth started in to get the
finest municipal band obtainable for
money. The first step was the en-
gagement of Dan Godfrey, son OF the
famous bandmasteS. Of the Coldstream
Guards, To him they gave good
salary, and told him to go ahead and
organize band, and not to stop until
he had the best band in England.
The Winter Garden has now been
running for nearly twenty years, and
have not the slightest hesitation in
saying that Bournemouth owes its
astounding growth to the fact that it
was almost the only tourist resort in
England, where high-class music could
be had the whole year round, at a
moderate price.
Surely Honolulu could profit by
such an example. We have an all
the-yearround season, so far as cir
mate goes; we have everything else to
attract the tourist; we. have a par
ticularly fine band, which plays all
over the city and suburbs, instead of
being centralized, and we have the
enc very hest bet of all, in Hawaiian
music: Tourists come in thousands
already On purpose to reach the home
Of those haunting strains they have
heard on the mainland They car
tainly do hear certain amount of
really good native music, but they
would be- more than ready to pay a
GOOD admission fee. to hear the finest
living experts on the ukulele, and the
best native voices in the islands.
Tourists want to be kept amused,
and they do not want to have to take
strenuous e1ertion. Many of them
live busy lives on the mainland, and
want to take it easy here; they want
to have their minds taken off their
business, and they want their senses,
to be lulled to rest. not only by the
whispering murmurs of the sparkling
waves. and the gentle voices of the
newsboys and peanut vendors, but by
the plaintfye notes OF soft Hawaiian
music, heard in its own native haunts.
Hawaiian music is doing more to
bring people to these islands than all
the lecture tours and advertising will
ever do. 1t Is fine thing to hear it
on the mainland, but surely It can be
capitalized to far greater extent
here at home
Mr.. Forbes has put 5his finger on
the leak ia our treatment of the tour
lst within our gates. we spend all
kinds of money and brains to get him
here, but, when he arrives we don't
spend enough on his amusement. The
argument may be used that We have
laid out money enough on getting him
here, and that when he arrives. it is
up to him to recoup us by scattering
theory, but why not. give him good, :.
solid amusement at a low figure, so
that he will get the hs:-it of spend
ing his money every. day to share
in it? Ill, .....,..
/ believe, that, quite apart from the
tourists, there would be a revenue
from season tickets large enough to
more than pay the whole of the run
ming expenses, and If. this were so,
then all the admission fees and fees
Irom concessions would be clear
profit. r.. -.
! hope Mr.. Forbes idea will be
taken up with enthusiasm by the CITY
for believe that the provision of
more amusement for the tourist will
not only attract the best class of tour
list, but will attract him in such num-
bers through every month in the year,
that the Moana hotel will have to
build out as many wings as it can
possibly find room for, while outside
and home capital will be well in.
vested in similar enterprises, until
Honolulu has taken her place as one
of the ideal tourist: resorts of the
world. e -...-.
nnnAAno FAll Anara .IIN .~s